Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-03-11

had talk, my dear. and he sug
gested that come back for while
SO Hansen picked me up at the ofllcs
and here am lie tried to telephone
you, / know, but you were out And
now" said Harriet. glancing at her
wrist watch. II think we will go right
home, please, Hansenw
Nina had been her own mistress
for several delicious weeks, and to
have any sort OF restriction again was
very unpalatable to her. She sulked
nil the way home and Madame Carter
meeting them at Crownlands, gazed
rather stonily at the newcomer, grant
Ing her only the briefest greeting. But
oh, how homelike and welcoming the
beautiful place, mantled in snow
looked to Harriet's eyes. The snap
ping fires. the warmth and fragrance
Of the big rooms and the vefy obvious
welcome OF the maids, ali were en-
chanting to her. Her first duty was
to make brief tour below rtairs, af.
ter which she went up to her own
room.
When they returned from Hunting
ton in the fall, she and Nina, at Rich.
ards suggestion, had taken Isabelle'a
handsome rooms, turning both into
bedrooms and sharing the dressing
rooms and bath that Joined ttem. II
was here that Harriet found Nina
awaiting her, still with her hat on
and lettering with obvious ctscomf-
ture.
Miss Harriet" Nina said With a
rush. "You are so sweet about things
like this. wonder II you win mind
taking the yellow guest roor--its
| really much larger~-and leaving this
room? You see, when have friends"
Harriet, at the dressing, table, had
raised her hands to remove her hat
Like any general, she realized the
crisis of the apparently unimpoifant
moment and met II by instinct.
'But you have an extra bed, bes'des
the couch. In your room. Nina |"
Nina cleared her throat, threw back
her head, regarded Harriet between
half-closed eyelids In manner Harriet
realized was new. and drawled:
Il know. But IL you would be 70
| very kind"
do you know, I'm afraid shant be-
50 very kind!" Harriet said. briskly.
you're one of my duties here, you
| know, little girl. and / think Daddy
| would prefer TO have me near you
Now, II you like to ask him, perhaps
he'll not agree with me: In which case
shall move Immediately! But mean
| while"
Nina's face was scarlet; she left the
room abruptly. A moment or two later
Harriet sauntered into the adjoining
room, and found her again. The young
err girl was assuming ruffled and be-
ribboned negligee, and tossing her
| wraps and street dress about careless
| ly. Harriet noted this with dlsapprov-
ing eyes, but said nothing. There was
an immense picture Of Mrs Tabor on
the dressing table, and she found in
that sudden solution of the strange
change In Nina.
"'With Ladybird's unending devo-
| ton, to NInette,'" read Harriet, from
the inky scrawl across the picture.
do you call her Ladybird, Nlna7 You
and she have formed pretty strong
friendship, haven't your"
"Oh, something more than that !"
Nina drawled In her new manner.
"She's the best sort |"
"Does she have my room when she
Is here" Harriet presently suggested.
alphabetically. "Now. my DEAR" she
added, as Nina's quick self-conscious
and hostile look gave consent. Mrs.
Tabor Is too thoroughly acquainted
with convention to blame you II your
father keeps you under a governess'
eye for a little while longer. You're
the most precious thing your father
has, Nina, and as used to remind you
years ago, you don't begin to have the
restrictions that the European prin-
cesses have to bear"
This view Of the case was always
pleasing to Nina's vanity; she was
| quite clever enough TO see that friend
protected and confined, watched and
valued, would lose no prestige with
the charming 'Ladybrd." She pouted !;
and Harriet saw that for the moment
the battle was hers.
Darling gown said Harriet of the
picture.
"Oh she has the most wonderful
clothes!' 1t was the old Nina's voice.
HAS she been here very muchT
Harriet said. after moment.
"Oh, lots She loves to be here, and
can't think why" Nina said, "be-
cause people are all crazy TO get her,
| and she could go to the most wonderful
dinners and things. But she really Is
just like a girl, herself; sometimes we
burst right out laughing. because we
think exactly the same about things |
And she just loves plcnics, and to let
her hair down--and she's so funny !!
You'll just love her when you know
| her"
Nina, Harriet reflected, had had o
thorough dose of poison. 1t would take,
like many diseases, more poison to cure
her, counter dose. Going to her room
to change to one of the new gowns,