The Jasper news., 1922-05-04


course notT Harriet could fortunate
~ answer In perfect honesty.
ooh, Harriet" the girl caught her
hands, turning sick and imploring eyes
toward her. ''are you sure?"
nina, dear, your father would have
told mel"
"He might not--he might mott" Nina
said, feverishly. "But If he did"
she whispered, half to herself. That's
Pilgrim. rang for her" she said, Of
a knock on her own door. ASK my
father to come up, will you?" she said
TO the maid, when Pilgrim appeared.
"We'll settle 1t nowf'
"Mr. Carter is just coming up" Pill
grim said. And moment later Rich
ard, with an Interested face, came
through N1na's room, and joined them.
Harriet had had time only to Knot her
hair. back carelessly, and slip into the
most formal of her big Chinese coats.
Father" Nina said, when they three
were alone together. "dld Royal Blon-
din take a check from you ten days
agoT'
Richard, taken unaware, glanced
sharply at Harriet, who shook her
head, with an anxious look He sat
down beside Nina on the bed, and put
a fatherly arm about her.
"Ah, Father, don't put me of !" the
girl begged. II wrote him. after my
birthday" she said, "and told him
that money made no difference to me.
He didn't answer. Then l got Bruce
Hopper to ask his mother TO have
Blondln meet her at the club for tea,
and / saw him then. Bruce" Nina
cast In, still in the new, self-contained
tone, has been wonderful about 1t
know he only seems silent sort Of
boy, but I'll never forget what he's
done for mel Royal" she resumed.
didn't want to see me, and said he
had promised Father that II was over.
He-but needn't tell you all he said.
1t sounded" Nina chung to her fn-
TIERS hands, and shut her eyes. "It
sounded $3.50 faIsei" she whispered
bitterly. $50 went 10 his studio to-
day I" she presently continued. "And
there were two or three women
there. hut 1t wasn't that. They were
well, perhaps they were just having
fun. But" And Nina looked pitt
fully from Harriet's sympathetic face
to her fathers troubled eyes. but
I've not been having much funl" she
faltered, with a suddenly trembling
mouth. "rve been planning-pray-
ing that somehow II would come out
right. He told me today that he had
promised not to see or speak to me
for two years." she said, slowly. CT
Father, i knew that he had reason !
He was changed. I never saw him so
: And two hours ago." she pointed TO
: the door that led into her fathers
room, "two hours ago went in there"
she said, land looked over your own
check book. Father, did you write
= him check7 Was that the stub that
had n. b. on TT"
Richard looked at her s5rrowfully.
J "I'm sorry, Nina" he said, simply,
II told him you should not know, from
: me! 1 would have spared you that"
| For few minutes there was silence
in the room. Then Nina said bravely,
through tears:
| NOh hllOW WHY gOu NC
sorry for what will save me months
of slow worry, all at one blow You
T and Harriet needn't worry any more.
e I'm cured. I've been a fool, let him
D flatter me and lie TO me-" said this
I new Nina, with bitter courage, but
I'm over II now. I'm sorry l gave you
much trouble, Father"
4 my darling girl" her father said
tenderly. 81 only wish / could spare
l. you all thls!"
= Better now than two or three years
after we were married." Nina said
l. Plenty of girls find 1t out then Fa-
Their, 1 want you TO get that check
, through the clearing house, for me, u
she said, herolcally, land want to
: keep 1t. II ever I'm fool about a man
again, TIL take 1t out and look at 1t =
: II have Il; I told Fox to get 1t to-
Z day." Richard said. "You shall have
) It,"
"You have itr' she whispered. "He
: cashed 1t, then"
: "He cashed Il the next morning"
: Richard said. Nina was silent for q
: moment.
"How you must laugh at me. Har
riet!" she said then.
y "I2 Laugh at your Harriet said
stricken. my darling girl, am the
a last woman in the world who could dc
thatl l was only your age. Nina. when
n met hIm--you know that story. Why
9 Nina. you're but eighteen, after all
!. you'll have many and many an affaiI