Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-05-04
HARRIET

me paper be had found. ~See here"
he said. presently, going to a win
dow. "ccfne here q minute. ! want to
show you thisl You see" they vere
both looking out into the moonlight
now, you see, this is where l propose
90 build on that big room downstairs,
throw e.- library into the blue room,
and have a big sleeping porch upstairs
here" he explained. Perfectly FEAST
bic, and yet II win make a different
house OF IL"
Harriet commented i~nterestedly
enough. But she heard his voice
rather than his words, and saw only
the w~ell-groomed, black-clad figure, the
shining patent-leather shoes, the fine
hand that indicated the changes.
Perhaps he was conscious Of confu-
sion, too. for his words stopped. and
presently they were looking at each
ether In o strange silence, Richard still
smiling. Harriet wide eyed.
Then suddenly his strong arms held
her close, and her blue, frightened
eyes were close to his, and she felt
everything else In the world slip away
from her except the exquisite knowl-
edge that she loved this man with all
her heart and soul
Il want to tell you something"
Richard said, quickly and incoherent-
ly. II want you TO know that ! love
you'll think I've always loved you
this wasn't In our bond, ! know, but I
think 1 couldn't have wanted you 90
without loving youl lift the time
comes, Harriet, when you can care for
me. you1l tell me, won't you1 That's
all I want, Just to know that you win
tell me. You're going to tell me, your
self I'm going to make you love mel
I'll be patient-m not hurry you-btt
some day you'll have to tell me that
Twelve won you!"
he had spoken swiftly, almost stern
~, with a sort Of desperate determine
ton. Now he freed her arms as sud
denly as he had grasped them. and
added, In a lower tone:
until that time I'll Dot-not even
kiss the top of your hair, Harriet"
he said.
In the mad rushing Of her senses
she could not find the right word
but she detained him with an entreat-
ing hand. Her eyes. shining with a
look that he had never seen there be-
fore, were fixed on hls. But Richard
did not look at her eyes, he looked
down at the hand she had laid on
his own.
II don't think" Harriet said, breath.
iessly, that I can V e like you any
more than I dol"
She had meant 1t for surrender; her
heart was beating wildly with the
glorious shame Of a proud roman who
gives herself. But Richard was not
looking at the betraying eyes. In the
great new love that had swept him
from all his old moorings there was a
deep humility. He only heard her say
that she could never learn to love him,
He bent his head over her finger tips,
and kissed them, as he said quietly:
but I'm going to try to make you,
just the sameW
I Then he vas gone, and Harriet was
standing alone In the softly lighted
room. For a few moments she re-
manned perfectly still, with her white
hands pressed to her burning cheeks.
Then, shaken with joy and surprise,
with a delicious terror and something
Of a child's innocent chagrin, she
went noiselessly back to her OWE
room, closed the communicating door,
and undressed with pauses for the
dreams that would come creeping
W body and soul, and hold her in
their exquisite stiffness for long min
utes together.
She was brushing her hair when
Nina suddenly appeared, and came
l~ifelessly in to sit on the edge Of
Harriet's bed.
II want to ask you somethingi"
Nina said, in nm odd voice. sand,