The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-02-02

drown out all the past and all the fu-
ture-everything except that she loved
him and he needed her! But when she
spoke 1t was as coolly as he:
Mr.. Carter-what of your wife?"
His eyes met hers weariIy.
divorce proceedings were insti-
tuted Immediately It was definitely es-
tablished she had gone with young
Pope. The decree will be absolute"
"But that will not-cannot alter the
situation" Harriet faltered.
You mean" the man hesitated
you mean you-that you regard me
as married still?"
Harriet, mute with emotions abs,-
lutely overpowering. nodded without
speaking.
"Will you-wll you let me think
about it?" she faltered. A sudden
brightness came into his face. "You
Know how I was brought up to think
Of divorce" she went on pleadingly.
"Tve made plenty OF mistakes in my
life, but I've never deliberately done
what l felt was wrong"
"And this would beY' Richard asked
slowly.
"Well-I, haven't thought about It ~
she answered slowly. my people
my sister and her husband-would
say so! IL would have said so Of
some other womanr
"This would not be an ordinary
marriage :: you would be entirely your
own mistress" Richard said, with
quiet Significance. at would be a
marriage only in the eyes Of the
world"
II see." she said. I'll must have
time to think about itr
"As long as you liker She had
risen.s and now he rose, too, and went
with her to the library door and
opened 1t for her. "When you decide
come and tell me-" he said. bowling.
She turned to give him a parting
smile, with a desperate wish to tell
him half the honor and joy she would
feel in taking his name, In sharing his
responsibilities. but the pleasantly i'm
personal nod he gave her chilled The
words unspoken. Harriet fled to her
ROOM
MY chance" she whispered. press
Ing her cold finger tips to her hot
cheeks, my chance at last-and j
can't take it! No, can't take it-l
don't care what his world does OF
thinks-my world doesn't permit it
No-I can't. Not a divorced man, moi
man with living wife I've been
fool-I've been wrong, plenty OF
times but I've never committed my.
self to folly and wrongW
She stared blindly ahead of her
After while she spoke again, half
aloud:
"Oh, but why does 1t have to be
this wayi If I could go to him, tel
him what he means to me, If we were
poor-if we could take little place
next to Lfnda-never to see Nina OF
his mother or Ward or Roy again
oh, what heaven How / should love
it, planning for things together, as
Linda and Fred did, having him come
home to me every night
But it isn't that way" Harriet sud.
denly recalled herself sensibly, "and
1t is folly even to think about It'll He
Is rich man, and a married man,
and that ends 1t. That ends it."
A great desolation swept her spirit.
She fell from bitter musing to weaken
Ing. The law permitted it, after all.
Plenty Of good women had shown her
the way. The family needed her she
might do good here. And above all.
she loved him.
She heard stirring In the bed
room.
I. what time is 1t. RosaT' she called,
suddenly aware of weakness and
fatigue.
my goodness, how you frightened
me. Miss Field! It's just nOon."
do you happen to know If Mr.. Car
ter is still downstairs?"
"Yes'm. he is; he's expecting Mr..
Fox to come"
Harriet smoothed her tumbled hair
and went slowly downstairs.
But l love himl" she said, sud-
denly standing still on the landing,