The Jasper news., 1922-02-02

WASH Z lhlr--lI WOSn 1nlr--JuSt now.
when she was SO secure and happy Il
She had flung her arms across the
railing, and buried her hot face ON
them. and had wept desperate and an-
CRY tears into the silken and golden
tnngle that shone duly in the star.
flight. sssj5
She did not refuse him her hand
when lie cnme to the tea table, or her
eyes, and there was friendliness, or
the semblnnce of 1t, In the voice with
which she said his name. That he was
waiting perhaps os fearfully as she,
for his cue, was evidenced by the
quick relief with which he echoed the
old familiarity. k
Harriet find you again. I've
been waiting all this time to find youi
I'd heard Ward speak of Miss Field
Of coursel But 1t never meant you.
to me. I've been thinking of you all
night"
"Pve been thinking, TOO" she said,
simply.
ats after SIX" Blondin said with
glance about. "We can't talk here.
Can you get away? Can we go some
where?"
Without another word she deserted
her seat, pinned on her hat. and
picked up her gloves.
There's scry quiet back road
straight down to Crownlands," she
said, considering. "We might walk"
"Anything!" he assented, briefly.
Guided by Harriet, who was familiar
with the place, they slipped through
the hallway, and out side door. They
had no sooner gained silence and sOli-
tude than the man began deliberately:
Harriet, have not thought OF any
thing else since l came upon you yes
terday, after all these years. / want
you to tell me that you--you aren't
angry with me. You knew-yOu knew
how desperately l tried to find you,
Harriet? What q hell 1 went through"
If she had steelcd herself against
the possibility of his shaking her. she
involuntary and bitter little laugh that
she said
"You had no monopoly of that,
Roy"
But you ran away from mel" he.
accused her. ''When went to find
you, they told me the Davenports had
moved away. Won't you believe that
felt terribIe-that walked the
streets, Harriet, participating =
that l might catch glimpse of you.
1t was the uppermost thought for
! yenrs-how many years? SevenT
More than eight. she corrected.
In somewhat lifeless voice. II wns
eighteen. My one thought. my one
hope, when / last saw you. In Linda's
house" she went on, with sudden pas
sion, twas that would never see you
againl But I'm glad to hear you say
this, Roy" she added, in gentler
tone. "I'm glad yOu--fclt sorry. Our
going away was a mere chance. Fred
Davenport was offered q position on
Brooklyn paper, and we all moved
from Watertown to Brooklyn. l was
grateful Cor IT; only wanted to dis
! appeari Linda stood by me, her chill
dren saved my life. was a nursery
maid for a year or two--I never saw
anybody or went anywhere / look
back" Harriet said, talking more to
herself than TO him. and walking
swiftly along in the golden sunset that
streamed across the old back road.
"and wonder didn't go stark, star
Ing mad!"
Don't think about It," he urged.
with concern.
"No; I'll not think about 1t. Royal,
don't think that all my feeling was for
myself. I thought OF you. too.
missed you. Truly, I missed what you
had given my life!"
A dark flush came to the Mans face,
and when he spoke II was with an
honest shame and gratitude In his
voice that would have surprised the
women who had only known him In
his later years.
you are generous. Harriet" he
said. "You were always the most
generous girl in the wOrldy'
More stirred than she wished 20
show herself, Harriet walked on, and
| there was a silence.
"Linda and Fred made 1t hard for
your" he asked.
"Oh. no. They were angels. But OF
course in their eyes, and mine. too
| ! was marked"
Silence. Royni Blondln gave her a
glance full OF distress and compunc-
ton. But he did not speak. and It
was Harriet who ended the pause.
| SVVell thaf's what n Iiffla Girl ~