Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-05-04

- tAAS moncg-po OIehk Our engage
EneptY"
- ilna. what q horrible thought OF
hotis Harriet could fortunate
wer n perfect honesty.
Harriet" the girl caught her
turning sick and implorlng eyes
hef. fare you sureT"
tsuQh dean, your father would have
&aA might not-he might noti" Nina
keyefishly. But If he did"
Whispered, half to herself. THAT'S
Rilsfsm, ] rang for her." she said. Of
krRtk on her own door. ASK my
fbbg to come up, will your" she said
zhe maid, when Pilgrim appeared.
Wen settle It now"
"Mr. Carter is Just coming up" Pill
grim said. And a moment later Rich
ard, with an interested face, came
through N1na's room. and Joined them.
Harriet had had time only to knot her
hair back %carelessly, and slip into the
most formal Of her big Chinese coats,
"Father," Nipa said, when they three
were alone together. "did Royal Blon-
din take a check from you ten days
ago2"
Richard, taken unaware, glanced
sharply at Harriet, who shook her
head, with an anxious look. BE sat
down beside Nina on the bed, and put
a fatherly arm about her.
"Ah, Father, don't put me off" the
girl begged. II wrote him, after my
birthday" she said, "and told him
that money made no difference to me
He didn't answer. Then I got Bruce
Hopper to ask his mother to have
Blondin meet her at the club for tea,
and I saw him then. Bruce" Nina
cast In, still In the new, self-contained
tone, "has been wonderful about iii
/ know he only seems a silent sort Of
boy. but I'll never forget what he's
done for me! Royal" she resumed.
"didnt want. to see me, and said he
had promised Father that 1t was over.
He-but TQeedn't tell you all he said.
It sounded" Nina chung to her IA
TIERS hands, and shut her eyes. ut
sounded $3.50 false I" she whispered,
bitterly. $50 I went to his studio to-
dayi" she presently continued. sand
there were two or three ome
there. but It wasn't that. They were
well, perhaps they were just having
fun. But" And Nina looked pitt
fully from Harriet's sympathetic face
to her fathers troubled eyes. But
I've not been having much fun !" she
faltered. with a suddenly trembling
mouth. 1--WE been planning-pray-
ing THAT somehow 1t would come out
right. He told me today that he had
promised not to see or speak to me
for two years" she said, slowly. 81
Father. / knew that he had a reason
He was changed. I " saw him so!
And two hours ago." she pointed to
the door that led into her fathers
room. "two hours ngo / went III there"
she said. "and I looked Y your own
check book. Father, did you write
him a check? Was that the stub that
had r.. b. on it?r
Richard looked at her sorrowfully.
I'm sorry, Nina" he said, simply.
II told him you should not know, from
mel l would have spared you that"
For a few minutes there was silence
In the room. Then Nina said bravely,
through tears:
II don't know why you should be
sorry for what will save me months
of slow worry, all at one blowl You
and Harriet needn't worry any more.
I'm cured. I've been a fool, let him
latter me and lie to me-" said this
new Nina, with bitter courage. but
I'm over 1t now. I'm sorry I gave You
much trouble, Father"
my darling girl" her father said,
tenderly. II only wish / could spare
you all thisl"
'Better now than two Or three years
after we were married." Nina said.
"Plenty Of girls find It out them Fa-
Their, I want you to get that check,
through the clearinghouse, for me-"
she said, heroically, "and I want to
keep II. If ever I'm a fool about q man
again, I'll take It out and look at lei"
" have It; I told Fox to get II to-
day" Richard said. ~You shall have
i'll"
Nina had turned suddenly white; II
was as IL q last little hope had been
killed
You have III" she whispered. HE
cashed II, thenis
"He cashed 1t the next morning.
Richard said. Nina was silent for 3
moment.
slow you must laugh at ma, Har-
she said then.
TT Laugh at you'll" Harriet said.
stricken. my darling girl, / am the
last woman In the world who could do
thati ! was only your age, Nina, when
! met him--you know that story. Why,
Nina, you're but eighteen, after all;
you'll have many and many an affair
before the right nan cones along"
Harriet said. you'll look back on this
some day, and say. 1t was an expert
ence, and I learned from It'll 1t Is only
going to make me happier and more
sure when the man whom I really love
comes to meI'H
Nina, sitting between Richard and
Harriet on the bed. looked wistfully
from one face to another.
VII try to make It SO, Harrietl''
she said. And somewhat timidly she
added, 'yather-and Harriet--shall
you feel dfeadfuliy u I say that I don't
want TO 20 to Braztl1 I'll ten you
why. Ward is going ous 10 the Card
ner ranch, and Bruce is going. TOO, and
It seems to me that riding and CAMP
ing and living In the open air will be-
kx,NYt .xyf11 nna~,N krA1~w A. a.A 49, 49,