White County record. [volume] (Judsonia, Ark.) 1922-200?, 1922-05-25

trip. Richard came back by train,
saving an hour, and was at the Office
when they got there. Harriet did not
see him again he was in conference
and presently she quietly got back
into the motorcar, and on her way to
meet Nina she slipped the plain circle
of gold into her handbag.
She had it out tonight, and put it
on her bare, pretty hand, and held it
to the fire, and slowly the events of
the bewildering and firing day wheeled
before her, and only the reality of the
ring assured her that it was not all q
confused dream. Married And all
alone before the glowing Goals, weary
| from hostile encounters, on her mar
riage night!
| She had intended to write to Linda
tonight; Linda was vexed with her,
and small wonder! For Harriet had
| left the little New Jersey house al
most without farewells, had come
| down to an earlier breakfast even
than Freds, and had said briefly that
she was returning to the Carriers, and
would see them all soon.
Why hadn't she told Linda? Well,
for one reason, she had hardly be-
lieved her own memory of the talk on
Christmas day with Richard. Then
she had feared opposition, feared
Linda's shocked references to decent
| intervals of mourning; Linda's frank
belief that there was no strong per-
sonal feeling involved on Richards
part; Linda's advice to a bride.
Harriet's face burned at the mere
thought of 1t. No. she couldn't tell
Linda yet; she was too tired to write
tonight, anyway. Linda and Fred had
not been at all approving, Christmas
night. David had reproached her, had
disappeared earlier than was expect
ed or necessary; they had not failed
of their suspicious.
"Welll l must go to bed" she said
aloud suddenly. She stood, one elbow
on the mantel, her beautiful eyes fixed
on the dying fire. 1t was midnight,
the room and the house very still. ut
isn't exactly what l expected marriage
to be-" she mused But after ALL"
she said to herself, beginning to move
about with last preparations for bed"
I'm married to the man / lOye-noth-
ing can change that And if he doesn't
love me- he likes me. I've done moth
ing wrong, and If my life is just lit
tie different from most women's, why,
I shall haye to make the best of it
And 1 did tell hint did tell him"
And her thoughts went back to the
| first few minutes she had spent in
Richards office that day. They had
been alone, discussing the last details
of their astonishing plan, when she
| had suddenly taken the plunge.
MIR. Carter, there is just one thing
OF course" Harriet's cheeks had
famed, "of course, this marriage Of
ours is not the usual marriage, and
yet, there is just one thing of which l
would like to speak to you before we
we 60 up to Greenwich" And find
| Ing his gray eyes pleasantly fixed upon
her she had gone on, confused but de-
| termined: Pm twenty-sevep now
and perhaps / might have married
some other man before this-except
| that-when l was seventeen-I did
! fan in love with a man! And we
were to be married." She had
stopped short; it was incredibly hard.
'.He had-or l thought he had, brought
something tremendously big and Won
derfu into my life," Harriet had con-
| tinued, land I was stupid little girl,
just taking care of my sisters babies
and reading my fathers books"
"You are under no obligation to tell
me anything of this" Richard had
said, kindly, far more concerned for
| her distress than interested in what
she was saying. II must have known
that there were admirers / assure
you that"
mo, but just a momentp Harriet
had interrupted him. 81 was infatu-
ated-I knew that at once, God knows
I've known it ever since! I went away
with him, little fool that l was"
A CLEAN Of genuine surprise had
come into Richard Carriers eyes, and
| he looked at her without speaking.
Il was taken Ill the day l left with
him. While I was getting well had
time to think 1t over. l knew then /
was too young and too ignorant to be
any mans wife. was frightened and
well, l ran away; went back to
ny sister. Both she and her husband
regarded me after that as In some way
marked, unprincipled, unworthy"
poor child!" Richard had said.
'"rhey naturally would. You were no
more than Nina's age"
$50 that's my history" Harriet had
finished, simply. Il thought / had
done with men. And there have been
men, men like Ward, for instance, to
| whom / could have been married with
| out feeling that need make any men
ton of that old time. But l wanted
to tell you"
"Thank you very much" Richard