Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-01-04


rather broad forehead. Her mouth
was Wide, deep crimson, thin'lippea
IL was n mouth of secrets and of mys'
terry, of character, mouth that had
known the trembling of pain and GRIEF,
perhaps, but n firm mouth now, anu
II beautiful one.
Looking Mt her, an artist Wonlo |
have fancIed her bold and charming |
and boyish-looking little girl, hlteei
wears ago, with that Greek chin ana
that tuwny name would have seen her
sexless and splendid In her early teens
with II fiat breast and an unlamed eye
And Il romancer might have wondered
what paths had led her, In The superb
realization Of her beautiful woman
hood, NJ twenty-seyen, to TINS Subor'
dlnate position IN the home OF sell
made rich man, and this conventional
tea table ON II terrace over the hua'
son.
"Ncarly half.past five, Nina" she
said, presently, "Go and change ana
brush, that's n darling! You LOOK
rather tumblcd.'
Nina. reaching for n Maroon ooedi'
entity wandered away, and Immediately
tho empty chair beside Harriet was
taken by II newcomer. Richard Garter
himself. the owner OF all this smiling
estate, who had come up from the
little launrh at the landing, hnd
changed hastily into white tianneIS,
Harriet saw at glance, and had uh'
expcctedly Joined them for ten.
'rca, Mr.. Carter Harriet ven
tured.
He was watching his wife with a
sort Of idle interest, She had to re-
peat her invitation.
"If you please, Miss Field Tea
sounded right, somehow, to me today.
| It's been terrible day!
~ can imagine it," Iiarriets voire
wns pleasantly commonplace. But the
moment had its thrill for her. This
lean. tall tired man, with his abstract
manner his pcrfunctory courtesles, his
nervous. clever hands, doomed In oddly
heroic proportions in liarriets life
His face was keen and somewhat
lined under n smooth crest Of slightly
craving hair; he smiled very rarely
but there was Il certain kindness in
his gray eyes, when Nina or Ware
or his wife turned to him, that Har
rict liked,
For Harriet he had hardly Il dozei
words year. He merely smilec
kindly when she thanked him for the
Christmas gift that bore his IN
touched card; If she went to her sis
ter for n day or two, he gave her on,
n nod Of greeting when she came back
Now and then he asked with sharl
interest about Nina's teeth or hi
mothers headache
But Harriet had known other type
of men, and for his very silences, 10
. his Indifference, she had begun TO ad
mire him long ago. She had not bee
born in this atmosphere of pleaSur
and ease and riches; she was not Ell
trely untitled TO judge man.
Isabelle wis always breezily civil t
u her husband; he had long ago var
ished as completely from among tn
t vital elements of her life as if he Wer
2 dead, perhaps more than If he Wer
G dead. She th0uGht-if she though
o about him at all--'hut he never ga
g her little affairs; she supposed hi
S perfectly satisfied with his home an
k children aud club and business, an
f. Incidentally with his beautiful figure
e head of wife. They had quarrele
4, dIstressingly, several years ago, whe
II he had bored her with references
IS her duty" and her influence ovt
a. Nina, and her obligations to her tru
self But that had all stopped Ion
d since, and now Isabelle was free
e sleep late, to dress ii leisure, to max
what engagements she pleased, to Sc
4 the persons who interested her. Ric
ard never interfered; never was thel
a more perfectly discreet and gene
a Gus husband. Half the women Isabel
4. knew We're attempting 10 live exact
u as she did, to cultivate "suitorS,' an
"a drift about in an atmosphere of ne
n gowns and adunuOn and orchids al
+, softly lighted drawing rooms, and i
ir cesSant playing with fire. it was II
W accepted thing, in Isahele's circI
m and that she was more successful
It than other women was not at q
Sc to her disCredit.