The Holbrook news., 1922-03-10

had given him, there under the lamp.
 Its funny code" he unused. Bar barians. that's what we are, when it comes to women. Nina, Ida, Isabelle, Harriet-all of them pay for the man. made rule. 1 shouldn't have forced her hand in this business marriage; 1t was taking an advantage of her. No woman wants to marry for anything but love, and If she had married for love. she would have made clean breast of this old affair. of course. 1 didn't exact that. We've made nice mess of it. all around!
 Il mustn't let her work herself into fever over all this!" he found him. self thinking.
 But Nina must be the first consider atiOn. He must plan for Nina. He brought his thoughts back resolutely- his daughter must break her engage ment now, there was that much gained. And for the journey to Rio
 But why didn't she tell me!' he interrupted himself, suddenly. The reference was not to Nina. Again he saw the superb white shoulders in the soft flood of lamplight, and the flash of the blue eyes that turned toward Blondin.
 "She could have lslled himr Rich ard said. My God how she will love when she does love-"
 
 Meanwhile. to Harriet had come the bitterest hour of her life. She had reached crossroads, and with steady fingers and an an.uished heart she prepared for the only step that to her whirling brain and shamed soul seemed possible. She must disappear. There was m alternative.
 She had harmed them all, they could only think of her now as an unScrupu- louS and mischievous woman who had by chance entered their lives when they were all in desperate need of wis dom and guidance. who had played her own contemptible game. and added one more hurt to the hurt reputation of the house of Carter.
 Harriet got out of her evening gown and into a loose wrapper. She went about somewhat aimlessly. yet the suitcaSeS, spread open on the bed were gradually filled. and her per sonal possessions gradually disap- peared from tables and walls. Now and then she stopped short. heartSicl and trembling: once her lips quivared and her eyes filed but for the most part she did not pause.
 Nina. at about eleven, had come tC the door between their rooms, and opened it. The girl was undressed and for few moments she watched Harriet scowlingly, with narrowed eyes.
 Are you going away" she said, presently. Harriet brought heavy eyes to meet hers. and stood consider ing a minute. us if bringing her thoughts back long distance.
 ''I-going away? Yes," she said, slowly. Yes. I may"
 Nina stood watching, which seemed vaguely to trouble Harriet, who gave her a restless glance now and then as she went to and fro. Presently she spoke to Nina again.
 Goodnight. Nina"
 Goodnight :" snapped Nina, and the door slammed.
 Harriet continued to move about for perhaps half an hour before Nina's odd manner recurred to her, on wave of memory. and she seemed to hear again Nina's ungracious tone.
 He told herl" she said, suddenly. "She saw Royal and he told her Poor child"
 And she went to Nina's room. with a vague idea that she would sit beside the weeping girl for awhile. one heavy heart close to the other, even if no words could pass between them.
 But Nina lay sleeping peacefully, and Harriet, after watching her for a few minutes, went back to her own room. She went to the open window, and stood staring absently out ut the dark summer night, the great branches of the trees moving in the restless wind, and the oblong of dull light that still fell from the library window.
 She could not see the horror as Richard saw 1t: she could not see her self as only a mistaken woman, woman with youth. beauty, and intel ligence pleading for her, one problem more iH his life, it is true. but only one among many, and not the greatest. She did not see him as he saw himself, his family as the somewhat trouble some, and yet quite understandable, group of selfish human beings In whose perpleXities he had always played the part of arbiter.
 To Harriet the thing lOomed momen- tous, unforgiving, incalculable. It as- sumed to her the proportions of mur der. Richard, in her estimation. was not what he thought himself a some what ordinary man in the forties whose life had already held poverty and disillusionment and wholesome disappointment, whose nature had been tempered to humOr and gener0s- ity and philosophy: to Harriet he was the richest, the finest, the most deserv- ing of man, and she the adventures who had brought his name down to shame and dishOnor.
 Until two o'clock she was wretched ly busy in soul and body. When the last of her personal possessions was packed, and when she was aching from hea to foot. she took q hot bath, and crept into bed.
 But not to SleeD The feyeriSh