The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-04-13

aL Ne steps, anQ turned ner nappy,
flushed face toward the man to thank
him. Whatever she saw In his face as
he smiled and nodded at her pleased
her, for she went upstairs saying again
to herself, "Oh, you're .reaI-you're
honest-I like your II i
1t was delightful to get back into
the familiar atmosphere, to catch the
fragrance Of flowers In the orderly
gloom downstairs, to take off her hat
and her hot, dusty clothing, and have
a ieisllrely hot bath to put on fresh
and fragrant summer wear, and to go
downstairs presently, rejoicing in be-
ing young and comfortable, and ire
mendously interested in life. The sig
%nificance of Richard Carriers parting
look, it's honest admiration and friend
illness, augmented by her glance
at "a chance mirror on her way up
stairs, stayed with her pleasantly
At one end Of the terrace there was
an awning whose shade fell upon the
brick flooring and the jars of bloom;
and this afternoon 1t also shaded Isa-
DCtiCs LII a DdShNL S1IGlA, anu thC DI8
hound, ard Tony Pope. Harriet cast
them a passing glance, and wondered
a little In her heart. The boy was
handsome, and fascinating, and rich,
but it was just a little unusual to have
Isabelle so openly interested In any
one.
Underlined and vague, this was still
somewhere in the background of her
thoughts as she returned to Crown
lands, and when she met Ward Car
ter, wrestling with the engine of his
W rather disreputab1e racing car,
out in n of the clean, graveled
spaces a the garage.
Harriet felt a little q%uickening Of
her pulses al she saw him. There was
no mistaking the pleasure in his eyes
as she came close.
"Spark plugs?" she asked, with the
sympathy of one to whom the peculi-
arities of the car were familiar.
"She's fixed now; I've just cleaned
EN-" Ward announced, f1inging away
his cigarette and Strengthening his
back. shell 60 like a bird, now. Say,
get in and try her, will your" he asked,
eagerly. "Come on-come on, be a
sport!" But perhaps he was. as much
surprised as delighted when she very
simply stepped into the low front seat.
He gave her more than one sidewise
glance as they went dipping smoothly
up and down the green lanes, and said
to himself. "Gosh-when she crinkles
those blue eyes of hers, and her mouth
sort of witches as II she wanted to
laugh, she is a beauty-that's what she
Isl"
About a week later they met for q
few moments in this very side garden.
It was early evening, and twilight and
moonlight mingled over the silent
roses, and the trimmed turf, and the
low brick walls.
5 They came straight toward each
other, and stood very close together,
and he took both Of Harriet's hands.
snow, what Is it-what is it?" the
man said, quickly. 1--WE been waiting
long enough. I can't stand it any
longerl I can't go away tomorrow,
perhaps for two weeks, and not
know !"
ward" the girl faltered, lifting an
exquisite face that wore, ven In the
faint moonshine, @ troubled and In
tense expression, "can't we let 1t all
wait until you get back"
"Why, Harriet" and his arm went
about her shoulders, and he bent his
face over hers Harriet, why not let
me go happy?' he pleaded.
you'll see a dozen younger girls at
the Bellamys' camp" Harriet rea
soned, girls with whom it would be
infinitely more suitable"
please" he interrupted, patiently.
And almost touching her warm, smooth
cheek with his own, and coming 80
close that to raise her beautiful eyes
was to find his only a few inches away,
he added, fervently. You love me and
1 love you-isn't that all that mat
ters?'
Did she love him? Harriet hoped.
when she reviewed it all In the rest
less, tossing hours of the night, that she
had thought, in that moment, that she
did. 1t was wonderful to feel that
strong, eager arm about her, there was
a sweet and heady intoxication in his
passion, ven If it did not awaken an
answering passion in return. Under
all her reasoning and counter-reason-
Ing In the night there crept the knowl-
edge that she had known that this was
coming, had known that only a few
days Of encouraging friendliness, only
a few appealing glances from uplifted
blue eyes, and q few casual touches OF
a smooth brown hand must bring this
hour upon her. And back Of this hour,
and Of a mans Joy in winning the
woman he loved, she had e the hazy
future Of prosperity and beauty and
ease, the gowns and car and homes,
the position Of young Mrs. Ward Car.
ter. .' t..
She had let him turn her face up, In
the strengthening moonlight, and kiss
her hungrily upon the lips, and she
had sent him in to his dinner half-wild
with the joy of knowing himself be.
loved. Harriet had gone In, too, shaken
and half-frightened, and with his last
whispered prophecy ringing in her
ears: ~ s. ,.~
"Wait q year-rot! TIL go. to the
Bellamys', because I promised to. but
the day I cone back. and that's tive
weeks from today, wen tell everyone,
and this time next year you Will have
been my wife for SIX months |"