The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-03-16
CHAPTER TX.

cloudless content. Ward, early I'm Au-
gust, after serious talk with Harriet,
Joined some friends for motor run
Of three thousand miles. and presently
was sending them post cards from
Monterey and Tahoe.
They had been in the new home only
Il few days when Harriet had reason
to stop short in busy morning of
unpacking with one hand upon her
heart, and "a great satisfaction in her
eyes. Nina. reading from note from
Royal BlOndin, announced the sensa-
tional news that he had broken his
ankle. He was with friends at New
port, and must remain there now for
weeks, perhaps month. Nina was
please to write to him, and TO give
his regard TO Miss Field. and ask her
not to forget him.
For several weeks they were safe.
Nina did not know the family Royal
had been visiting, there was long
interval before she could possibly see
him again. He would write to the girl,
absorbing emotion she would look for
his letters. But Nina was young and
Nina wrote wretchedly, and anything
might happen, thought Harriet, con-
selling herself with a vague argument
that was in itself youthful, too.
With September came changes.
BlOndln wrote that he was limping
about with stick, and wanted to limp
down to them as soon as they would
ask him. Ward was home again, as
always irresponsible, a little older and
in some vague way a little coarser.
Harriet thought, but still most en-
livenlng element in the quiet house
hold. Madame Carter had brought
with her, for several weeks stay,
friend of Isabelle's, a pretty. dashing
little grass widow, Mrs. Tabor. The
resolute brightness and sweetness
with which Ida Tabor attempted to
amuse Richard gave Harriet some hint
of the plan which was taking shape in
she could only make Mrs. Tabor COM
Portable, and fit her somehow into the
youthful plans of the household.
Nina, Ward and Harriet fairly lived
in the water, and Ward had uncOn-
sciously served his fathers cause by
bringing home with him a tongue-tied
pleasant youth named Saunders
Archer. whose presence in the house
had helped to keep Nina pleased and
amused. She had already impaired to
Harriet the valuable information that
Saunders had never known his mother,
and had never had q sister, land of
course l have always been such an
oddly in the family" said Nina, that
l got right at his confidence in that
dreadful way of mine! He said he
didn't know why he talked to me so
frankly"
Harriet had seen to 1t that a variety
of delightful plans awaited the young
people at every turn. The retirement
tastrophe was too dangerous to risk
now. And Harriet hoped, hoped, hoped.
feverishly, necessarily, wearyingly,
that the danger was past.
But Amy came down, mild and col
orless as ever, yet still more poised,
more socially adept than, Nina, and
with Amy innocently diverting Saun-
ders' bashful attentions, Nina re-
turned to thoughts of Royal. He was
coming down with Madame Carter and
Mrs. Tabor In her car. Richard was
bringing two men down for golf this
weekend, and with Saunders and
Amy, Royal and Madame Carter and
Mrs. Tabor, the house would be filled.
She had plenty to do with the man.
aging. the endless details that were
brought her mercilessly, hour after
hour, by maids and housekeeper. And
yet under her quiet BUSINESS and her
happy hours with the young people
there lurked necessarily a fretted
sense of danger approaching.
Something of this was in her mind
as she and Nina basked on the gently
heaving float, in the sunshine. Nina
talked necessarily Of BlOndin. Har-
riet fancied she saw an opening for a
little talk she felt extremely timely.
"Mr. Blondin likes you, Nina, Just
because you aren't flirtatiOus and silly,
like the other girls. But he isn't the
sort of man to get very deeply inter-
ested in any woman. DEAR"
mo, l know he's notw Nina said
quickly, turning suddenly red, and
looking attentively at the print Of her
wet hand on the dry, hot boards.
"And / would be sorry If he were"
Harriet pursued, not too seriously,
"for / want you to marry man OF
your own age. when you do marry,
and not a man who has had-well.
other affairs, who has that confiden-
tial, fiattering manner with all women
You will be rich, Nina"
'why don't you say that Royal Is
after my money!" Nina burst out, with
symptoms of tears. The ready name
frightened Harriet afresh; she knew
that they correspondent. that grass was
not growing under Royals feet. "The
first man ever really liked" Nina
said, with a heaving breast, ''the first
man who ever understood me-
"Nina," Harriet said, "you don't
want TO have to write your husband
a check on your honeymoon
She felt II a cruel cut; but seven