Vernon Parish Democrat., 1922-04-27


riet fancied she saw an opening for
little talk she felt extremely timely.
"Mr. Blondin likes you, Nina, just
because you aren't fiirtatiOus and silly,
like the other girls. But he isn't the
sort Of man to get very deeply inter-
ested in any woman, DEAR"
"No, 1 know he's not !" Nina said
quickly, turning suddenly red, and
looking attentively at the print of her
wet hand on the dry, hot boards.
"And 1 would be sorry If he were"
Harriet pursued, not too seriously,
"fOr want you to marry man of
your own age, when you do marry,
and not a man who has had-well,
other affairs, who has that confden-
tial, flattering manner with all women
You will be rich, Nina"
''Why don't you say that Royal is
after my money!" Nina burst out, with
symptoms of tears The ready name
frightened Harriet afresh; she knew
that they corresponded, that grass was
not growing under Royals feet. 'The
first man ever really liked" Nina
said, with a heaving breast, ''the first
man who ever understood me-w
"Nina," Harriet said, you don't
want to have to write your husband
check on your hOneymoon2"
She felt it cruel cut; but seven
teen years Of hattery and smoothness
had armed Nina in impregnable COM
placence. She gave a sneering laugh
that trembled on the brink Of tears,
and tried to control a mouth that was
shaking with anger. One look Of utter
scorn she did manage, then she
shrugged not so much her shoulders
as her whole body, and flung herself
furiously into the water. Harriet
called "Nina !" first impatiently, and
then coaxingly. But the younger girl
swan steadily to the shore, and Har-
riet saw her a minute later, shaking
herself outside the shower, before she
disappeared into the big bathhouse.
Harriet had entirely forgotten Ward,
until he swan under the float, and
with characteristic yell, rose stream
ing like a seal under her very feet.
Genuinely startled, she gratified him
with a scream, and they both laughed
like children as he flung himself drip
ping on the hot boards, and proceeded
to bake luxuriously In the sun.
"It's the most gorgeous thing ever
saw, do you know that?" he asked,
with one hand touching the river Of
sparkling gold that blazed and tumbled
on her shoulders. "Listen, Harriet,
do you remember the little talk we
had some weeks ago."
Perfectly" she said, a little unwil-
lingly.
"Well, how about it?" the boy said,
after a pause.
''It wouldn't be fair to you. Ward"
the girl said, slowly, after a pause.
IT love you, but don't love you the
way your wife Will"
II want you'll" he said, sullenly. "rm
crazy about you My Cod"
"Ward, please don't touch mel" she
said sharply, getting to her feet with a
spring, as he put his arm about her.
Don't 1 shall tell your father If
you dol"
"You didn't talk that way at Crown
lands last June" the man said, sulkily.
II don't see what has made such a
difference now!"
II think perhaps I'm differeNt, Ward.
The summer" Harrlet's voice died
into silence. Her eyes were fixed upon
the figure Of a man who came down
the little pier, and dove into the shin
ing water. Two minutes later, with a
great gasp of satisfaction, Richard
Carter drew himself up beside them.
'Hal That is something like! My
Lord, the water is beautiful today F!
How about the buoy2 Who swims
with me to the buOy3"
"Come on, Harriet" Ward said,
poising.
Harriet rose, and bundled the glory
Of her hair into blue rubber cap that
made her look like a beautiful rosy
French peasant. With no further
speech she made a splendid dive, and
the men followed her.
1t was one of life's beautiful hours,
she thought, as in a great splash Of
salt water she reached the. buoy, and
hung laughing and painting to It's rest
less bulk. Ward had preceded her by
a full minute, Richard was half a
minute behind her. With much vain
glorious bOasting from the men, they
all rested there before the homeward
swim. Harriet hardly spoke, her cup
was full to the brim with mysterious
felicity born of the summer hour, the
heaving waters, and the joyous mood
of father and son. When Richard
praised her swimming she flushed in
the severe blue cap, and the blue eyes
met his with the shy pleasure Of a
child. It was while she was hastily
dressing, In the hot bathhouse a little
later, that a sudden thought came to
her, and flushed the lovely face again,
and brought her to sudden pause.
A tremendous thought that made