The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-03-16

that DOunuerS w1fe-in his arms! III
vorced! Harriet Field? Poor girl
cornered by this INSCRIPTIONS scoun
drel, this bully. with all the ugly pas
dragged up like the muddy bottom -
river. staining and clouding tlr
clear waters. And what look sh.
had given him, there under the lamp
ITS funny code" he unused. "Bar
barians, that's what we are, when II
comes to women. Nina. Ida. Isabelle
Harriet-all of them pay for the man
made rule! / shouldn't have forced
her hand in this business marriage;
1t was taking an advantage of her. No
woman wants to marry for anything
but love, and If she had married for
love, she would have made a clean
breast of this old affair, of course. ]
didn't exact that. We've made a nice
mess of 1t, all aroundl
Il mustn't let her work herself Into
fever over all this :" he found him
,, self thinking.
! alton. He must plan for Nina. He
brought his thoughts back resolutely-
his daughter must break her engage
ment now. there was that much gained
And for the journey to Rio
But why didn't she tell mel" he
interrupted himself, suddenly. The
reference was not to Nina Again he
saw the superb white shoulders In the
soft flood of lamplight, and the flash
of the blue eyes that turned toward
Blondin.
L hn h.axTn III 1a1 1,f trb
ard said. my God how she will love
when she does love!"
Meanwhile, to Harriet had come the
bitterest hour of her life. She had
reached crossroads, and with steady
fingers and an anguished heart she
prepared for the only step that to her
whirling brain and shamed soul
seemed possible. She must disappear
There was no alternative.
She had harmed them all. they could
only think Of her now as an unscrupu
lous and mischievous woman who had
by chance entered their lives when
they We're all in desperate need of wis
dom and guidance, who had played
her own cortemptible game, and added
one more hurt to the hurt reputation
of the house of Carter.
Harriet got out of her evening gown
and into loose wrapper. She went
about somewhat aimlessly, yet the
suitcases, spread open on the bed
We're gradually filed. and her per
sonal possessions gradually disap
peared from tables and walls. Nov
and then she stopped short heartscl
and trembling; once her lips quivered
and her eyes filed. but for the mos
part she did not pause.
Nina. at about eleven, had come
the door between their rooms, ar
opened it. The girl was undresse
and for few moments she watch
Harriet scowllngly, with narrowe
eyes.
Are you going away?" she said
presently. Harriet brought heav
eyes to meet hers, and stood consider
ing a minute, as If bringing he
thoughts back long distance.
'I-going away? Yes" she said
slowly. Yes, may"
Nina stood watching, which seemed
vaguely W tiOuOiC WIN khtt
her restless glance now and then as
she went to and fro. Presently she
spoke to Nina again.
Goodnight. Ninal"
Goodnight snapped Nina, and
the door slammed.
Harriet continued to move about for
perhaps bali an hour before Nina's
| odd ms ppor ra,,rrnd o., ho- ~ m ,,,ox.
OF memory. and she seemed to hear
again Nina's ungracious tone.
HE told heri" she said, suddenly
"She saw Royal. and he told her Poor
child"
And she went to Nina's room, with
vague idea that she would sit beside
the weeping girl for awhile. one heavy
heart close to the other, even II nc
words could pass between them.
But Nina lay sleeping peacefully
and Harriet, after watching her for a
few minutes, went back to her own
room. She went to the open window
and stood staring absently out at the
dark summer night, the great branches
Of the trees moving in the restless
wind. and the oblong of dull light that
still fell from the library window.
She could not see the horror al
Richard saw 1t she could not see her.
self as only mistaken woman. q
woman with youth, beauty, and intel
ligence pleading for her. one problem
more In his life. 1t Is true. but onl,
one among many. and not the greatest
She did not see him as he saw himself
his family as the somewhat trouble
some. and yet quite understandable
group of selfish human beings in whose
perplexities he had always played the
part of arbiter.
To Harriet the thing loomed momen
tous, unforgiving, incalculable. 1t as.
sumed to her the proportions of a mur.