The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-06-08

Characteristic 81 his worried moods.
Mr.. Blondin,' he said, YEARLY ana
politely, 81 have had 4 great deal On
my mind, lately. and have perhaps
been hasty - my condemnation Of you.
However, this does not particularly
help your cause with my daughteF.
There are q great many aspects to the
matter, and III must take time to con-
slider them. Nina must be my first
consideration, poor child Her mother
failed her-we have all failed heri
she has q right to know of this con
versation- Il
M Harriet stirred, and his eyes moved
to her. Without a word, and with a
stricken look in her beautiful, ashen
face, she turned, and went slowly
toward the door. When she reached
1t, she steadied herself a second by
pressing one fine hand against the
dark wood, then she opened it and was
gone. E &&@ & E&
I'm very sorry Blondin said hesi-
tatingiy, when the men were alone.
"Mrs. Carter" Richard said, get
ting to his feet, and very definitely
Indicating an end to the conversation,
before. she consented to the-arrange-
ment into. which we entered, Of course
took me into her. confidence In, this
matter" IA. s..
,"She-she did," Royal stammered.
Certainly she did," Richard said,
harshly. And looking at him the other
man saw that his face looked haggard
and colorless. "She did not mention
your name, I presume out Of a sense
of generosity to you. I could have
Wished" he added, that you had been
similarly generous, and had seen fit
to leave her, and leave my daughter
alone. l think I must ask you to ex-
cuse me-" said Richard at the door.
His tone was one Of absolute suffoca-
ton. IT can see no object in your
frankness tonight, unless to distress
and humiliate Mrs. Carter. My daugh-
ter, and not myself, is the one entitled
to your confidence, and you are well
aware Of my feeling where she Is con-
@cerned1 I would to God" said Rich
ard, with bitterness, that I had never
seen your facet Mrs. Carter has been
a useful-and indispensable member
OF this family for many years; If there
was in her past some unpleasant and
painful event, that is her own af-
fair-!".
"Not when she marries a man who
is unaware of it." Blondin suggested,
In his pleasant, soft tones.
"That is mine |" Richard said, stern
~. And he opened the library door.
"Good evening" he said.
Good EVENING" Blondin, with his
light, lettering step, crossed the thresh-
old, and Richard closed the door. He
took his chair again and reached
toward the bell that would have
brought BottomIey to summon Nina
in turn. But halfway to the bell his
resolution wavered, disappeared. In
stead, he rested his elbows on the
table, and his head in his hands, and
there sounded from his chest a great
sigh that was almost a groan.
Oh, he was tired-he was tired-he
was tiredl It was all a mess-the boy,
the girl, their mother, his own ar
engagements for their protection and
safety. All q ness. =
She had been beautiful, that girl,
with her golden hair In the lamplight.
and her white arms q little raised to
rest her locked hands ON the chair.
Like some superb actress of tragedy,
some splendid and sullen prisoner at
the bar. The slender figure In the duh
wrapping of satin, and the white bos-
ON, had looked so young, 80 virginia.,
the blue eyes were so honestly fright
ened and ashamed. And she had been
that bounder's wife-in his arms! d.
vorcedl Harriet Field2 Poor girl,
cornered by this INSCRIPTIONS scoun-
drel, this bully, With all the ugly past
dragged up like the muddy bottom of
a river, staining and clouding the
clear waters. And what a look she
had given him, there under the lamp
: TITS q funny code" he unused. Bar
barians. that's what we are, when It
comes to women. Nina, Ida, Isabelle,
Harriet-all Of them pay for the man.
made rulel I shouldn't have forced
her hand In this business marriage;
it was taking an advantage. Of her. No
woman wants to marry Tor anything
but love, and If she had married for
love, she would have made a clean
breast Of this old affair, Of course. /
didn't exact that. We've made q nice
mess Of It, all aroundi . <
81 mustn't let her work herself into
q fever over all this" he found him
self thinking. &
But Nina must be the first consider
alton. He must plan for Nina He
brought his thoughts back resolutely-
his daughter must break her engage
ment now there was that much gained
And for the journey TO Rio 49,
"But why didn't she tell mel" he
interrupted himself, suddenly. The
reference vas not to Nina. Again he
saw the superb. white shoulders In the
soft flood OF lamplight, and the dash
Of the blue eyer that turned toward
Blondin. zs44 @ " 49, ~ q u,
she could have killed himf. Rich
ard said. my Godi how she win love
when she does lOveI 8t
Meanwhile, to Harriet had come the
bitterest hour Of her life. She had
. reached crossroads. and with steady