American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1922-04-15
sCepVr;aht by kothlse1 Norrss

grown pale and had fixed her eyes
upon his as II under q spell.
"You mean" Her voice failed
her.
Il mean marriage. l mean that you
and ! shall quietly get married In O
few weeks, when am free" he IN.
swered. II have Just indicated to you
what II would mean to me. hope"
he added, watching her closely, as she
sat stunned and silent. II hope that II
would also have its advantages to you.
Your position then would be unques.
tionable. my mother--Nina--the world.
would have nothing to say. Your in
fluence on Ward Is the one thing that
may save the boy. or Nina we've
already spoken. My mother--l know
her !-would Immediately become the
champion Of her sons wife. There
would be a three days busSing-tha,
would end III"
The swift uprushing Of 10y In Har-
riet's heart was accompanied with the
first agonies Of remuneration. was per-
haps all the more poignantly sweet
because Of them. She had not come
to this hour without knowing what he
meant to her. this quiet man with the
splendid mouth and the keen gray
eyes, and she trembled now with an
exquisite emotion that seemed to
drown out all the past and all the fu-
ture-everything except that she loved
him and he needed her! But when she
spoke II was as coolly as he:
"Mr. Carter--what Of your wifef'
His eyes met hers YEARLY.
"Divorce proceedings were insti.
tuted Immediately II was definitely en-
tablished she had gone with young
Pcps. The decree will be absolute"
'But that win not cannon alter u.
situation" Harriet faltered.
you mean--" the man hesItnic'.
"you mean you--that you regard h'
~ married stinY'
Harriet, mute with emotions abso
lutely oyerpowering. nodded withoO
speaking.
"will you--will you let me .rhInl
about III" she, faltered. A suddel
brightness came into his face. "Yo'
know how ! was brought up to thinl
| Of divorce" she went on pleadingly
"rve made plenty Of mistakes In IN.
life, but I've never deliberately dom
what I felt was wrong"
"And this would bef Richard aske'
slowly.
"well--l haven't thought about II |!
she answered slowly. "My people
my sister and her husband-woul'
say so! IL would have said SO o
some other womani"
"This would not be an ordil.ar
marriage; you would be entirely you
own MISTRESS" Richard said, wit
quiet significance. ut would be
marriage only In the eyes OF tn
world"
IT see," she said. 'I--I must hav
; time to think about III"
"As long as you like!" She ha
risen, and now he rose. too. and wen
, with her to the library door an
, opened II for her. "When you decide
come and tell me-" he said, bowling.
She turned to give him u partin
smile. with q desperate wish to te
him half the honor and Joy she woul
feel In taking his name. In sharing HI
responsibilities. but the pleasantly In
personal nod he gave her chilled tn
words unspoken. Harriet fed to HI
. room.
my chance" she whispered, pres
Ing her cold finger tips to her h
cheeks. my chance at last--and
: cunt take I'll No. I can't take It
don't cure what his world does I
thinks--my world doesn't permit u
Mol can't. Not q divorced man, NJ
a man with living wife I've bee
u fooi--I've been wrong. plenty
times. but I've never committed m
self to folly and wrongi"
/. She stu I'd blindiy ahead Of he
n After u while she spoke again, hal
aloud:
"Oh, but why does It have to
+ this wayl II could go TO him, Il
q him what he means to the. II we we
J, poor-lf we could take little pla
tSI next to Linda-never to see Nina 4
his mother or Ward or Roy again
oh. what heaven! How I should 10
liz. planning for things together,
li.lnda and Fred did having him cor
,. iome to me every night
N ''But II Isn't that way" Harriet su
lrnly recalled herself sensibiy, "a
: n Is folly even to think about II
ID IN II rich man. and a married mi
y. land that enrls Il. That ends It."
>. A great desolati0n swept her spill
n ynte i,ll from bitter musing TO weak'
ng. The law permitted It. after
ileniy OF good women hed shown J
iilc way, The family needed her;
nia,n do good here. And above
~ she loyej him.
no Size heard n STIRRING In the b
ge room.
q. "whnt time Is It. Rosai" she call
M ,rddenly aware of weakness
!. fnligue.
MY goodness. how You brighter
Al. Ut.sAt vtta tVot nann