The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-03-31
CHAPTER VIII.

Sudden peace and confidence flooded
her spirit. She sat on, dreaming and
planning but with no more mental dis
tress. With the prayer she had gained,
in some subtle fashion, new self-re
spect. She would not let him brighten
her again; after all, while she COM
manded her own soul, Royal Biondin
could not hurt her.
"And he shall net marry Nina,
either!" Harriet decided, going In,
stiff and cold, but full of resolution.
She looked at a cleck-it was almost
four. Three hours sleep was not to be
despised, but Harriet was In no mood
for 1t. Instead she took bath, and
just as the dawn was beginning to food
the world with mysterious half-lights
and long wet shadows, she crept out
int the dew-drenched garden and, with
a triumphant sense Of being alone
went into the wood. Early walks
were one of her delights. 1t was al
most seven o'clock when she came
back, glowing, beginning to feel warm
and headachy, beginning to realize
that the July day would be hot, be-
ginning to be conscious of the eight
mile tramp. In the garden at Crown
lands she met Royal, leaving the
house.
He studied her approvingly.
Harriet, do you know that you are
extraordinarily easy to look upon?
What gets you up so early?'
CHI 90
and unresponsively. His social pleas
antries instantly antagonized her, and
he saw it.
well, l thought perhaps / had bet
ter get out I'm at the club for a day
or two. Ward tells me-" he added, Civ.
ing the girl sharp glance, that you
and he-eh?"
Harriet flushed
I'm sorry he told you!"
"Oh. my dear childl" Blondin made
deprecatory motion Of his hands.
"Of course, 1 think you're very wise"
he added.
This smote upon her newborn self
respect, and all the glory departed
from the day. The man saw her breast
rise and fall with some quick emotion
as he half-smilingly watched her.
1.-THE lad gets a beautiful and wise
and very discreet wife, he was begin
ming, but Harriet silenced him angrily.
HE loves me. | don't know what
a boys love is worth he's only TWEEN
ty-two, after all. But he does love
me. But believe me, Royal. you
couldn't hurt meas you are hurting
me If there was no truth in what
you say Ward has had three years
at college-Tve not been a member Of
the family all that time without know
ing that he is not saint! He has
lived as other men do-as women per
nit decent men to live, I suppose
Nina's different. She's younger. She
has never had an affair.""
I'VE were not discussing Nina!"
mo, know 1t. But you reminded
me that what I object to in you, with
her, I myself am doing with him-ol
| something very like It! Except
that" Harriet fioundered a little
| but regained her thread-"except that
he does care for me-" she repeated
''he loves beauty can say that &c
| you without your misunderstanding =
and then, he knows me. we have beer
intimate for years, we are congenial I
HE knows everything about you.
Royal repeated, innocently, as IL thu
defense she made were perfectly &C
| ceptable. But again she was stung "a
| silence
ST am going to tell him frankly, ex
actly what you have said to me-" Har
riet said, presently. with decision and
relief In her voice 'T shall remint
him that have always been poor, ant
that IL i'm utterly impossible for ma L