Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-03-09
HARRIET

Nina had chartered constantly dur
ing the meal. Granny had had a ter
Fible time with them all. And Ward
and Nina and "Royar"-the name sud-
denly leaped between them again
had been arrested for speeding. And
Daddy had threatened Nina with a
boarding school, and Granny had
cried.
Where IL Mr.. Blondin now, NInaT'
Harriet had asked.
"Oh, he's roundr Nina had said,
airily. II suppose you put Daddy up
10 saying that l wasn't to see so much
Of him" she had added, with her
worldly wise drawl.
mot, at ALL" Harriet had said.
"Ladybird and l are planning q
trip" Nina had further confded, It"
shall be eighteen in February, you
know, and we want to go round the
world. Wouldn't 1t be wonderful to
20 with her, for she's been about fifty
timesi" ,a~
wonderful |" Harriet had been
obliged to concede.
But, dearest child, what dses your
father thInkf'
Father" Nina had shrugged re-
gretfully. But / shall be Of age"
abe had reminded her companion.
Eyes, l know, dear. but Fathers
ward for another three years, you
know"
"why. Ladybird says"-the girl had
been ready. and had spoken with
flushed cheeks-"IAdybird says that
in that case wen 20 anyway, and
she'll pay an e~xpensesi That's the
kind Of friend she isl"
o
Lowell come fast enough after
ward" Pilgrim had said, and Harriet
thought Pilgrim was rather a wise
woman, In her homely way. The girl
stirred the fire and settled herself to
watch II.
After what2 Well, certainly not
after anything so short, simple and
u%nconvlncing as that three minutes
with the clergyman today. The utter
unreality Of that had seemed to blend
with the silent, snowy day. and with
the dulled and dreamy condition OF
her own brain. Snow was falling
softly when she had met Richard Car
ter at the office, at half ten, and
snow llsped against the windows OF
the limousine as they two, with
Irving Fox, Richards kindly, middle
aged, confidential clerk, were whlrled
out OF the city, and on and on through
the bare little wintry towns. Fox hat
Ind some papers to which they occa
sionally referred; the old clerk wa
the only person to congratulate Har
riet warmly when the brief and, be
wildering business was " and SIN
had her wedding ring. 1t was alon'
with Fox thnt she made the retur,
trip. Richard came back by train
saving an hour, and was at the ofic
when they got there. Harriet did'no
see him again; he was In conference
and presently she quietly got bae
into the motorcar, and on her way I
meet Nina she slipped the plain circl
Of gold into her handbag.
She had 1t out tonight, and put
OH her bare, pretty hand, and held
to the FIRE, and slowly the events o
the bewildering and firing day wheele
before her, and only the reality of tn
ring assured her that 1t was not all
confused dream. Married. And a
alone before the glowing Goals, wear
from hostile encounters, on her ma
riage night!
She had intended to write to Lind
tonight; Linda was vexed with he
and small wonderl For Harriet ha
left the little New Jersey house q
most without farewells, had con
down to an earlier breakfast eve
than Fred's, and had said briefly thu
she was returning to the Carriers, ar
would see them all o
Why hadn't she told Linda? We
for one reason, she had hardly b
lieved her W memory Of the talk
Christmas day with Richard. Thu