The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-02-03

talked necessarily of Blondin. Har-
riet fancied she saw an opening for Il
little talk she felt extremely timely.
"Mr. Blondin likes you, Nina, just
because you aren't fiirtatlous and silly,
like the other girls. But he isn't the
sort Of man to get very deeply inter
ested In any woman. dear"
mo, l know he's not !" Nina said
quickly, turning suddenly red, and
looking attentively at the print of her
wet hand on the dry, hot boards.
And l would be sorry If he were."
Harriet pursued, not too seriously,
"for l want you to marry a man of
your own age, when you do marry,
and not man who has had-well,
other affairs. who has that confiden-
tial, flattering manner with all women
You viii be rich, Nina"
why don't you say that Royal is
after my money! Nina burst out, with
symptoms of tears. The ready name
frightened Harriet afresh; she knew
that they correspondent. that grass was
not growing under Royals feet. 1.-The
first man / ever really liked" Nina
said, with heaving breast, 'the first
man who ever understood me-w
"Nina." Harriet said. ''you don't
want TO have to write your husband
a check on your honeymoon?
She felt 1t q cruel cut; but seven
teen years Of fiattery and smoothness
had armed Nina In impregnable COM
raIQ
that trembled on the brink of tears,
and tried to control q mouth that was
shaking with anger. One look of utter
scorn she did manage, then she
shrugged not so MUCH her shoulders
as her whole body, and flung herself
furiously into the water. Harriet
called "Nina!" first impatiently, and
then coaxingly. But the younger girl
swan steadily to the shore, and Har-
riet saw her a minute later, shaking
herself outside the shower, before she
disappeared into the big bathhouse.
Harriet had entirely forgotten Ward,
until he swan under the float and
with characteristic yell, rose stream
ing like seal under her very feet.
Genuinely startled, she gratified him
with a scream, and they both laughed
like children as he flung himself drip
ping on the hot boards. and proceeded
to bake luxuriously In the sun.
Its the most gorgeous thing I ever
saw, do you know that? he asked,
with one hand touching the river of
sparkling gold that blazed and tumbled
on her shoulders. listen. Harriet,
do you remember the little talk we
had some weeks ago?"
Perfectly" she said. little unwll-
Iingly.
well, how about it?" the boy said,
after a pause
ut wouldn't be fair to you. Ward"
the girl said, slowly, after pause. |
Il love you, but I don't love you the
way your wife will ~
81 want youl" he said. sullenly. "Tm
crazy about you'll My God"
Ward, please don't touch mew she
said sharply, getting to her feet with
spring, as he put his arm about her.
Don't 1 shall tell your father If
you dol"
"You didn't talk that way at Crown
ands last June" the man said, sulkily.
I don't see what has made such a
Inference nowl"
81 think perhaps I'm different, Ward.
rhe summer" Harriet's voice died
nto silence. Her eyes were fixed upon
he figure Of a man who came down
he little pier, and dove into the shin
ng water. Two minutes later, with a
,reat gasp of satisfaction. Richard
,arter drew himself up beside them.
Hal That is something llkel My
ord. the water is beautiful today
low about the buoy7 Who swims
With me to the buoy?"
"Come on, Harriet" Ward said.
oising.
Harriet rose, and bundled the glory
( her hair into a blue rubber cap that
lade her look like beautiful rosy
'rench peasant. With no further
peech she made a splendid dive, and
he men followed her.
1t was one of life's beautiful hours,
nc tuouSht, 10 III STtdl spidSH VI |
alt water she reached the buoy, and
ung laughing and painting to It's rest
.ss bulk. Ward had preceded her by
full minute. Richard was half a
mute behind her. With much vain
lorious boasting from the men, they
u rested there before the homeward
vim. Harriet hardly spoke, her cup
as full to the brim with mysterious
,licity born of the summer hour, the
eaving waters. and the joyous mood
father and son. When Richard
raised her swimming she flushed In
lie severe blue cap, and the blue eyes =
et his with the shy pleasure of a
lid. 1t was while she was hastily /
-essing, In the hot bathhouse a little
ter, that a sudden thought came to
sr, and flushed the lovely face again, |
I'd brought her to sudden pause.
A tremendous thought, that made
er breast rise suddenly, and her eyes
( themselves vaguely on space for
lonU LONG tnfnufa I1ar ro1p,S x-ara r,