The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-01-20
CHAPTER w.

Again Harriet fed through the quiet
house as II pursued by furies, and
again reached her room with white
cheeks and 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.
"Oh, he's clever!" she whispered.
half aloud Hes cleverl He never
made 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 pleassntest hours Of
her life. A school friend. Amy Hawkes.,
who was romance personified, under a
plain and demure exterior. had OBJ
served Nlna's long conversation with
ROYAL Blondin. and had found an arch
allusIon to 1t 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 fiuttered 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 modest knock at the
door and Rosa came In with u 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-
large. a florists box OF dark green
cardboard Harriet united the rafiia
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 y
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 man.
She put the card into her little desk,
and the orchid into slender crystal
vase. Then she went back to advise
Amy and Nina as to gold beads and
the arrangement of hair But little
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 1t - you bad, extravagant
child I'll wear 1t to town tomorrow"
mo; but" he sank his tone to one
Of enjoyable confidences-"but were
you mad at me? You looked so glum
1t breakfast"
"Well, you had nothing to do with
{ 7" she assured him, in her big-sis-
.erIy voice. "And 1t was the first or
hid ever had, and loved you for |
tn
II was with something like pain and
mpatience in his tone that Ward said
.ruffiy:
Eyes, you dol You like me about as
much as you like Nina or Granny"
81 like you-sh just little better
han do GRANNY" Harriet confided.
Don't spoil your dinner with olives,
Ward Don't muss that--there's a
earl Dinners announced. by the
vay. It's quarter past eight"
"Pm goingw he grumbled, discon-
Eat any rate, l love the orchidv ~
Harriet said, soothingly. He was
lughing, too, as he disappeared, but
omething In his face was vaguely
.oubling to her none the less. and she
it now and then with a
tile conjunction during her quiet
vening of reading. Well, she would
ee Linda on Saturday, and have Sun
SSSSssSesss>SsssSS ssssscereSeeNN II