The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-01-05
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER I-Harriet Field. twenty
eight years old and beautiful, Is the So
S.. Sial secretary y Of the tiirtatious Mrs. lisa;
Carter's home. and governess Of T-year
old Nina Carter. Ward. twenty-four years
oA and impressionable. fancies himself in
tary. Mrs. Carter's latest .'affair" is
with young Anthony Pope. and the youth
Is taking 1t very seriously.
CHAPTER II.-Presiding over the tea
cups this summer afternoon, Harriet is
profoundly disturbed by the arrival of
tea party In the city. Blondin makes him
self agreeable to Nina. and leaves a deep
impression on the unsophisticated girl
CHAPTER III. = Harriets agitation
eyer e.r,ti the al appearance Of Blondin at at
that he had been disturbing element In
her life ten years before. and she fears
him. The man Is an avowed adventurer.
living on the gullibility of the idle rich.
tention Of marrying Nina. who, as the
daughter of the wealthy Richard Carter.
Is a highly desirable ''catch." and urges
power. and after pleading with him to
abandon his scheme agrees to follow a
policy of neutrality.
CHAPTER Iv.-Harriet visits her mar
ried sister, Linda Davenport, with whom
she had had her home during her unfor-
tunate acquaintance with Blondin. and
tells her of his temperance. The two
women. realizing the unscrupulous nature
of the man. view the future with appre-
hension.
CHAPTER " Knowing the tender
feeling she has inspired in Ward Carter.
Harriet is tempted to marry him for the
though realizing she does not love him.
Blondin has ingratiated himself with
Madame Carter. Richards mother. and
q 10 rhrIn -1aer -f.f11x H., 20. nf Io
marriage with Nina. Ward urges Har-
riet to marry him at once. She procras-
unates.
At about three, when Harriet and
Nina were idling on the shady ter
race, with the hound, the new maya
zines, and their books, Hansen brought
one of the small closed cars to the
side door. Five minutes later Isabelle.
in thin white coat, veiled white
hat, and with n gorgeous white-f furred
wrap over her arm. came out. Ger
maine was with her, carrying two
shiny black suitcases. Isabelle, Har-
riet thought. looked superbly hand
some, but Germaine had evidently
been scolded. and had red eyes.
Isabelle came over to give her
daughter farewell kiss.
Mrs. Webb has telephoned for me.
ducky. Your father isn't coming home
tonight. but have happy time with
Miss Harriet, and I'll be back in a
day or two. Good-by. both of you.
All right. HansenI''
They swept away, leaving Harriet
with strange sense of nervousness
and suspense. The summer air seemed
charged with menace, and the silence
that followed the noise of the car odd
ly oininous.
Madame Carter was on the terrace
when they came back at five from an
idle trip to the club, reporting that
her son had just returned unexpect-
edly from the city. and had gone in
to change for golf.
Nothing alarming here, yet Harriet
experienced sick thrill of apprehen-
sion. Something abnormal seemed to
be the matter with them all this after
noon!
'.DId you call me. Mr.. Carter?" She
hardly knew her own voice, as he
came down the three broad steps from
the house. Her hands felt cold, and
she was trembling.
''Do you happen to know where
Hansen is, Miss FfeldT"
"Driving Mrs Carter to the Webbs'
at Great Darlington the girl an
swered, readily. "Mrs. Carter left in
a hurry. She did not expect you to-
night. Hansen ought to be back at
about seven, I should think"
He was not listening to her; alb
ruptIy left her. When Harriet went
into the house she saw nothing of
him. She made her usual little round,
spoke briefly to maid about some
fallen daisy petals, consulted with the
housekeeper as to the new cretonne
covers. A man was to come and
measure those covers this very after
noon-perhaps this was he, modestly
waiting ut the side door.
But no, this man briefly and SIM
ply asked to be shown to Mr.. Carter,
remarking that he was expected. He
disappeared into the library; Harriet
saw no more of him for an hour, when
he silently appeared beside her, and
asked to see the chauffeur Hansen
az soon as he came.
Richard brought the strange man
to the dinner table; but there was
nothing in that to make the dinner
SO unnatural. To be sure Richard ate
little, and spoke hardly at all; but
this Mr.. Williams was quite. entertain
ing, and the old lady in good spirits.
At eight Hansen was back, present
Ing himself In his dusty road-coat |;
Mr.. Carter Immediately drew him with
Williams into the library. Nina
loitered up to bed. but the old lady
and Harriet remained downstairs.
They did not like. but they some
times amused, each other. Sudden
ly came the summons: would Miss