Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-02-16

$50. You've Refused Ward, Have Your"
his face grew dark and troubled again
as he said: '
81 hardly know what to do! The
girl is the first consideration, Of
| course, and she needs you. 1 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! I won't
know when / am to be home, or what
I shall have to cancel. I suppose I
can't convince. you how badly we need
you. My mother~-welt, she has always
taken life that way; she can't change
now. I shall have Ida Tabor as a fix
4 ture here, i suppose, Nina running
wild, Ward. never home! You-you
give me exactly what I want here
Good dinners, fires, hospitality, q good
report from Nina and Ward; 1 can
bring men home, / can" He unused,
with a smile touching his fine, tired
face. 'In short, I 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 againl"
Harriet laughed, sighed sharply i'm
mediately upon the laugh.
fTInfarkY1nat n15 khora iGnft Gr1nH q
man." she said. And she added, "Ever
a widow, sometimes, Is vulnerable"
Richard smiled, but some sudder
thought made the smile but an absen'
one, and he sat quite obviously plunget
In meditation for a long minute
"Here's another suggestion, Mis-
Field" he said suddenly, looking up
~ don't know how this will strik'
you; it has occurred to me before
Gardiner limited it--or I thought h
did, and the more / think of 1t tn
more possible 1t seems. You r
business woman and I am a bushes
man. You know exactly what / an
exactly what occurred In my marie,
I life, after twenty-five years. That
that sort Of thing 10 over, Of course
But there is that way Of settling II, 1
you care to consider it,"
. he paused, with a questioning loo
: Of encouragement, embarrassment an
affectionate interest. Harriet ha
. grown pale and had fixed her eye
: upon his Us If under a spell.
: "You mean" Her voice faile
Z her.
: II mean marriage. / mean that 70
> and I shall quietly get married In
few weeks, when I am Free" he al
" swered. II have Just Indicated to 70
. what 1t would mean to me. l. hope
he added. watching her closely, as sh
sat stunned and silent, II hope that
; would also have its advantages to 10,
: Your position then would, be unique
Q tionabfe, my mother-Nina-the worl
would have nothing to say. Your Il
= fiuence on, Ward is the one thing th.
. may save the boy. OF Nina we,
9 already spoken. Ny mother--I kno
herl-would Immediately become Il
\ champion of her sons. wife. The
y would be a three days buzzing-thi
y would end I'll"
The swift uprushing Of Joy in Ha
riet's heart was accompanied with Il
first agonies Of r~enunciation, was %
J haps all the more poignantly swe
I because Of them. She had not con
to this hour without knowing what !
meant to her. this quiet man with u
n splendid mouth and the keen gri
= eyes, and she trembled now with /
exquisite emotion that seemed
! drown out all the past and all the I
. ture-eyerything except that she low
2 him and he needed herl But when 81
spoke 1t was as coolly as he:
I "Mr. Carter--what Of your wife7n
u His eyes met hers YEARLY.
u 'Divorce proceedings were ms
. tuted Immediately 1t was definitely I
4 tablished she had gone with you
q Pope. The decree will be absolute.
- ffn~AAs,ssayA Nnusk WEmsAs