Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1922-03-02

doesn't drink. ana ne I0ika 20 me-
you ought to hear hlml-abouf char
acter being fate. and an thati Say.
listen. before we get out Of the
woods-1p
His sudden sense of her nearness
and beauty beIled the careless words.
Harriet found his arms tight about
her. her face tipped up to the young.
handsome face that was stirred now
with trembling excitement. The quick
movement Of his breast she could feel
against her own. and the passion OF
his kisses almost frightened her; she
was held, bound, halfllfted or her
feat.
"Ward!' she gasped, freed az last.
and with one hand TO her dIsordered
hair, while the other held him nj
aFm's-Iength. @Dearl Pleasel"
It was no use. Soul and senses were
enyelOped again. and close to her cdr
she heard him whisper: I'm mad
about you'll no you know that7 I'm
mad about your
II think you areI'' she stammered,
breathless and laughing. ssYou mustn't
do that You mustn't do that Why:
we might be seen'R'
Breathless, too, he flung back his
hair, and stopped to pick up her para
sol.
EDO you think i, carer he painted,
indifferently. II wouldn't care IL the
whole world saw re
"Sh-shI" BY the magic only
known to youth and womanho0d Har-
riet had gathered herself into trim
ness and calm again. She took her
parasol composedly. Her eyes told
him the whole story. Nina and Royal
BIondin were two hundred feet away,
coming up from the tennis court.
you ool-fool--fooll" she said to.
herself. What had they seen7 Whit
new twist TO the situation would
Nina's suspicious affordf Richard
Carter trusted her; this was no time
to tell him that she loved his son.
Did she love WARRIOR with his keen
and kindly eyes would Wards father
see exactly what she saw in the mar
riage7 Caught kissing IN the woods
like Rosa or Germaine; IL was UNI
thinkablel How she had weakened
her position here How she had
risked- her heart contracted with
pain -severing Of her association with
CrOwnlands.
Luncheon, under its veneer OF
gaiety and fooIishness offered fresh
terrors. For old Madame Carter had
come down, and It occurred to Harriet
that If Nina had seen anything In the
wood. she might naturally Interest
her grandmother with an account OF
It. The old lady would 90 instantly
to her son. And Richard Harriet
could imagine him, tired, harassed,
heartsick over the recent inexplicable
weakness of his wife, having to face
another woman's treachery, having to
listen to the demure announcement on
the little secretary's engagement to
his son.
he was experiencing the most over
whelming shock OF all his life now;
he must shortly be exposed to ali the
whirl of scandal: the siIenced gossip.
the averted eyes Of his world. tbe
weeklles with their. muddy insinua-
lions, the staring fact headlined above
his breakfast bacon. This was her
time to efface herself and the house
hold, to help him to lift the load.
I'm afraid / wasn't listening, Mr..
Blondln7"
miss Nina and | want to know
whit day we may have our Larty?'
Royal repeated.
1.-THE studio party7"
1.-THE roof-garden party. We're go
ing to have 1t from half-past six to
half-past seven only. because then it
won't be too hot
''Why not have It at night, with Lam
ternsT Harriet said, quite inyolun-
tarily. And again pang OF self-con-
tempt swept over her. It was hateful,
It was incredible. but she was playing
his game as calmly as IL doubts and
reluctance had never entered her
heart.
at four o'clock Richard came home,
and the instant Harriet saw his face
she realized, with shock even sharp
er than the original moment Of In
credulity, that he had had no success
IN his search. He was alone. His
face was drawn and gray, he looked
hot and rumpled and utterly weary ;
more, he who had always been the
pink OF well-groomed perfection
looked old. He asked Bottomley
briefly II Madame Carter was In her
room, and, being informed that she
was. went hastily upstairs.
1t was to the old lady's beautiful
sitting room that Harriet was sum-
moned a few minutes later. she knew
at once that he had told his mother
all he knew and feared.
Madame Carter was shockingly agi-
tated. She had deep sense Of the
dramatic, but she was not entirely act.
ing now. Her face was pale under is
rouge, and the painful tears Of age
stood ID her eyes.
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