, 1922-08-09

able; her mere approach made him
catch his breath and lose his coheren-
cy. He had walked into her room-he
had ~patronlzed her-he had asked her
casually to marry him as If she had
been fifty, and as plain as she was
lovely
Richard ~shuddered as he thought of
it. He made constant efforts to en-
gage her in personalities, but she evad-
ed him. There was a real thrill for
him in the quiet dinner at the Hoyts'.
Mrs. Carter, said slow old bewhiskered
John Hoyt, was an extremely pretty
woman. my wife"-Richard in answer
Ing called her that-"looks particularly
well in an evening gown" Indeed she
looked exquisite in the blue and silver
dress, l~aughing-still with that ador-
able mist of strangeness and shyness
about herewith her neighbors at the
table, n afterward in the drawing
room, waving her silver fan slowly
while Freda Hoyt, who quite obviously
adored her, whispered her long conf
dences.
Coming home in the limousine they
had neighbors with them, old Doctor
and Mrs. Carmichael, so he might not
have the word alone with her for which
he had been longing all evening. But
he stopped her in the wide. dim hall
way when they reached Crownlands.
".Tired?" he said, al the foot of the
| stairs.
mot a bit u There was an enchant-
ing vitality about her. She had
slipped the thin wrap from her shout
ders, and she turned to him her lovely,
happy face. did you want me?'
II wanted to say something to you,'
Richard said, feeling awkward as a
boy.
I'm there?" She nodded, suddenly
alert, toward the library.
why In there?" he asked, with a
little husky laugh. His one impulse
was TO put his arms about her.
81 thought-bills, perhaps?" Harriet
said, innocently. 1t was the third day
of the month he had often consulted
her as to expenses before this.
NO" Richard said, with another I'M
steady little laugh. 1T wasn't bills. 1
was just wondering-if I had beer
very stupid" he said, taking one of her
hands, and looking up from the fin
gers that lay In his to the face that
now wore an expression a little
frightened, despite the smile.
"Never with me ~ Harriet said, in a
low tone.
"Never so blind,r Richard said,
never so matter-of-fac that l hurt
your feelings? Nothing of-that sort ~
always the kindest friend / aver
hadr" the girl answered. ~unsteadlly,
and with suddenly wet eyes. .'The-
the most generousl !"
He looked at her hand again, looked
up at her rs if he would speak. But
instead, she felt her fingers pressed,
and felt her heart tbump with a deli
cious terror.
Bottomley came noiselessly, dis
creetly, across the hall. Instantly the
woman in blue and silver was all the
mistress.
rs Mr.. Ward in, Bottomley?"
H dined at 'ome, Mrs. Carter"
"Oh, thank you'll You may lock up,
then. Goodnight, Mr.. Carterl Good
night, Bottomley"
She was gone. The blue-and-silver
gown and the punched folds of the
furred Goa vanished on the stairway
landing. The tall clock that she
passed struck eleven. And Richard,
going into his library, realized that he
was deeply n ~passionately in love.
He could thinksof nothing else-he did
moi wish to think of anything else.
Her face came between him and his
book, her voice loitered in his ears,
her precise, pretty phrasing, the
laughter that sometimes lurked be-
meath her tones.
They were at the country club
Harriet chaperoning Nina. who was
down at the tennis court with a group
of young persons; Richard breathless
and happy from a hard game of
eighteen holes. He had encountered
her on the porch, on his way to the
showers, experiencing, as he did so,
the thrill that belongs only TO the un-
expected encounter. Now they loitered
at he railing, in the shade of the
green awnings, as entirely oblivious
of watching eyes as If the clubhouse
were the library at home.
Mrs. carter, sald u woman In
bright yellow. coming up TO them sud
denly. will you be a darling and come
and talk to my French officer7 The
girls have all been practicing their
Berlitz on him. and he's almost losing
his mindl Dick" added this matron,
who had linked her arm about Har-
riet's waist. "for heavens sake go
clean upl Can't you find time to talk
to your wife at home? I've been
watching you for five minutes. getting
my arms burned simply BLACKWELL
you come. Mrs. Carter7 That's the
poor soul, over there with Sarah. ]
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