The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1922-03-02

| his papers again, and then moving his
| fine hand to his thick brown hair,
whose shining order he rumpled too.
"About this man Blondin. Do you
know anything about HIM"
A more direct shot at her innermost
| Businesses could hardly have been
made. Robbed Of breath and senses
by the suddenness of it, and with dry
lips. Harriet could only falter a repe-
tition:
Know anything about hIm"
II don't know much, and what ] do
know / don't like" Richard continued,
noticing nothing amiss in her manner,
perhaps because he was so deeply alb
sorbed in what he was saying Hes
handsome fellow; he knows his sub.
lect, guess. But / don't like him.
Now. / don't know how he feels to
Nina, or she to him, but as you know,
she will come into her uncle's fortune
in a few months, unless the trustee,
who is myself. decides te defer pay
mcnt for another three years. mere
ly want TO say that 1t might be as well
to intimate to this young fellow that
there are conditions under which
would see fit to defer 1t, and anything
that brought him into that connection
would-well. would constitute one -
81 didn't know of that!" Harriet ex-
claimed, in such obvious relief that
the man smiled invoIuntarily.
"Then YOU agree with me?" he
asked, eagerly.
Here In the somber sweetness of the
library. with the man she admired and
respected above all others looking TO
her for confidence and counsel, what
could she say? Even had Royal Blon-
din been present, Harriet might have
cast every secondary consideration TO
the winds as readily. AS it was, she
could only tell him the truth.
"Oh. yes-yesi told Ward that
would rather see Nina deadw
why do you say so?" Richard
asked. Nov, I'll tell you why do"
he added, as Harriet was, not unnatu-
rally, cropping for definite phrases.
"I'vc been watching this man. l had
his record looked into. There's moth,
ing extremely bad in 1.-THE seems to
be a gentleman udventurer. / don't
want him mixed up with my family.
I'm going TO speak to Ward about II,
warn him that his sisters happiness
mustn't be riskcd by having the fellow
about at all. You're tired" said
Richard, abruptly.
Indeed Pm not :" the girl protested.
with white lips.
you don't imngine the man Is seri.
| ous?" Richard asked. alarmed by her
| manner.
II don't know!" Harriet answered
at random. "They've--they'vc hardly
known each other three weeks!"
"Ah, well And she is only seven
teen" her father said. Distract her.
amuse her--if she's inclined to nope
bit. Get riding horsesl"
No time to think-no time to trim
her course. Harriet must plunge
blindly ahead now.
'Mr. Carter, would you--if you
think wise--give your mother hint
of thlsH Madame Carter is romantic,
| you know"
"Oh, certainly! Certalnlyi'' he said.
approvingly. an speak TO her We
must keep Nina little girl this sum-
mer. And Miss Field"
Itwas said with only slight change
in the pleasant voice. But it brought
a sudden change In their relationship.
a tightening of the bonds that were
| all Harriet's world now.
Miss Field, may say here and
now that 1t Is an unmlxed privilege,
in my estimation" Richard Carter
said, simply, shat my daughter, and
my son. too. for the matter OF that.
should have the advantage Of your
influence, and your example, at this
time. / have never been unapprecia.
tive Of the value of a simple. good,
unspoiled woman In my household.
have seen the effect in thousand
ways. But at the present moment. l
hardly know where could turn with
out you. ! can only hope that In some
way the Carriers may be able to repay
you'll"
The secretary's shining head dropped
and she rested her elbow on the table
and pressed white hand tight across
her eyes for moment OF silence
When she faced him agnln her face
was little pale, and her magnificent
eyes heavy with tears,
II love all the Carriers" she said
simply. II only wish were-hali
what you say"
And without another word she stood
up, folded into Il tiny oblong the pa