Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-02-01
HARRIET
and the
PIPE
T'y
Kathleen Norris
Illustrations BY
Erwin Myers
Observation-Disclosures
Copyright by Kathleen Merits
CHATTER XII.

SELF 10 one man ~ a TINE, ANA 70 hO
body else, and the whole family had
necessarily accepted Isabellc'S attl
tude Richard had been too busy to
notice or protest, the old lady help.
less, ana Nina a child.
But now there was a beautiful and
gracious woman In ISabellc'S place
and long before the world knew that
o. Harriet Field was really Harriet Car.
ter, there was a very decided change
in the social atmosphere. Richard be-
gan 10 bring his friends to the house ;
he was proud Of his smoothly running
establishment, and proud Of the
charming woman who neither niItcd
with nor ignored the men he brought
home
Always beautiful and always busy,
constantly In demand on all sides, She
went about his house like a smiling
worker Of miracles and Richard
watched her. When she went home
TO her sister for day or two he
missed her strangely and wandered
about the empty rooms with II desc
late sense Of loss
She was presently back. and amused
the young people nj the dinner table
with spirited account of her sisters
move into. new house--"rcally an
old house that she and her family
had been watching for years.
Nina and Amy and Ward had rushed
from the dinner table to an early
dance AT the club. and Richard, after
talk with his mother on the terrace,
had .wandered about with q vague
hope Of finding Harriet somewhere
with her book. But she was uot
downstairs
He Went back, and presently accom-
panied his mother to her door. The
old lady stopped outside Of Nha's
open door, from which suhdued light
streamed.
"Oh, Miss Field" said Madame
Carter.
Yes. Madame Carter" The rich,
ready voice responded Instantly Rich
ard hoped she would come to the door
but his mothers message was dpllv.
cred too quickly to make it necessary
you're waiting up for Ninaf'
''Oh, yes, Madame Carter" Harriet
answered. The two exchanged good
nights Richard loitored into his moth
er's room, left her in he, maids hands,
and went back into the dmly lighted,
spacious upper hall, He felt oddly
stirred; there We're letters downstairs.
his usual books and amuSements, but
he felt curiously impelIed to try for
one more word with Miss Field
He opened the door Of Ninas room.
and went in, and knocked on the half.
open door within that connected it
With Harriets room.
Come In. Is It you, Pilgrim| the
pleasant quiet voice said. Richard
stepped to the doorway.
Harriet, seated in a square basket
chair, under the soft food of Hpht
from basket-sha lamp, rose pre-.
clpitatcly, and stood looking ut ulm
with widened eyes ana parted lIpa, /.
without speaking. She was plainly /.
frightened. though she made herself |
smile. The beautiful room was fun OF |
shadows; at the wide-opcn windows |
thin curtains stirred in the cool night .
air.
"Frightcn you?" Richard said
rs there something's" Her eyes
were those Of deer that is afraid to
turn.
"Nhy, | wanted to suggest that we
tell our little piece of news to the
family Richard suggested. after a
search for suitable sub
ject. ~ came very close to telling nv
just now. Is there any good
reason for further dolay?"
"Whv, no, l DON'T don't suppose
there Isl" Harriet stammcred. "Thpre
viii be talk"
81 suppose So" he answered simply.
But what we do is our own affair,
after all. I shall explain to my moth
pr that for us both it seemed prac-
-ical and a-wcU not unpleasant So
ution Thrre mood ho mn chance ,oro
cut you will simply have more as
,ured position"
She had been watching him. with
III June in her face. But rs he went
M the color slowly drained away, and
,bn,,t bor Lno,,tif,I o,.o, , it ~