The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-05-25

AN&
sponded, seen each other now ana then
through Ida Tabor. RS ne smiled,
drearnily, Extremely romantic, 81
course, he said.
Harriet feit she could have killed
him. 3.
You understand that she won't
have one penny, Roy. / know her ia
ther. He won't yield. He'll forbid It
hen not hesitate. II she does 1t
! against his will, she will have to wait
three years for her money. Three
years Roy, she wouldn't be happy
three weeks Mr.. Carter spoke to me
about 1t the only time we've spoken OF
you. He said that he was glad the
affair had ended naturally; that you
were not the man to make Nina happy,
and that he would rather have her suf-
fer anything, and find out her mistake
al once, than have her heart broken,
and her money wasted, through sew
eraI wretched years."
Blondin had listened to this quietly,
his eyes moving from her lips to her
own earnest eyes, and wandering over
her animated face.
II count on you to be my advocate,
my dear Harriet" he said, after a mo-
ment's silence. Richard Carter be-
lieVes Id you; he has great faith in
your Judgment. If you represent to
him that you believe this to be a wise
step all round, we shall have no
further trouble" ..n' :
81 can't honestly tell him SO, Roy |"
the girl interrupted. ".
Cant your Blondin. said. He
looked across the open hallway to
Nina, descending In fresh, rafies and
ribbons, and raised his voice. "Here
she Stocking like the very rose Of
gtrlsI Come on now, Nina, you aren't
going to belong to anybody else but
me for a whilel" he said. But as he
turned to leave Harriet, he added
again: Cant you? Think it over"
- - - T.
The girl thought 1t over with a mad
dening and feverish persistence that
presently caused her a sensation of
actual sickness. Vague speculations
churned and seethed in the weary
brain that could find no beginning and
no end to them. To have made q
clean breast Of the whole matter
months ago would have meant a de-
licious sense of freedom from re-
sponsibility now, but then under those
circumstances would she, Harriet,
have been here now? Certainly, even
In the present purely technical sense,
she would not have been the second
Mrs. Richard Carter, nor would she
have held her present position Of trust
and responsibility.
While Nina and her lover murmured
on the terrace Harriet brooded On
these things, and after dinner that
evening she gave Richard so sharp a
warning that he sent at once for Nina,
and with a clouded brow and angry
eyes briefly requested Harriet to be
present while he spoke to her.
Nina came at once, with an inno-
cent expression on her rather heavy
young face, She seated herself near
Harriet, and her father went to the
point at once.
"Nina," he said, seriously, "you saw
Royal B1ondin this afternoon, didn't
youT" And as Nina answered only
with an ugly glance at Harriet, the be-
trayer, he added, Didn't I ask you
not to see him any more, several
months ago?'h
eyes, you did," Nina said, in a low
tone, and with a heaying breast.
81" hope, and we all hope, that you
viii marry some day." Richard said.
"But you are too young now. to make
a wise choice. And until you are q
little older, you will have to take my
word for it that such an affair would
only lead you to misery and regret"
Nina mumbled something bravely.
II didn't hear you," her father said.
81 said, I didn't see what you could
do about it," the girl repeated, des-
perately.
For a few moments Of silence Rich
ard merely looked gravely at his
daughter. Then he clasped his fna
hands on the desk before him, and
cleared his throat.
II cannot do as much as I should
like, Nina" he conceded, 'tbut I shall
do what I can. But first let me ask
you: have you promised to marry Mr..
Blondin?" IS ia
Silence. Nina looked at the floor.
Richard repeated his question.
"Yes, T have-and you can't kill me
for til" Nina said, and burst into
tears. tc<s.
"Wen," the father resumed, when
Harriet had supplied a consolatory
murmur and q handkerchief, I'm
sorry, Of course. Mrs. Tabor carried
letters between ven, did. she, You
him oc~casionaIlyg r..
taTwo or three times" Nina said,
shifting and drying her eyes busily.
You know my reasons for disliking
him, Nina" her father said. HE is a
man more than twice your age; he
has q, certain sort of unsavory reputa-
lion ID his affairs with women. He
has no income, no PROFESSION. no
all those things tell against
him. You're only q child"
II shall be OF age Tuesday" Nina
burst forth, essentially. =
you will be Of age Tuesday. True.
But you will be my ward, as far as
your Uncle Edwards legacy Is con-
cerned, for another three years. Now,
Nina, II you persist In this folly.
against my most earnest advice, I can
forbid the man the house. and
lock you In your roo In the good old
A~~Aa~--S 1890 nyanrk r ~hoYy flnG . r