The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-04-04

his face grew dark and troubled again
as he said:
4 hardly know what to do! The
girl is the first consideration, Of
course. and she needs you. feel that
she is not only safe, but happy, when
you are here I've unfortunately
reached a place where I've got to feel
free. You've heard US all talk of this
new asbestos merger-my dear girl,
that will keep me going like a slave
for months. perhaps years! / won't
know when I am TO be home, or what
l shall have to cancel. / suppose /
can't convince you how badly We need
you. Ny mother-well. she has always
taken life that way; she can't change
now. / shall have Ida Tabor as a fix
ture here, l suppose, Nina running
wild, Ward never home! YOu-you
give me exactly what 1 want here!
Good dinners, fires. hospitality, good
report from Nina and Ward; l can
bring men home, | can" He unused,
with a smile touching his fine, tired
face "In short, l wish there was some
fortunate young man somewhere to
make you Mrs. Smith or Jones' Miss
Field, and let you come back to the
Carriers Immediately again!"
Harriet laughed, sighed sharply i'm
mediately upon the laugh.
Unfortunately, there isn't such a
man." she said. And she added, Even
a widow, sometimes, is vulnerable"
Richard smiled, but some sudden
thought made the smile but an absent
one, and he sat quite obviously plunged
in meditation for a long minute.
Here's another suggestion, Miss
Field he said suddenly, looking up.
81 don't know how this will strike
you; it has occurred to me before.
Gardiner limited it-or I thought he
did, and the more I think of 1t the
more possible it seems. You are a
business woman and I am a business
man. You know exactly what | am,
exactly what occurred in my married
life, after twenty-five years. That
that sort of thing is over, of course
But there is that way of settling it, If
you care to consider it.
He paused, with a questioning look
of encouragement, embarrassment and
affectionate interest Harriet had
/ grown pale and had fixed her eyes
! upon his as If under a spell.
"You mean" Her voice failed
| her.
81 mean marriage. I mean that you
| few weeks, when l am free" he an
swered. 81 have just indicated to you
what it would mean to me. 1 hope"
| he added, watching her closely, as she
| sat stunned and silent, 81 hope that it
would also have its advantages to you.
Your position then would be unques-
tionable, my mother-Nina-the world,
would have nothing to say. Your in
f1uence on Ward is the one thing that
may save the boy. Of Nina we've
already spoken. My mother-I know
| her would Immediately become the
champion Of her sons wife. There
would be a three days buzzing-that
/ would end 1t
The swift uprushing of joy In Har-
riet's heart was accompanied with the
first agonies of remuneration, was per
haps all the more poignantly sweet
because of them. She had not come
to this hour without knowing what he
meant to her, this quiet man with the
| splendid mouth and the keen gray
eyes, and she trembled now with an
| exquisite emotion that seemed to
drown out all the past and all the fu-
ture-everything except that she loved
I -, Dr. CHI
spoke it was as coolly as he:
"Mr. Carter-what of your wife?'
His eyes met hers YEARLY.
Divorce proceedings were insti
tuted Immediately 1t was definitely es-
tablished she had gone with young
Pope. The decree will be absolute
"But that will not-cannot alter tn
situation" Harriet faltered.
You mean" the man hesitateC
you mean you-that you regard m
as married still?''
Harriet, mute with emotions abse
lutely overpowering, nodded withou
speaking.
will you-will you let me thin
about it," she faltered. A sudde
brightness came into his face. "Yo
know how 1 was brought up to thin
Of divorce" she went on pleadingly
I've made plenty of mistakes in m
life, but I've never deliberately don
what l felt was wrong"
'And this would be?' Richard aske
slowly.
"WellI haven't thought about it
she answered slowly. MY people
my sister and her husband-woul
say so, Il would have said so Q
some other wOman.'
This would not be an ordinar
marriage; you would be entirely you
own mistress Richard said, wit
quiet significance. SIT would be
marriage only in the eyes of tn