The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-04-06

man object II goi6S 6SeE ID tks IS.
sorbed groups nearer The house.
Then came the miracle. FOR - lid
Internationally waited, Wards frdsnd,
TIE queer man with the black eyes and
thick hair. suddenly took the sent be-
side her. Nina's heart gave a plunge,
Tor liz she was I'll at ease with .skbdsvv
IKE Harry and Joshua, how much less
could she manage d conversation With
the lion of the hour! But Royal Blon-
din needed no help from Nina.
You're little Miss Carter, aren't
your he said. wv were introduced,
back there. but there were too many
young men around you then for me to.
get d word In Nice boys, all Of theml
But not worth your while Y
Nina murmured q confidence.
"What did you sayw Blondin said.
sBut come, be added, frankly, you're
not afraid OF me, r you2 MY dear
little girl, I'm old enough to be your
fatherl Look upI want to see those
eyes. That's better. Now, that's more
friendly. Tel me what you said?''
II said-that mother expected me
to--to like. chem"
saTo-? oh, to like the boys. Mother
expects it2 or course she does | And
some day she'll expect to dress you Id
white, and bid us all to conn and
dance at the wedding! But Id the
meantime, Mother mustn't blame some
one who has just a little more discern
ment than--weIl, young Brevoort, for
example, for seeing that her tame
dove Is really q wild little seagulI
starving for the sea And you don't
want to fall In love with one Of these
lads for a year or two, anyway7' 4
"Oh, my, no I" Nina felt the express
sion inadequate, but her breath had
been taken away. The man had
turned about d little, his eyes were
all for her, and his arm, laid carelessly
along the back of the green bench,
almost touched the white rufies. They
were in full sight of the house, too,
and II Lettiee OF Anna came back,
they would see Nina in deep and last
ing conversation with the man that all
the older women were so mad about
Il "You don't. But-whatT He bent
his dark head.
II said, But I don't know how you
knew it," Nina repeated, looking
down in her overwhelming s~elf-con-
sciousness, but with a smile. of utter
happiness and excitement. ".
A second later she looked up in
some alarm. He was silent-she had
somehow said the awkward thing
again Nina's heart futtered nerv-
ously. .sS g.!
But what she saw treasured her.
Royal Blondin had squared himself
about, and had folded his arms, and
was staring darby into space.
Flow ] knew 1t" he said in q half
whisper, as IL to himself, after q full
halt-minute of silence that thrilled
Nina TO the soul. "Child, I don't know |
Some day you and I will read books
together-wonderful books! And then
perhaps we will begin to understand
the cosmic secret-why your soul
reaches ont to mins-why I not only
want to know you better, but why it is
my solemn obligation to take the ex-
quisite thing your coming into my life
may mean to us BOTH You and I have
somehow found each other In all this
wilderness Of lies and affectations, and
we're going to be friends, aren't we?'
"I-hope we are" Nina said, clear.
ing her throat, with a bashful laugh
"You know we are!" Royal Blondir
amended. And In a musing' tone hs
added: "I'm afraid I was a little bitter
q few hours ago. And then I saw you
just an honest, brave, bewildered little
girl, wondering why the deuce they
all make such a fuss about nothing
clothes and bridge parties and din
ners-"
"They never say anything worth
while !" Nina said, with daring. There
was exquisite homage in the dropped,
listening head, the eyes that smiled
SO close to her own. "But If l tell
Mother that, she thinks I'm crazy |"
she added, lapsing into the school YER
nacular against a desperate effort to
sustain the conversation at his level.
Because you're a little natural
REBEL" interpreted the man, smilingly,
.aThose eyes of yours say that. And IL
doesn't make for happiness, Little
Girl ]" he warned her. tx
Nina narrowed her eyes, and stared
into the green garden. She was not
wearing her glasses today, and hers
were fine eyes, albeit a trife promi-
nent, and with a somewhat strained
expression. o.,
"Oh, / know that I" she said. II like
the girls and ~boys-truly I do, and
am popular with them all, L know
that! But cases. r. said Nina with
scprn. ,%5a5 w. e..
"Dear Heaven" Royal said under
his breath. "No-nO-no-that's not
for youI" he murnured. "And yet
.aA,iaM