The Holbrook news., 1922-02-10

ture-everything except that she loved him and he needed her! But when she spoke 1t was as coolly as he:
 "Mr. Carter-what of your wife?"
 His eyes met hers wearily.s
 Divorce proceedings were insti- tuted immediately 1t was definitely es- tablished she had gone with young Pope. The decree will be absolute"
 "But that will not-cannot alter file sitCation-" Harriet faltered.
 You mean" the man hesitated. you mean you-that you regard me as married still?
 Harriet, mute with emotions abso- lutely overpOwering, nodded without speaking.
 will you-will you let me think about it?" she faltered. A sudden brightness came into his face. You know how I was brought up to think Of divorce" she went on pleadingly. i've made plenty of mistakes in my life, but I've never deliberately Gone what l felt was wrong"
 And this would be?" Richard asked slowly.
 "Well-I haven't thought about It !" she answered slowly. "My people my sister and her husband-would say so! Fl would have said so of some other wOman!'
 "This would not be an ordinary marriage; you would be entirely your own mistress" Richard said, with quiet significance. Tt would be marriage only in the eyes Of the world"
 q see," she said. Fl must have time to think about it!
 "As long as you like!" She had risen, and now he rose, too, and went with her to the library dcor and opened it for her. "When you decide come and tell me-" he said, lowing.
 She turned to give him a parting smile, with a desperate wish to tell him half the honor and joy she would feel in taking his name, in sharing his responsibilities, but the pleasantly i'm personal nod he gave her chilled the words unspOken. Harriet fled to her room.
 My chance" she whispered, press ing her cold finger tips to her hot cheeks, "my chance at last-and I can't take it! No, I can't take it-I don't care what his. world does or thinks-my world doesn't permit it! No-I cant. Not divorced man, not a man with a living wife! I've been a fool-fye been wrong, plenty of times, but I've never committed my self to folly and wrong!"
 She stared blindly ahead of her. After while she spoke again, half aloud:
 'Oh, but why does 1t have to be this way! If could go to him, tell him what he means to me, if we were pOOr-ff we could take a little place next to Linda-never to see Nina or his mother or Ward or Roy again Oh, what heavenl How I should love it, planning for things together, as Linda and Fred did, having him come home to me every night!
 But 1t isn't that way" Harriet sud denly recalled herself sensibly, land it Is folly even to think about it He is rich man, and married man, and that ends It. That ends it."
 A great desolation swept her spirit. She fell from bitter musing to weaken ing. The law permitted it, after all. Plenty of good women had shown her the way. The family needed her; she might do good here. And above all. she loved him.
 She heard stirring in the bed rOOm
 What time is it, ROsa?' she called, suddenly aware of weakness and fatigue.
 My goodness, how you frightened me, Miss Field! It's just noOn."
 Do you happen to know if ME. Car ter is still downstairs?"
 'Yes'm, he is; he's expecting Mir Fox to come"
 Harriet smoothed her tumbled hail and went slowly downstairs.
 But I love him.' she said, sud denly standing still on the landing.