Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-02-02
HARRIET
aud the
4 PIPE, r
99y
Kathleen Norris
Illustrations by
Irwin Myers
IIiIIIIiIliIIIIi;iiii
Copyright by Kathleen Norris

"But upon my word you'd thiuE mur-
rylng into the family was something
TO he done every day she was be.
ginning again, when Harriet inter
rupted again
"No--no," she said, soothinEly, com
cedIng the last words an amused
smile that itself rather helped "a pla.
cate her companion. at is, Of course,
the most serious step Of my lIfe' But
the Secrecy--as of course you viii mp.
preclate-waS because there mas been
so much terrible notoricty This year
Why, Mr.. Carter tells me that never
I'm the history Of all the Carriers
This fortunate lead was enough
Madame Garter launched forth superb
~ upon a description Of the usual Car
;cr weddings, the ceremony, the state.
In perhaps twenty minutes she was
blandly patronizng Harriet, giving
her encouraging little taps with her
eyeglasses. warning her Of mistakes
that Isabelle had made with Richard.
Harriet knew that before three days
were over her terrible mothcr-iHalaW
would be telling the world just how
wise, under the trying circumstances
the whole thing was, and just how
F, clearly she had foreSecn II. She was
still listening respectfully If a trlUe
confusedly, when Ward bounded from
the house AMI gave her an cfIuSlNe
embrace.
'ilello, Mamma" Ward said ilar-
riet laughed, as she pushed away '''
fIial arm Hardly knowing what sue
said or did Shp made her way 10 the
house, and UP to her own room.
But here, In Nina'S room, were Nina
and Mrs. Tabor, and from their eyes,
as she came In, she knew that they
knew. Nina got up and came for
ward with Il sort of Sulky gracious
aess.
II hope youll be very happy Miss
Harriet suppose ! Oughtnt 10 ralI
you Miss Harriet any more" Nina
said, with an effort to smile that lIar-
rlet thought quite CHASTITY. She gave
Harriet one of her biz hands, ana hest
!. tated over kiss. But they did not
Kiss each other.
At luncheon everything was exactly
as usual; Richard had gone 10 the
city. not to return for 4 night or two
and several social engagements dis
lracted the young people from the con
temptation of their fathers affairs.
Harriet had not dared to hope that
they would accept the situation SO
quietly, or that the world would.
There were callers on the terrace
every afternoon, there were pleasant
congratulations and good wishes,
there were few paragraphs in the
social weeklies. Richard had for
years been too busy for mere enter
tanning. and the dinner parties ana
lunchpons to the new Mrs. Carter it
was generally felt, must wait until
next season.
To glance at the gold ring on her
finger made Harriet feel as if a hap.
piness almost shameful was barred to
view. Her new position, modestly us
she filed it. was vet a high position.
She saw Richards growing affection
and trust, if he did not. She could
afford to wait.
"But when are you and Dick Carter
going to dine with us?' Mary Putnam
said. one afternoon at tea. Madame
nance was not at all dissatisfied with
the idea of the employer marrying his
daughters beautiful covcrncSs, smiled
significantly.
"Thcy'rc very odd lovers. my dear"
she said 10 Mary with an eloquent
glance Mary laughed. and looked at
Harriet, whose face was suddenly
crimson. though she tried to laugh,
too. The visitor, with instant kind
ness, covered the little break.
a"WAenever they're ready, they're
going to dine with me" she said, pat
ting Harriet's hand with real affection
ana understanding. But Mary was free
to reflect. she had the eyes of con
tented woman, freed from her own
problem for those of others. "And Har-
rIet Is certainly mad about Richard"
Mary unused.
But with the rest of the world she
had to decide that there was something
In the affair that she did not UNDER
stand.