The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-04-18

or flowers he sent nSr with neart SUI
locating with joy. Richard consented
to be absent from the dinner table
over which she presided with an az
ony of remuneration that almost made
him feel ILL When he CHANGED one day
to meet her with Nina, in a breezy,
awninged summer restaurant the
sight of the slender figure thrilled him
as he had never been thrilled by any
woman he had ever known. He was
to speak to her, to hear her voice! One
day he bought her shoes; in the shop
she looked at him for approval. He
thought the shoes, low shoes with
buckles, that showed the silk-clad an
kle, very suitable and pretty. He was
thrown into sudden confusion when
the shoe clerk turned to him with q
murmured mention of the price.
Ten dollars? Richard fumbled for
his purse. He had met her walking
alone in the Avenue; she had said that
she must get shoes. Hundreds Of other
men were presumably buying then
wives shoes, up and down the bril-
liant street. But Richard found the
adventure shaking to the soul.
They're lovely Shoes" Harriet said,
as they walked out into the sunshine.
She told him that che was to meet
Nina at his mothers at FIVE Richard,
with sudden eagerness, wondered IL
she would spend the interval in hav-
ing tea somewhere, but instead they
went into boOkshop, and she carried
new book triumphantly away. Its
a frightful day in town." Harriet said,
land if we're a little early we may
all get away to the country that much
sooneri''
She established herself contentedly
beside him when they did finally start
for Crownlands. Ward, beside Han
sen, did most of the talking; Nina was
| silent, and Harriet noticed that she
was very pale. Richard was repeat
ing to himself one phrase all the way :;
a phrase that he, found so thrilling
| and absorbing that it was enough to
keep him from speaking aloud, or lis
tening to what the others said.
81 love her-I love her-I love her r.
| thought Richard. And sometimes he
! glanced sidewiSe at her, her beautiful
hair ripping In thick waves under the
! thin veil, her face a little pale from
the heat of the day, her glorious eyes
| family Swallowed. When the swift
| movement of the car brought her
| shoulder against his, their eyes met
| for a smiling second, and it seemed to
| Richard that his heart brimmed with
| the most delicious emotion that he had
| ever known.
Nina complained Of headache
when they reached home, and went
early to bed. Harriet, when she had
tubbed and changed to an evening
! gown, glanced i'm at Nina, and thought
| the girl asleep. There were men
| guests for dinner and afterward there
! was bridge. Harriet sat with Madame
/ Carter for awhile, for the old lady had
| also dined upstairs, went about the
| house upon her usual errands, and,
| going to her own room, found Nina
I reading. at about ten o'clock. Nina
| did not look up or speak as Harriet
| came in.
The door that led to Richards room
| was not only unlocked, but actually
ajar. Harriet gave it surprised
| glance, and spoke to Nina, in the next
| room.
Nina, did you unlock this doorr'
What door," Nina called. "Oh
yes!' she added. 81 did"
oh" Harriet murmured. And she
stepped to the door. and looked into
| Richards ROOM
1t was a sort of upstairs sitting
room, furnished simply, in man
fashion, with deep leather chairs on
| each side of the fireplace, broad tables
| carrying only the essential lamps and
! ashtrays, shabby desk where Rich.
ard kept personal papers, and book
| shelves crammed with novels. Har
| riet. making a timid round. saw Bal
FAC and Dickens, Dumas and Fielding
| several Shakespeares and a complete
| Meredith, jostling elbows with modern
novels in bright jackets, and yellow
French romances losing their paper
| covers
Suddenly her heart turned to water
some tiny sound in the silence warn
ing her that some one had entered
She turned, discovered here in the
very center of his own private apart
ment. He was standing not three
feet away from her. For a second
they stared at each other with sor'
of mutual trepidation.
'Hellov' he said; then matter-of
factly. 81 brought home a paper to
night: | wanted Unger to see It'll
left il in the suit | wore"
He stepped to the dressing room
and probed in a pocket, without NOV
ing his pleasant look from her.
"Giying nv room the once overT b.
said.