The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1922-06-29

of mutual lttllbativh'
4Hello," he said; then matter-of-
,octly. u brought home a paper TO
,'icht wanted Unger TO see it,
loft If in the suit I wore"
lie stepped 90 the dressing room.
and urobed In il pocket without NOV
Inc his pleasant look from her
sCfving MY room the once over?' he
said.
aNIna left the door open. I've never
boon In here before" Harriet said try
mo - make her voice as natural as
his o,vn. Confused aud ashamed she
was hardly cugeciou- OF what She said
..H..re Ve p" Richard glanced aJ
the paper be had found. "See here"
he said presently, going to a win
dow. "come here a minute. l want 10
show you thisl You >ee.'' they were
both looking out into the moonlight
now. you see, this is where l propose
TO build on that big room downstairs,
throw the library into the blue room,
and have big sleeping porch upstairs
here" he explained. Perfectly feasl-
BILE and yet il viii make a different
house Of it,"
Harriet commented interestedly
enough. But She heard his voice
rather than his words. and saw only
the well-gro0med. biack-cIad figure, the
shining pateut-Ieather shoes. The fine
hand that indicated the changes.
Perhaps be was conscious of confu-
sion. too. for his words stopped and
presently they were looking az each
other in a strange silence, Richard still
smiling, Harriet wide eyed.
Then suddenly his strong arms held
her close. ana her blue, frightened
ewes were close 10 his. and She felt
everything else IN the world slip away
from her except the exquisite bnOWl-
edge that she loved this man with all
her heart and soul.
Il want 20 tell yOu something"
Richard said, quickly and iucoherent-
~ Il want YOU 10 know that I love
you'll think I've always loved you!
this wasn't in orr bond. ] know. but /
think ] couldn't have wanted you so
without loving you, Tf-If the time
comes. Harriet. when you can care for
me. you'U tell me. won't youE That's
all / want just 70 know that YOU viii
tell me. You're going 10 tell me. your
self! I'm going TO make you love met
I'll be patient-TH not hurry you-but
some day you'H have 10 tell me that
Tve-Tye won you ."
He had spoken swiftly. almost stern
~. with a sort Of desperate determine
tion. Now he freed her arms a. sud
denly as he had grasped them. and
added, IN a lower tone:
"Until that time I'll not-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
hook that he had never seen there be-
fore, were fixed on his. 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
lessly. that I can ever like you any
more than I doT'
She had meant # for surrender; her
heart was beating wildly with the
glorious shame Of proud woman who
gives herself. But Richard was not
looking at the betrayine 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, rs he said quietly:
But I'm going to try 10 make you,
Just the same 80
Then he was gone. and Harriet was
standing alone in the softly lighted
room. For a few moments she re-
NAMED 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 10 her own
room. closed the communicating door,
and undresSed with pauses for the
dreams that would come creeping
over body and soul. and hold her in /
their exquisite Stiffness for long min |
utes together.
She was brushing her hair when 4
Nina suddenly appeared and came |
llfelessIy in TO sit on the edge of /
Harriet's bed.
Il want To ask you something's /
Nina said. IN an odd voice. "And. |