The herald., 1922-05-18

her joyous voice following Mollie
away.
Richard pushed back his plate and
/ looked irreSOlutely after her. Then
suddenly he rose and walked through
/ the pantry. asking two startled maids
/ for Mrs. Carter. Etelka had been sew
eral years in the house without ever
seeing "him" In this neghbOrhood be-
| fore.
Richard crossed & sunshiny brick
walled yard, where linen was drying,
and went through n brick gateway
! that gave on Il neglected little lane.
! The lane had once been the driveway
| for carriage and Il prancing pair,
but there were only riding horses at
! CrownlandS now. and three of these
were looking over the wall AT the
| grass grown road. And Richard found
/ Harriet here.
She was on her knees, in the pleas
ant green shadow Of the Old sycamOres
and naples; her back was toward him.
She was looking up into the face Of
the old stableman, Trotter, who stood
before her, his crooked, dwarfed old
figure still further bent as he held
two strong young ewes by their thick,
woolly shoulders.
AS TrOtter gave him a respectful
good morning, Harriet sprang to her
feet and whirlcd about and Richard
saw the woodeny stiff legs Of a very
young lamb dangling from her arms
and the lambs meek little black-rub-
Der face close to the beautiful face he
loved.
"Oh, Richardw she said, carried
away by her own delight. Look at
it! Isn't it the sweetest darling baby
that ever was! Oh, you sweet! she
said, putting her lips to the little wool
ly head.
You re-" Richard said quite with
out generalization.
Harriet laughed, surrendered the
little lamb TO Trotter and followed
the old mans departure to the stables
with an anxious warning.
They're to have this little enclOs-
ure all TO themselves" she explained
TO Richard when they were alone.
He's going TO build them a little
she'd" And as Richard his back lean
ing against the low brick wall, made
no immediate attempt TO move, she
looked at him eXpectantly. Shall
we go hackT she suggested.
THAT sounded very pleasant to me-"
Richard said with deliberate irrele-
vance.
Harriet looked at him In puzzled
silence.
II mean your calling me Richard"
he said.
She flushed brightly and laughed.
did /? l always think of you as
Richard !" she explained.
$50 you abandon me on the Brazil
trip?" he asked, watching her seri-
ouSly,
"Well-?" Harriet shrugged. 81
thought you had TO co." she added.
'Tm-Tll confess I'm disappointed.
But TO have Nina want TO do anything
is such a relief TO me that I'm only
going TO think of THAR
"Yes, l have to co." Richard said
slowly. 81 must be there for a month
at least. But I'm disappointed, too.
l got thinking of it, in the night
couldn't sleep! I'm disappointed, too"
He fell silent. II WISH" he said hest
tatingly, that you had not told me
that you-yOu don't feel that you-are
going TO love mer' he said. II love
you with all my heart and soul. It
well, it's all think of now. i want"
He turned and picking an ivy leaf
from the wall looked at it intently for
a moment and tore 1t apart before he
let It fall. However" he said phil
osophically, smiling at her, "weIl let
that wait!"
Harriet, close to him, laid one hand
upon his shoulder.
You misunderstood me-" she sass
steadily. "What | said was that l
could not love you more than / do !
Aren't yOu-ever-going to under
stand?'
For a long minute they looked
into each others eyes.
Harriet, do you mean it," Richard
said then, simply.
YES" she answered, 81 mean It!
I've always meant 1t. I've always
loved you, l think. No man could
want any woman to love him more ~
The blue eyes so near his own were
misty with sudden tears. In the de-
serted little lane, In the blue summer
morning and the green shade of the
sycamOres, they were alone. Richard
put his arms about her.
And for a moment he held all the
beauty and fragrance and laughter
and tears that was Harriet close to
! HNa Co.,.
| .4x Ill ~rs~