Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-02-16

coming touch. "But how nice to find
you here! I've just been trying to
think how long 1t is since I've seen
you"
"Not since the day you lunched with
Mrs. Carter, and that was almost two
weeks agow
Mrs. Putnam settled herself in the
neighboring chair.
''Pm chaperoning little Lettice Ora
ham for a week." she began, in the
delightful voice upon which Harriet
had modelled her own. But Lettice
is trying her little arts upon Ward
Carter. Dear boy, that!"
"Ward? He is a dear!" Harriet
said, innocently.
mo blushing?" Mary Putnam asked,
with a smiling look. The color came
into Harriet's lovely face, and the
smoky blue eyes widened innocently.
"Blushing-for Ward?" she asked.
Mrs. Putnam stirred her tea thought
fully.
Il didn't know" she said. you're
young, and you know him well, and
you're-well, you have appearance, as
it were! Ward has fine stuff in him,
and also, l think, he is beginning to
care. 1t would be an engagement that
would please the Carriers, l imagine" !"
The word engagement brought a
flmy vision before Harriet's eyes, born
of the fragrance and sunshine of the
summer. She saw a ring, laughter
and congratulations, dinner parties
and receptions, shopping in glittering
Fifth avenue.
"a boy in Wards position may do
much worse than marry a lovely and
sensible woman" Mrs. Putnam said.
well, it just occurred to me. 1t is
your affair, of course. But looking
back one sees how much just the
well, the lack of a tiny push has
meant In ona's lifel'
"And this is the push?" Harriet said
her heart full of the confusion and
confidence and affection on Mary Put
nam's part had brought her.
"Perhaps. The smooth, cool hand
touched hers for a second before Mrs
Putnam went upon her gracious way
Harriet hardly heard the hustle and
confusion about her for few minutes
| She sat mus ng, with her splendid eyes
| fixed upon some point invisible to the
| joyous group about her.
To Nina, meanwhile, had come the
most xtraOrdinary hour of her life
She had sauntered to a green bench
under great naples, with Lettice Ora
ham and Harry Trout and Anna
Poett. And Joshua Brevoort had come
for Anna, and they had sauntered
away, with that mysterious ease with
which other girls seemed to manage
young men. And then Harry and Let
tice had in some manner communi
Gated with each other, for Lettice haC
jumped up suddenly, saying: nina
will you excuse us2 Well be back
directly" and they had wandered of
in the direction of the river, giggling
as they went Nina had smiled gal
lantly in farewell, but her feelings
were deeply hurt. She hated to sit OF
hOiOi fASAOAJ b''lIS, anu yet there NdS
small object iii going back to the alb
sorbed groups nearer the house
Then came The miracle. For as she
uncomfortably waited, Wards friend
the queer man with the black eyes ant
thick hair, suddenly took the seat be
side her. Nina's heart gave a plunge
for If she was i'll at ease with kids
like Harry and Joshua, how much les!
could she N; mage a conversation will
the lion of the hour! But Royal BlOn
din needed 10 help from Nina.
You're little Miss Carter. aren'
your he safe I'VE were introduced
back there, but there We're too man,
young men an und you then for me tt
get word in Nice boys, all of them
But not worth your while ~
Nina murnGred confidence.
"What did lou say?" BlOndin said
But come" hg added, frankly, your,
not afraid OF me, are you? My dea
little girl, Tia old enough to be you
fatherI Look up-I want to see thos,
eyes. That's better. Now, that's NOR,
friendly. Tell me what you said?'
Il said-Ihat mother expected M
to like them"
To- oh, to like the boys. Mothe