Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-04-29


night; wanted Unger to see 1t
left 1t In the suit wore"
He stepped to the dressing room
and probed In pocket, without NOV
ing his pleasant look from her.
"Glving my room the once oyer2 he
said.
nina left the door open. I've never
been in here before" Harriet said, try,
Ing to make her voice as natural as
his own. Confused and ashamed, she
was hardly conscious Of what she said
"Here we arei" Richard glanced a:
the paper he had found. "See here. y
he said, presently, going to win
dow, "come here a minute, / want to
show you this You see," they were
both looking out Into the moonlight
now, "you see, this Is where / propose
to build on that big room downstairs,
throw the library into the blue room,
and have big sleeping porch upstairs
here" he explained. Perfectly FEAST
BILE, and yet 1t will make a different
house Of 1t r.
Harriet commented lnterestedly
enough. But she heard his voice
rather than his words, and saw only
the well-groomed. black-clad figure, the
shining patent-leather shoes, the fine
hand that indicated the changes
Perhaps he was conscious of confu-
sion, too, for his words stopped, and
presently they were looking at each
other In strange silence, Richard still
smiling, Harriet wide eyed
Then suddenly his strong arms held
her close, and her blue, frightened
eyes were close to his, and she felt
everything else In the world slip away
from her except the exquisite knowl-
edge that she loved this man with all
her heart and soul.
II want to tell you something"
Richard said, quickly and incoherent-
~. Il want you to know that | love
you'll think I've always loved you!
this wasn't In our bond, l know, but I
think | couldn't have wanted you so
without loving you Tiff the time
comes, Harriet, when you can care for
me, youth tell me, won't you? That's
all want, just to know that you will
tell me. You're going to tell me, your
self I'm going to make you love me
I'll be patient-I'll not hurry you-but
some day you'll have to tell me that
Fve--Pve won your
lie had spoken swiftly. almost stern
~. with Il sort Of desperate determine
tlon. Now he freed her arms as sud-
denly as he had grasped them, and
added In a lower tone:
Until TINT time I'll not--not even
kiss the top of your hair, Harriet"
he said.
In the mad rushing of her senses
she could not find the right word,
hut she detained him with an entreat-
Ing hand. Her eyes, shining with a
look that he had never seen there be-
fore, were fixed on his. But Richard |
did not look at her eyes. lie looked |
down at the hand she had laid on
his own.
II don't think" Harriet SAID breath
lessly "that can ever like you any
more than do"
She had meant 1t for surrender; her
heart was heating wildly with the
glorious shame of a proud woman who
gives hcrself. Eut Richard was not
looking at the betraylng eyes. In the
great new love that had swept him
from MI his old mornings there was
deep humility. He only heard her shy
that she could never learn to love him
He bent his head over her finger tips,
and kissed them, as he said quietly:
"But Pm going to try to make you,
Just the same"
Then he was gone. and Harriet was
alone In the softly lighted
room. For a few moments she re-
NAMED perfectly STILL with her white
hands pressed to her burning cheeks.
Then, shaken with Joy and surprise,
with delicious terror and something
IF a child's innocent chagrln, she
went nolselessly back to her own
'oom, closed the communicating door,
md undressed with pauses for the
ireams that would come creeping
,ver body and soul, and hold her in
heir exquisite stiffness for long min
ties together.
She was brushing her hair when
Nina suddenly appeared, and came
ifelessly in to sit on the edge of
Iarrlet's bed.
II want to ask you something"
lina said. In an odd voice, "And
Harriet, | want you to tell me the
ruth p
Harriet, turning, faced her between
wo curtains OF r!ppling gold She
aw new Nina, subdued. thought
I'll, serious woman In the old conf
lent Nina's place.
"But first | ought to tell you that
wasn't with Amy today" Nina said
"0h, Nina Must we begin that sort
# thing?" Harriet reproached her
sut she was puzzled by Nnas man.
Ter Back to schoolgirl tricks |" she
aid.
"Never back to schoolgirl" Nina
aid, passionately. "Tll never be TINT
gain. Harriet" she went on, 1--WE
written Royal three times, since my
birthday, and I've seen him twice."
"You saw him todayr Harriet ven