, 1922-07-19
InIIInmIn 1
HARRIET and 16s PIPER.
By KATHLEEN NORRIS
Copyright by Kathleen Norris
By KATHLEEN r
IIIIIIIiIIII IlIiiIiiiif


| Mrs. Richard Carter, nor would she
have held her present position Of trust
and responsibility.
While Nina n her lover murmured
on the terrace Harriet brooded on
these things, and after dinner that
evening she gave Richard so sharp a
warning that he sent at once for Nina,
and with a clouded brow and angry
eyes briefly requested Harriet to be
present while he spoke to her.
Nina came at once. with an inno-
cent expression on her rather heavy
young face. She seated herself near
Harriet, and her father went to the
point at once.
Nina" he said, seriously. "you saw
Royal Blondlp this afternoon, didn't
your" And as Nina answered only
with an ugly glance at Harriet, the be
trayer. he added, didn't / ask you
not to see him any more. several
months ago?"
Eyes. you did, Nina said. in a low
tone, and with a heaving breast.
81 hope, and we all hope, that you
will marry some day." Richard said.
But. you are toe young now to make
a wise choice. And until you are a
little older, you Will have to take my
word for 1t that such an affair would
only lead o to misery and regret"
Nina mumbled something bravely.
81 didn't hear you" her father said.
81 said, I didn't see what you could
do about It'll" the girl repeated, des-
perately.
For a few moments of silence Rich
ard merely looked gravely at his
daughter. Then he clasped his fine
hands on the desk before him, and
cleared his throat.
81 cannot do as much as I should
like, Nina" he conceded, "but 1 shall
do what 1 can. But first let me ask
you: have you promised to marry Mr..
Blondin?"
Silence. Nina looked at the floor.
Richard repeated his question.
"Yes, / haye-and you can't kill me
for It'll" Nina said. and burst into
tears.
"Wel," the father resumed, when
Harriet had supplied a consolatory
murmur and a handkerchief, "Tm
sorry, Of course. Mrs. Tabor carried
letters between you. did she? You
met him occasionally?'
1.-Two or three times" Nina seid,
shifting and drying her eyes busily.
you know my reasons for disliking
him, Nina" her father said. HE is a
man more than twice your age; he
| Nos n nnrkut- uN~< 10000.
ton In his affairs with women. He
has no income, no profession, no
home; all those things tell against
him. You're only a child"
81 shall be Of age Tuesday r. Nina
burst forth, resentfully.
You will be of age Tuesday. True.
But you will be my ward, as far as
your Uncle Edwards legacy is con-
cerned, for another three years. Now,
Nina, If o persist In this folly,
against my most earnest advice, / can
only forbid the man the house, and
lock you in your room In the good old
fashioned way. That I shall do. /
shall then give u to the world-that
has already had a rare treat at the
expense Of the Carter family-the
news of my utter disapproval of the
match. If o manage the marriage
In spite of me, I shall forbid you and
Blondin my house, and as a matter
of course use my right to withhold
the payment of your legacy for three
years, and sop you present allow
ance, and your credit with the shops.
That's all / can dol And I do q,
Nina" said Richard in a softer tone,
81 do 1t to hasten the inevitable, my
deari / do 1t to bring you back to
your father sooner instead of later; to
give you only one year. of disillusion-
ment and suffering, instead of seven
or eight"
1t must be a brave girl, thought
Harriet, who could persist in any
course, after that. But Nina had the
i~mpregnable armor of ignorance and
pride, and she only shifted pathetical-
ly again, and shrugged her shoulders.
you do everything in the world to
make my marriage a failure !" she
said with the irrepressible tears. "And
l suppose you'll be delighted IL 1t isl
And i don't see-if q woman can
marry a rich man, why a man
shouldn't sometimes be glad II a girl
has money I'm proud to help him
out. II he1l let me. He says he won't
why, we had planned going-well.
just everywhere, Honolulu n south
ern California anc Just everywhere,
only nov he won't goI He says he is
going to stay right here. and take a
position with al art magazine that he
just hates. and work 1t all on-before
we go. II 1t takes years"
"work what all orr Harriet asked.
simply and quietly.
This money that a friend Of his
really lost. but he has taken 1t upon
HIMSELF Nina answered. n little molli-