The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-03-16


| then coaXingly. But the younger girl
swan steadily to the shore. and Har-
riet saw her a minute later, shaking
herself outside the shower. before she
disappeared into the big bathhOuse.
Harriet had entirely forgotten Ward.
until he swan under the float, and
with characteristic yell, rose stream
ing like seal under her very feet.
Genuinely startled, she gratified him
with n scream. and they both laughed
like children as he flung himself drip
ping on the hot boards. and proceeded
TO bake luXuriOusly in the sun.
Its the most gorgeous thing | ever
saw, do you know that?" he asked,
with one hand tOu6ling the river of
sparkling gold that blazed and tumbled
on her shoulders. Listen, Harriet,
do you remember the little talk we
had some weeks ago?'
Perfectly" she said, little unwil-
lingly.
well. how about it," the boy said,
after pause.
at wouldn't be fair to you. Ward
the girl said, slowly, after pause
II love you. but l don't love you the
way your wife will"
II want you" he said. sullenly. "I'm
crazy about you! Fly Cod"
Ward please don't touch me" she
said sharply getting to her feet with Il
spring, as he put his arm about her.
Don't, / shall tell your father II
you dor
You didn't talk that way at Crown
lands last June" the man said, sulkily.
difference now"
II think perhaps I'm different, Ward.
The summer" Harriets voice died
into silence. Her eyes were fixed upon
the figure Of a man who came down
the little pier, and dove into the shin
ing water. Two minutes later, with a
great gasp of satisfaction, Richard
Carter drew himself up beside them.
Hal That is something likel My
Lord, the water is beautiful today :
I1OW dDOut Ilt DuOy HO S"lluS
with me to the buoy"
"Come on, Harriet" Ward said,
posing.
Harriet rose, and bundled the glory
of her hair into a blue rubber cap that
made her look like a beautiful rosy
French peasant. With no further
speech she made a splendid dive, and
the men followed her.
1t was one of life's beautiful hours,
she thought, as in a great splash of
salt water she reached the buoy. and
hung laughing and painting to its rest
less bulk. Ward had preceded her by
full minute. Richard was half a
minute behind her. With much vain
glorious Boosting from the men,, they
| all rested there before the homeward
swim. Harriet hardly spoke, her cup
was full to the brim with mysterious
| felicity born Of the summer hour, the
heaving waters, and the joyous mood
of father and son. When Richard
praised her swimming she flushed in
the severe blue cap. and the blue eyes
met his with the shy pleasure of a
child. 1t was while she was hastily
| dressing, in the hot bathhouse little
later, that a sudden thought came TO
her, and flushed the lovely face again,
and brought her to sudden pause.
A tremendous thought, that made
her breast rise suddenly, and her eyes
fix themselves vaguely on space for
a long, long minute. Her palms were
damp, and she put them over her hot
cheeks. But that-she whispered in
| the deeps of her soul, that was non
sense!
Blondin had been waiting for Har-
riet at the church door. Coming out.
she had Indicated without a word that
he might walk beside her. The serv-
| ice had been Unattended, and the few
women who drlfted away from it did
not walk in their direction, so they
found themselves alone.
Harriet opened the conversation
with a frank yet reluctant confession.
I'm so sorry, Roy! But 1t is only
fair to you to say that I've changed.
You will have to do what you think
| fit about it, of course. But I can't
pretend that Fm-Fm playing your
game any longer"
"What gamer Blondin, falling into
graceful step beside her. asked pleas
antly.
II mean any possible-idea you