The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-06-15

In word With me- cashier, Tto Write
hts cheek for Tie overdue rent. with
L casual apology To play bridge again,s
this evening, with young Bellamy,sand
this time win back the accursed check
of his own, " AZ knew he would win
III.
JJust one moment. MI Garter. You
say that you and I know what mar
rage III. How do yot reconcile it with.
your knowledge of Nina, your knowl-
edgesof her Ipbringing, To plan DELHI
erately what would make our marriage
or any Observation-Disclosures to
failure from the start / didn't spoil
Nina. Il didn't form her tastes. she
has thought Or herself as an heiress,
she has spent money, lived luxurious
III. only ask fair chance. Make
III an allowance, II you like. Keep the
matter In the family; don't blaze to
the world that YOU disapproye Many
less-promising marriage has turned
out q brilliant success. She loves me.
IL am devoted to her. see ire
n1endous possibilities IN her"
.She loves yon as q child does, and
because she doesn't know YOU Rich
ard said, inflexibly. But you haven't
heard what / propose, Blondin. Hear
me out. I give You this now, today,
On condition that before tonight you
talk to Nina. Represent anything you
wish TO her. Tell her what You please.
But convince her that she must wait
for two years-with no letters, no
meetings, no engagement-that's all.
On my part, I promise that nobody
In the world, not Mrs. Garter, not any
body, will hear of this for two years
from today, at least. Meanwhile, well
amuse Nina Her grandmother wants
to take her to Santa Barbara next
fall-Gardiner wants both the young
sters on. his ranch this summer, or she
may 90 with me to Brazil. She'll have
enough to think about Wen not hurt
you with her, you may take my word
for 1t. And I tell you frankly that !
shall be deeply grateful. I'm not pay
ing you for giving her up. I'm paying
you for two years delay. Young Hopper
will be at the Gardeners this summer
she likes him, and he likes her !
Well, that's speculation" Richard dis
missed 1t with a movement Of his fine
hands. "But we'll distract herI |" he
promised. Hopper may buy a ranch
out there--that sort OF thing might
suit Nina down to the groundT
.Buy 1t with Nina's. money" Royal
could not help sneering.
Richard eyed him In surprise.
when Joe Hopper died he left that
boys mother something In the MIL
1ions,'' he said. There's an immense
estate" And then, with a reversion
to business: "Come, now, Mi. Blon-
din. We understand each other.
Nina's dining at the BeIlamys to-
night you're staying there. VIII you
see herr" ii q
The check f1uttered to the table be-
tween them. There was a long silence.
Then B1ondin ground out his cigarette
In a stone saucer, rose, In all the easy
beauty OF his white summer clothes,
his flowing scarf, his dark, romantic
locks. He lifted his straw hat, put It
on ,picked up his stick. and laid it on
the table. Then he took the check
and read it thoughtfully. = A..
t""Thank you he said. Yet the
shameful thing struck him, an adept
now ID seyadings and lying. as surpris,
ingly easy. and as he sauntered away
In the June warmth and silence, 1t
was net of Nina, or her father, or even
Of himself that he was thinking. u. 3.
/ He had met the widow Of Joe Hop
per a few nights ago: a faded little
pleasant woman Of fifty, ~pathetically
grateful for his casual %politeness In
her strangeness and shyness. He had
CHANGED, quite idly and accidentally,
to make an impression on her. She
had promised to come to the studio
and look at his rugs. a
Royal Wondered why she dressed SO
badly she needed simple materials
and flowing lines. He heard himself
telling her So.
: z
Richard sat on, on the terrace,
thinking, and presently his mother
came out and Joined him. Wasn't he.
the old lady asked elaborateiy, going
. s1-