The Holbrook news., 1922-03-03

'You Aren't His Match, Now, Nina. In
 Few Years You May Be-"
 fairs; he will always have an attrac- tion for women, and they for him. You aren't his match, now, Nina. In few years you may be"
 ''I'm not jealous!' Nina said, proud ly. But Harriet smiled
 "Yes, you are jealous. You wouldn't be real true woman if you weren't !''> she accused. A reluctant dimple tugged at Nina's pOuting mouth. She did not dislike the idea of potential despOtism, of the travelled, experienced woman of the world confident of her charm.
 If l offered check to Royal, do you suppose he'd accept it?" she re- marked, after dark ,musing. She was sitting on the edge of her bed now, and Harriet was brushing her hair.
 If you really are worried about his business affairs, Nina, why not try it?" Harriet suggested, sensibly. To this Nina returned pOuting:
 I'm perfectly willing to try it!" And as great concession she added, with a sigh: And I'll tell him what Father thinks p
 'NOw you're talking like a woman who has herself well in hand!" Har- riet said. approvingly. "When are you to see him?"
 He's coming over especially to see Father tomorrow Nina said. "I SUD- pose I might as well go down." she added, cycling herself gloomily in her mirror, flor Ward and that boy seem absolutely at a loss for amusement
 And I'll be, down presently" Har- riet said. But when Nina was gone she walked slowly to her own dress ing table, and sat down, and regarded herself steadily, and with heavy eyes. Unexpectedly, here between the fam fly dinner and the early going to bed, on a June evening, sa crisis in her life was confronting. her. and she knew that she .nfast; ineetat Wards, guest was only. the young Saunders boy, who had been with them constantly last summer, and who was of absolutely no significance in their lives. And yet Harriet had been introduced to him all over again as "AIrS. Carter"-there was no halfway, in the eyes of the world at least, in this relationship of hers with Richard, and she must begin to take her place in the family.
 Mrs. CarterI' Harriet loved that s%l ..< ture, and the dignity had never been vOuchsafed to wOmankind before. She had marveled at her old self, that had taken Miss and sMrs." with cheer full indifference-why, there was a worldwide chasm between the two, Just to have this silly Saunders boy call her Mrs. Carter, as matter of course, was to receive the accOlade that gave her all her lOnged-fOr dreams in one. It was the name of the man she loved, and, even though in shadOwy and unloved way, she liked the title that made her his
 And now she owed him the truth, the whole. painful, humiliating story. If she had told him months ago, so much the better and braver woman she, She had not done so; she had been fighting Nina and his mother then; she had been afraid. But she was not afraid now; he could forgive that iong-agO girl of seventeen be- cause her advocate was the woman of twenty-eight, the finished, cultivated, capable woman who had served him and his house, who must win his re- sDect back because she loved him with every fiber of her being.
 The words in which she would r7.. him came to her in rush. Wby-it was nOthingl It was less than noth- ing. In half an hour she would be back here in her room again, with all the past clean and straight at last, with the cloud gOne,, and with her whole soul singing with hope of the glorious future. For a moment s-!e knelt by her bed, her face in her hands. saI4.
 She rose to her feet. There was tap at the door.
 It was Bottomley.. If you please, Carter would be so much obliged if you would Step down to the library, 'm.'' Harriet gave herself parting glance, and followed the man .=mS s=-f
 "Courage!" she said, herself, with her hand on the librayy. door. I've aand enlarged upon this thing tooi lengt I've magiped 1t into an imporfapee- that it really, hasn't at all p 1!&' 7'i-s - 2:
 Richard was back at his desk; he smiled anT fose,as She came in. There was another 1hanaipotire library, who rose and faced her. toos.s.,
 And when Harriet saw him she knew that she was too. late. It was Royal Blondin.
 A dizziness and sickness came over her as she went slowly to the chair opposite Richard. She touched the desk for support as she sat down. and felt that her fingers were cold and wet
 "Mr Blandin has come to talk to
 iTo be continued next week.