The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-03-24
CHAPTER w.

Again Harriet fed through the quiet
house as if pursued by furies, and
again reached her room with white
cheeks and a fast-beating heart. Nina
was not there. She crossed to the win
dow, and stood there with her hands
clasped on her chest, and her breath
coming and going stOrmily.
ooh, he's clever!" she whispered,
half aloud. He's clever! He never
made a threat. He never made a
threat of any kind! He knew that he
had me-he knew that he had me just
where he wanted me! And what he
does here, in making his way with this
family, doesn't concern me! Nina is
old enough to decide for herself"
Nina had been experiencing what
were among the pleasantest hours OF
her life. A school friend, Amy Hawkes.,
who was romance personified, under
plain and demure exterior, had OBJ
served Nina's long conversation with
Royal Blondin,> and had found an arch
allusion to it so well received by Nina
that she had followed up that line Of
conversation, ever since.
Amy was to sleep with Nina, and
Harriet realized, as she superintendent
their futtered dressing, that she, Har-
riet, would be obliged to go to their
door five times, between eleven and
one o'clock that night, and tell them
that they must stop talking.
There was a modest knock at the
door, and Rosa came in with a box.
She smiled, and put 1t on Harriet's
desk.
For me?" the girl said, smiling In
answer, and with some surprise. Rosa
nodded, and went her way, and Har-
riet went to the box. 1t was not
large, a florists box of dark green
cardboard; Harriet united the rafia
string, and Investigated the mass Of
silky tissue paper. Inside was an Or
child. She opened the accompanying
envelope, and found Wards card. On
the back he had written, Just little
worried because he's afraid you're
cross at him"
Harriet stood perfectly still, the Or
child in one hand, the card crushed in
the other. Ward Carter had sent or
chids, no doubt, to other girls. But
Harriet Carter had never had an or
child before from a man.
She put the card into her little desk,
and the orchid into a slender crystal
vase Then she went back to advise
Amy and Nina as to gold beads and
- hot D,1& q In
later when she was in the big house
keepers pantry, where several maids
were busy with last-minute manipula-
lions of olives and ice and grapefruit,
Ward came out and found her, sOberly
busy in her old checked silk.
"Why didn't you wear it?'
"Wear it-you bad, extravagant
child! I'll wear it to town tomorrow"
mo; but" he sank his tone to one
of enjoyable confidences-"but were
you mad at me? You looked so glum
at breakfast"
"Well, you had nothing to do with
itw she assured him, in her big-sis-
terly voice. "And it was the first or
child I ever had, and loved you for
itw
1t was with something like pain and
Impotence in his tone that Ward said
gruff1y:
Eyes, you do! You like me about as
much as you like Nina or Granny"
81 like you-sh! just little better
than I do GRANNY Harriet confided.
Don't spoil your dinner with olives,
Ward! Don't muss that-there's a
dear! Dinners announced, by the
way. It's quarter past eight"
I'm going!' he grumbled, discon-
tentedly.
Harriet said. soothingly. He was
laughing. too, as he disappeared, but
something in his face was vaguely
troubling TO her none the less. and she
remembered it now and then with a
little conjunction during her quiet
evening of reading. Well. she would
see Linda on Saturday. and have Sun
day with her and the children, and
that meant always complete change
and a shifted viewpoint. even when, as
frequently happened. Linda took the
older-sisterly privilege of scolding.
When Harriet had chaperoned Nina
and Amy TO the Friday afternoon mat
inee. and had duly deposited Amy aft
erward in the Hawkes. mansion, and
had escorted Nina to her grandmoth-
A~'s allerfm1nt, she vas fra.a ..- Ill.,