The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-04-13

"Gving My Room the Once over?"
He Said.
She turned, discovered here in the
very center of his own private apart
ment. He was standing not three
feet away from her. For a second
they stared at each other with a sort
of mutual trepidation.
"Hello!" he said; then matter-of-
factly. 81 brought home paper to
night; l wanted Unger to see 1t
left 1t in the suit I wore"
He stepped to the dressing room,
and probed in pocket. without NOV
ing his pleasant look from her.
"Giving my room the once over?" he
said.
nina left the door open. I've never
been in here before" Harriet said, try
ing to make her voice as natural ms
his own. Confused and ashamed. she
was hardly conscious of what she said
"Here we are!' Richard glanced at
the paper he had found. "See here"
he said, presently, going to win
dow, come here a minute, l want to
show you thisl You see," they were
both looking out into the moonlight
now, you see, this is where l propose
to build on that big room downstairs
throw the library into the blue room,
and have big sleeping porch upstairs
here" he explained. "Perfectly feasi-
Bile, and yet it will make different
house of il %
Harriet commented interestedly
enough. But she heard his voice
rather than his words, and saw only
the well-groomed, black-clad figure the
shining patent-leather shoes. the fine
hand that indicated the changes.
Perhaps he was conscious of confu-
sion, too. for his words stopped and
presently they were looking at each
other in a strange silence, Richard still
smiling, Harriet wide eyed.
Then suddenly his strong arms held
her close, and her blue, frightened
eyes were close to his. and she felt
everything else in the world slip away
from her except the exquisite knowl
edge that she loved this man with all
her heart and soul.
II want to tell you something"
Richard said. quickly and incoherent-
ly. II want you to know that l love
you-I think I've always loved you
this wasn't in our bond. know, but
think couldn't have wanted you So
without loving you'll If-if the time
comes. Harriet, when you can care for.
me. you'll tell me. won't you? That's
ALL want just TO know that you will
tell me. You're going to tell me- your
rs l. lfxr
I'll be patient-rll not hurry you--but
some day you'll have to tell me that
Tve-Tve won your
He had spoken swiftly. almost stern
ly. with a sort of desperate determine
ton. Now he freed her arms as sud
denly as he had grasped them and
added. in lower tone:
until that time nj not-not even
kiss the top of your hair. Harriet"
he said
In the mad rushing of her senses
she could not find the right word.
but she detained him with an entreat-
| ing hand. Her eyes, shining with a
look that he had never seen there be
fore. were fixed on his. But Richard
did not look at her eyes. he looked
his own.
81 don't think" Harriet said. breath
lessly, "that I can ever like you any
more than l dol"
She had meant 1t for surrender; her
heart was beating wildly with the
glorious shame of proud woman who
| gives herself. But Richard was not
looking at the betraying eyes. In the
great new love that had swept him
from all his old moorings there was
deep humility. He only heard her say
| that she could never learn to love him
He bent his head over her finger tips,
and kissed them. as he said quietly:
But I'm going to try to make you,
| Just the samer'
Then he was gone. and Harriet was
standing alone in the softly lighted
room. For few moments she re-
malned perfectly still, with her white
hands pressed to her burning cheeks
Then, shaken ~lth Joy and surprise
with n delicious terror and something
of child's Innocent chagrin. she
went nolselessly back TO her own
room, closed the communicating door,
and undressed with pauses for the
dreams that would come creeping
over body and soul. and hold her In
their exquisite stiffness for long min
utes together.
She was brushing her hair when
Nina suddenly appeared, and came
lifelessly in to sit on the edge of
Harriet's bed.
II want to ask you somethlng"
Nina said. In an odd voice. "And,