The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1922-04-06

been waiting all this time TO find you
I'd heard Ward speak of Miss Field
of course! But il never meant you.
to me. I've been thinking of you all
night"
1--WE been thinking, too" she said,
simply.
ITS after six" Blondin said with
glance about 1--WE can't talk here.
Can you get away? Gan we 20 some
where?"
Without another word she deserted
her seat, pinned on her hat, and
picked up her gloves.
"There's very quiet back road
straight down to Crownlands," she
said, considering. ave might walk
Anything" ne assented. briefly.
Guided by Harriet, who was familiar
with the place they slipped through
the hallway, and out side door. They
had no sooner gained silence and soil
tude than the man began deliberately:
Harriet, l have not thought of any
thing else since came upon you yes
terday, after all these years. / want
HVu w l'il Ilt iildl Nou--you dItH l
angry with me. You knew--you knew
how desperately I tried to find you,
Harriet? What he'll went through"
If She had steeled herself against
the possibility of his shaking her she
failed herself now Ii was with an
involuntary and bitter little laugh that
she said:
You had no monopoly of that,
Roy"
"But You ran away from mew he
accused her. "When | went to find
You, they told me the Davenports had
moved away. Won't you believe that
felt tcrrible-that I walked the
streets. Harriet, praylng-praying =
that / might catch "A glimpse Of you.
1t was the uppermost thought for
years-how many years? Segen?"
"More than eight" she corrected,
in somewhat lifeless voice. 81 was
eighteen. Ny one thought. my one
hope, when | last saw you, In Linda's
house" she went ON, with sudden pas
sion. was that l would never see you
again! But I'm glad 10 hear you say
this, Roy" she added. in n gentler
tone TN glad yOu-fet sorry. Our
going away was mere chance. Fred
Davenport was offered a position on
a Brooklyn paper, and we all moved
from Waterfowl TO Brooklyn. | was
grateful for it; / only wanted 10 dis
appear Linda stood by me, her chill
dren saved my life. | was a nursery
maid for a year or two-I never saw
anybody or went anywhere l look
back" Harriet said, talking more to
herself than to him. and walking
swiftly along in the golden sunset that
streamed across the old back road,
land wonder I didn't go stark, star
ing mad ~
Don't think about IT," he urged,
with concern.
mo: I'll not think about II. Royal,
don't think that all my feeling was for
myself. thought of you. too.
missed you. Truly, I missed what you
had given my life!"
A dark flush came TO the mans face,
and when he spoke II was with an
honest shame and gratitude in his
voice that would have surprised the
women who had only known him in
his later years.
you are generous, Harriet" he
said. you were always the most
generous girl i'm the world ~
More stirred than she wished TO
show herself. Harriet walked on, and
there was a silence
Linda and Fred made it hard for
your" he asked
'-Oh, no. They were angels. But of
course in their eyes, and mine, too
was marked"
Silence. Royal Blondin gave her n
glance full of distress and compunc-
ton. But he did not speak, and II
was Harriet who ended the pause.
"Well, that's what little girl Of
eighteen may do with her llfel" she
said 1T have been a fool have
made wreck Of mlne!"
"You are the most beautiful woman
in the world Royal Blondin said
steadily. "you are established here
they all adore you Why do you say
that your life is n wreck?'
81 am the daughter of Professor
Field" said Harriet, land at twenty
seven am the paid companion Of
Mrs. Richard Carriers daughter oh,
WE'LL was happy enough to have the
opportunity. What Of yourself? Where
have you been?"
But he was not quite ready TO drop
the personal note.
"Harriet, now that we have met,
well be friends? Ny life now is among
these people you'll not be sorry II we
occasionally meetT
an this casual way-no. we can
stand thati !" she agreed. The fears
Of the night rose like mist, melted
away. II was bad enough hut IL was
not what her inflamed and fantastic
apprehension had made IT, He was
no revengefu villain. after all. lie
n.