Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1922-03-23

nam Tor week" she began, In the
delightful voice upon which Harriet
had modelled her own. but Lettuce
is trying her little arts upon Ward
Carter. Dear boy, thatI"
Ward? He is a dear" Harriet
said, innOcently.
mo blushing?" Mary Putnam asked,
with smiling look. The color came
into Harriet's lovely face, and the
smoky blue eyes widened lnnOcently.
"Blushing-for WardT" she asked.
Mrs. Putnam stirred her tea thought
fully.
II didn't know" she said. "YOu're
young, and you know him well, and
yOu're-well, you have appearance, as
it were! Ward has fine stuff in him,
and also, l think, he is beginning to
care. 1t would be an engagement that
would please the Carriers, 1 imagine"
The word engagement brought a
filmy vision before Harriet's eyes, born
of the fragrance and sunshine of the
summer. She saw a ring, laughter
and congratulations, dinner parties
and receptions, shopping in glittering
Fifth avenue.
"a boy in Wards position may do
much worse than marry a lovely and
sensible woman" Mrs. Putnam said.
''Well, 1t just occurred to me. It is
your affair, Of course. But looking
back one sees how much just the
well, the lack of a tiny push has
meant in ones life"
"And this is the pushT Harriet said.
her, heart full of the confusion and
happiness that this unusual mood Of
confidence and affection on Mary Put
MANS part had brought her.
perhaps ~ The smooth, cool hand
touched hers for a second before Mrs.
Putnam went upon her gracious way.
Harriet hardly heard the hustle and
confusion about her for a few minutes.
She sat musing, with her splendid eyes
fixed upon some point invisible to the
| joyous group about her.
To Nina, meanwhile, had come the
most extraordinary hour of her life.
She had sauntered to a green bench,
under great naples, with Lettice Ora
ham and Harry Trout and Anna
POett. And Joshua Brevoort had come
for Anna, and they had sauntered
away, with that mysterious ease with
which other girls seemed to manage
| young men. And then Harry and Let
| tice had in some manner cOmmuni-
Gated with each other, for Lettlce had
| jumped up suddenly, saying: nina,
will you excuse us? Wen be back
directly" and they had wandered off
in the direction of the river, giggling
as they went. Nina had smiled gal
lantly in farewell, but her feelings
were deeply hurt. She hated to sit on
here, visibly alone, and yet there was
small object in going back to the abb
sorbed groups nearer the house.
Then came the miracle. For as she
uncOmfOrtably waited, Wards friend,
the queer man with the black eyes and
thick hair suddenly took the seat be-
| side her. Nina's heart gave plunge,
for if she was i'll at ease with kids"
| like Harry and Joshua, how much less
| could she manage a 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. 1--WE were introduced,
back there, but there were too many
your" men around you then for me to
get word in Nice boys, all of them
But not worth your while"
Nina murmured a confidence.
what did you say?" BlOndln said.
But come" he added, frankly, you're
not afraid of me, are you? My dear
little girl, I'm old enough to be your
father Look up-I want to see those
eyes. That's better. Now, that's more
friendly. Tell me what you said?"
Il said-that mother expected me
TOTO like Them"
10? Oh, to like the boys Mother
expects it? OF course she does! And
some day she'll expect to dress you in
white, and bid us all to come and
dance at the wedding! But in the
meantime, Mother mustn't blame some
one who has just little more discern
ment than-well, young BrevOOrt, for
example, for seeing that her tame
dove is really a wild little seagull
starving for the sea. And you don't
want to fall in love with one of these
lads for year or two, anyway"
"Oh, my, mol" Nina felt the express
sion Inadequate, but her breath had
been taken away. The man had
turned about little. his eyes were
all for her, and his arm, laid carelessly
along the back of the green bench,
almost touched the white rufties. They
were in full sight of the house, too,
and if Lettice or 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
you don't. But-what?" He bent
his dark head.
II said, But / don't know how you
knew it," Nina repeated, looking
down in her overwhelming self-con-
seriousness. but with a smile of utter
happiness and excitement.
cooop6 In ehn