Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-02-09

1.-THE Lad 0sts a Beautiful and Wise
and Very Discreet WIFE" He Was
Beginning, But Harriet slleneed Him
Angrily. ~.
you say. Ward has had three years
at COLLECTIVE not been a member Of
the family all that time without know
Ing that he is not a saint He has
lived as other. mex do--as women per-
NIT decent men to live, I suppose.
Nina's different. She's younger. She
has never had an affair"
"We were not discussing Nina !"
mo, l know 1t. But you reminded
me that what l object to in you, with
her, I myself I'M doing with him-or
something very like I'll Except
that" Harriet fioundered a little,
but regained her thread-"except that
he does care for me-" she repeated ;
"he loves beauty a say that to
yon without your misunderstanding r.
and them he knows me, we have been
intimate for years, we are congenial !"
HE knows everything about y0u,"
Royal repeated, ~innocently. as If the
defense she made were perfectly ac-
ceptable. But again she was stung to
silence.
II am going to tell him frankly, ex-
actly what you have said TO me" Har-
riet said, presently, with decision and
relief In her voice. ." shall remind
him that I have always been poor, and
that 1t is utterly impossible for me to
separate the thought of him from the
thought of what my life al his wife
would gain"
"Be careful how you play your hand
alone !" the man said. "Half conf
dence isn't much more than none at
ALP
A moment later they parted; the
woman entering the house for a cup
Of coffee, and some conference with
butler and housekeeper, and the man
starting of briskly for his early walk.
But Blondin was smiling, as he went
upon his way, and Harriet was white
with anger and impotence.
"I1l put everything else I have in
this world ntthe balance, Roy" she
said to herself, In the sunshiny silence
of the breakfast room. but I'll hold
no more stolen conversations with
you'll Til break my engagement with
Ward, I'll 60 to Richard Carter and
humiliate myself. I'll go back to Lin,
da's house without a penny In the
world-but I'll be done with you
Thank God, however the story may
sound, especially with your interpre
tations on It, you haven't my honol
in your keeping, though you may seen
to havel"
The house was absolutely quiet
the clock ON the stairs struck q silver.
even. Harriet went noiselessly to he,
w room; Nina was sleeping heavily
She flung or her clothes, sank int
bed. And now at last sleep came
deep, delicious, satisfying.
"A day or two later there was a fam
lily conference in the library, and Har
riet realized more clearly than eve
that It was impossible to forecast tn
march Of events. Richard announces
that after consideration he had dc
cided that It would be wiser for tn
family to weather the storm of tall
that would follow Isabelle's disappear
ance in some neighborhood less cor
nected with her. He had therefor
leased an establishment on Lon
Island, where the children could hay
their swimming and tennis, and hi
mother her usual nearness to town, bu
where they would be comparativel
inaccessible to a curious press an
public, ana might disappear for
grateful interval. The life at Hunting
ton would be less formal than q
Crownlands. but the house he ha
aiken was comfortehIs and roomy
there would be nl6AET room "a
i Nina's girl ffl&nda guest
Misc Field. e1EEoz Hanse
would pleas& z ~ ~ nov
y was made u I6Is ~