Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-03-25

| jug
people she met.
Harriet wrote once a week to Rich
ard. making general report, and In
closing recelpted hotel and mlscellane
Gus bills. His communications usually
took the form Of cables, although once
or twice she received typewriter let
tiers.
In mid-April they all came home
again, and Crownlands, in the years
first shy filming of green, looked Won
derful to Harrlet's homeslck eyes.
Richard was to join them at dinner
1t had been impossible for him to
meet them when the boat arrived, but
Fox had been there and attended to
the formalitles. 1t had pleased them
all to make the occasion formal and
to dress accordingly. Nina looked her
prettiest In white silk, and the old
lady was magnificent In diamonds and
brocade. Harriet deliberately selected
her handsomest gown, severe black
satin that wrapped her slender body
with one superb and shining sweep,
and left her white arms and firm,
fawless shoulders bare. The firm
young lines Of chin and throat, the
swelling white breast that met the en-
casing satin, the slippers with their
twinkling buckles-she could not but
find every detail pleasing, and her
scarlet mouth, firmly shut, was
| twitehed by sudden dimple.
She glanced at the clock, went slow
ly to the door, and slowly down the
big square stairway. Richard and his
children were In the lower hall, and
they all glanced up.
Down In the soft glow of light came
Harriet, smiling as she slipped her left
arm about Nina, and gave the free
hand to Nina's father she was APP
parently cool and unself-conscious in
wardly she felt feverlsh, frightened
and excited and happy, all at once.
Richard was In evening dress, too; he
looked his best his dark hair brushed
10 shining crest, and his gray eyes
full of pleasure.
"Well, Miss Field" he said, lit
tie breathlessly. "Well! Your vaca-
ton hasn't done you any harm y
"We had to make an occasion of
our coming home" Harriet said. with
a nervoHs laugh, trying not to see the
admiration In his eyes.
"You look wonderfulw Nina said
"Why, you saw this gown at Mas
sau,' Harriet protested
"Loulse-or whoever she was Of
Prussia, or whatever you call 1t.
turned In the family vault when you
walked down those stalrs" Ward
said "Oo-oo--caught you under the
mistletoe--oo-oo, you would" he
added, with an effort to envelop her
in his embrace.
'Ward, behave yourselfw Harriet
said, eyading him, and walking toward
the dining room with his grandmother,
who came downstairs In her turn, and
joined them.
Richard Carter watched her, the in
carnatlon of young and beautiful
womanhood. Clever he knew her to
be, capable and conscientious, but to-
night she was In new role. He liked
to see her there at the other end Of
the table he realized that she was the
center of things, here In his house,
and that he had missed her.
After dinner 1t CHANGED that Bot
tomley called her to the telephone,
and that moment later she passed
the call on to Richard
ITS Mr.. Gardiner, Mr.. Carter. He
didn't know that you were here, but
he would rather speak to YOU" Har-
rlet said. Richard went to the tele-
phone, and as she moved to make
room FOR him, and gave him the re-
ceiver. he had sudden breath of the
sweetness and freshness OF her. of
hair and young firm skin. of the
rustlng satin gown, and the little
handkerchief that she dropped, and
that he picked up for her. EIe smiled
as he gave 1t. and flushed lnexplcably,
and his first few words to the bewll-
dered Gardiner were little shaken
and breathless, But Richard was quite
himself again an hour or two later,
when he sent for Miss Field, and she
came into the library.
u needn't say that I'm entirely
pleased with the way matters have
gone, Harriet" said Richard, when she
had seated herself on the opposite
side Of his big, fiat desk. and locking
her white hands ON the shining sur
face, had fixed her magnificent eyes OH
him. "Nlna seems In fine shape, and
| have never seen my mother better.
You seem to have genius for man
aging the Carriers I'm seriously con-
sidering an offer from Gardiner; he's
got to take his boy out to Nevada for
his health. Ward wants to go, and
would very probably like It when he
got there. hope he will try II any
how! so that leaves Nina, who Ia
safe enough with you, and my mother
who seems perfectly well and happy
Meanwhile. willie you've been gone
we've gotten the Brazilian company
well started, so that shall have lit
tie more freedom than I've had tor
yeaw.
"You look as If you needed It," Har.
Het observed.
"You look wonderful" Richard re-
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