Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1922-04-20

had better go, for my family will need |
me tonight. My mother" said Nina, |
crying again.
She. and Amy parted solemnly, with |
many kisses.
tits a thing that might happen to
me, or to any girl" said Amy gravely.
Harriet had an upsetting vision Of
stout, high-busted Mrs. Hawkes., pant
Ing as she discussed the details Of the
Red Cross drive, but she was very
sympathetic with the young girls, and
even agreed with Nina, when Amy was
gone, that 1t would be much more SEN
sible to take her bath, and put on her
white organdie, and then go find her
father.
They dined almost silently, and were
about to dispense quietly for the night,
after an hour of half-hearted converse
ton in the drawing room, obviously
endured by Richard simply for his
mothers sake, when Ward burst in.
He had Travelled almost four hundred
miles by motor that day, his face was
streaked with dirt and oil, and CHASTITY
with fatigue. He went straight to
his father.
"Say, what's all thisI'' he said, in a
voice hardly recognizable. Harriet
saw that he had been drinking. II got
your wire, and we started. thought
the Mater was sick, perhaps. My God
that worried mel" he broke off BIT
terly. "Blondin came with me; we
stopped on the road for dinner, and
the man had a paper there. Is that
what you wanted me for-I don't be-
neve it It's dirty lie. and the bOun-
der that put that in the paper"
'I'm glad you came home, my boy"
Richard said. 'Tve been waiting for
you"
Harriet heard no more; she slipped
from the room. There were genuine
tears in her own eyes now; for the
boy had flung himself face downward
against a great chair, and was crying
All the household knew it.; Harriet
could read it in Bottomley's carefully
usual manner and quiet speech. In the
little music room across the han Royal
Blondin was waiting.
"This is a terrible thingW he said,
seriously.
''Oh, frightfull" Harriet agreed. A
rather fiat silence ensued. She seemed
to have nothing to say to Royal now.
But she was not surprised when, a
moment later, Nina came softly In, the
picture of girlish distress, with her wet
eyes and fresh white gown.
II thought it best to leave Ward
with Granny and Father" Nina said,
in vague explanation, going straight to
Blondin, who rose, dusty and weary,
but with a solicltous manner that was
infinitely soothing.
His manner, Harriet had grudgingly
to admit, was perfection. When Rich
ard and Ward joined them few mo-
ments later, he expressed himself with
manly brevity to the older man. He
realized, said Blondin, simply, that he
was absolutely de trop; he had merely
imagined as "the lad" had imagined,
that the sudden summons from camp
meant illness or ordinary emergency,
or he would not have intruded at this
time. He would not express a sym
patty that must sound extremely airy
to the stricken family. And now, If
they would lend him Hansen, he would
go over to the club
"Nonsense!' Ward said. you're all
dirty and tired and hungry, and so am
l. Wen clean up, and then we'll have
something to eat first Miss Harriet
will look out for u.s."
"And I'd like to see you for a mo-
ment in the library, Miss Field" Rich
ard said, rather YEARLY. II want
something sent to the papers," he ex-
planned in an undertone.
Ah-they all wanted her, and needed
, her How quick, and how efficient
and how self-effacing Harriet was as
she went about the business of making
them all comfortable!
They talked deep into the night
Harriet knew, for she herself was
sleepless, and she could see from the
upper balcony that a stream Of COLDER
light was pouring across the brilliant
flowers beneath the library windows.
She reviewed the incredible events
Of the past few days, and the actors
drifted before her vision fitfully: lisa
belle, -bdsomed and beautiful, In
her prime; Tony Pope, passionate and
wretched; Royal, low-voiced, dreamy
poetic, with his eloquent black eyes
Nina, newly awakened; Ward, weak
bOyish, ardent; Madame Carter, full Of
theatrical dignity and well-rounde(
phrases, and lastly-simple. strong
anxious to protect them ALL even from
their own follies-Richard.
"Not one word of blame, not one
ugly insinuation," she unused, yet sh'
has shamed him, and he is so honor
able; and she has made him conspicu
GUS, when he Is SO modest !"
She thought of Isabelle, fresh from
Germaine's careful hands, lying in he
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