White County record., 1922-07-06


 the pantry asking two startled maids for Mrs. Carter Etelka had been sey- eral years in the house without ever seeing "him" In this nelghborhood be- fore.
 Richard crossed sunshiny brick walled yard, where linen was drying, and went through a brick gateway that gave on n neglected little lane. The lane had once been the driveway for carriage and a prancing pair. but there were only riding horses at Crownlands now, and three of these were looking over the wall at tie grass-grown road. And Richard found Harriet here.
 She was on her knees in the pleas ant green shadow of the old sycamores and naples; her back was toward him. She was looking up into the face of the old stableman, Trotter, who stood before her, his crooked, dwarfed old figure still further bent, as he held two strong young ewes by their thick, woolly shoulders.
 AS Trotter gave him a respectful
 
 feet and whirled about and Richard saw the woodeny stiff legs of a very young lamb dangling from her arms and the lambs meek little black-rdb- Der face close to the beautiful face he loved.
 "Oh, Richard !" she said, carried away by her own delight Look at | Ala A- that ever was! Oh, you sweet" she said, putting her lips to the little wool ly head.
 You arer' Richard said quite with out reconciliation.
 Harriet laughed, surrendered the little lamb to Trotter and followed the old mans departure to the stables with an anxious warning.
 They're to have this little enclos- ure all to themselves" she explained to Richard when they were alone. Hes going to build them a little she'd" And as Richard, his back le6n- ing against the low brick wall, made no immediate attempt to move, she looked at him expectantly. Shall we go back?" she suggested.
 That sounded very pleasant to me-" Richard said with deliberate irrele- vance.
 Harriet looked at him in puzzled silence.
 q mean your calling me Richard" i" he said.
 She flushed brightly and laughed. , I Richard! p she explained. 'So you abandon me on the Brazil trip?" he asked, watching her seri- ously.
 } 'Well-?" Harriet shrugged. "I thought you had to go," she added. ''Im-Pn confess Pm disappointed , But to have Nina want to do anything is such relief to me that Pm only going to think of thatr' "Yes, l have to go," Richard said slowly. q must be there for month at least But Pm disappointed, too l got thinking of it, in the night-l couldn't seepl I'm disappointed, too. He fell silent. q wish," he said hesl- tatingly, that you had not told me that you-you don't feel that you-are going to love me! !" he said. "I love {, you with all my heart and soul. It. well, it's all I think of HOW. I want-'' He turned and picking an ivy leaf from the wall looked at 1t intently for a moment and tore It apart before he let It fall. "Howeyer.' he said phis- osophically, smiling at her, well let } that wait r'
 Harriet, close to him, laid one hand upon his shoulder. You misunderstood me-" she ssSS steadily. What. I said was that l could not love you more than I do 1 Aren't you-ever-going to under stand?'
 For a long minute they looked into each others eyes. Harriet, do you mean it?' Richard said then, simply.
 "Yes," she answered. q mean 1t ! I've always meant it. I've always loved you, I think No man could want any woman to love him more p
 The blue eyes so near his own were misty with sudden tears. In the de- serted little lane, in the blue summer morning and the green shade of the sycamores, they were alone Richard put his arms about her.
 And for a moment he held al. the beauty and fragrance and laughter and tears that was Harriet close to his heart; the soft hair tumbled the brown, firm young hand resting on his shoulder, the warm cheek against his own.
 A breeze rustled through the branches high above them; the blue river, beyond the brick wall. flowed on in an even sheet of satin; two birds looped the enclosure in a sudden twittering flight; and from the stable region came the plan tive bleating of a mother sheep. But to Harriet and Richard the world was all their own.