The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-02-17

, picnic ana tramp, ana mere Sne In
} dulged Nina in long talks and encour
aged her tc associate with the youni
people she met.
Harriet wrote once a week to Rich
ard, making general report, and In
closing receipted hotel and miscellane
took the form Of cables. although once
or twice she received typewriter let
tiers.
In mid-April they all came home
again, and Crownlands. In the years
first shy filming Of green, looked won
derful to Harriet's homesick eyes.
Richard was to join them at dinner |;
1t had been impossible for him to
meet them when the boat arrived, but
Fox had been there and attended to
the formalities. 1t had pleased them
all to make the occasion formal and
to dress accordingly. Nina looked her
prettiest In white silk, and the old
lady was magnificent In diamonds and
brocade. Harriet deliberately selected
her handsomest gown, a severe black
satin that wrapped her slender body
with one superb and shining sweep,
and left her white arms and firm,
flawless shoulders bare. The firm
young lines Of chin and throat, the
swelling white breast that met the en-
casing satin, the slippers with their
twinkling buckles-she could not but
find every detail pleasing. and her
scarlet mouth, firmly shut, was
twitched by a sudden dimple.
She glanced at the clock, went slow
ly TO the door. and slowly down the
big square stairway. Richard and his
children we're In the lower hall, and
they all glanced up.
Down In the soft glow Of light came
Harriet, smiling as she slipped her left
arm about Nina, and gave the free
hand to Nina's father. She was APP
parently cool and unself-conscious In
wardly she felt feverish, frightened
and excited and happy. all at once.
Richard was In evening dress. too; he
looked his best; his dark hair brushed
to a shining crest, and his gray eyes |
full of pleasure.
"Well, Miss Field" he said, lit |
tie breathlessly. well Your vaca-
ton hasn't done you any harml"
1--WE had to make an occasion of |
our coming homel" Harriet said, with
a nervous laugh. trying not to see the
admiration in his eyes.
"You look wonderful I" Nina said.
"Why. you saw this gown at Mas
sau,- Harriet protested.
'Louise-or whoever she was OF
Prussia, or whatever you call II,
turned In the family vault when you
walked down those stairsl" Ward
said. "Oo-oo-caught you under the
you would" he
added, with an effort to envelop her
n his embrace.
ward, behave yourselfp Harriet
laid, evadIng him, and walking toward
he dining room with his grandmother.
Who came downstairs In her turn, and
oined them.
Richard Carter watched her. the In
arnation OF young and beautiful
eomanhood. Clever he knew her to
e, capable and conscientious. but to-
light she was In a new role He liked
o see her there at the other end Of
he table; he realized that she was the
enter Of things. here In his house.
nd that he had missed her.
After dinner IL CHANGED that Bot
omley called her to the telephone,
nd that moment later she passed
he call on TO Richard.
Its Mr.. Gardiner, Mr.. Carter. He
idn't know that you were here, but
e would rather speak to you" Har-
et said. Richard went to the tele-
hone, and as she moved to make
,om for him, and gave him the re-
liver, he had a sudden breath of the
xeetness and freshness of her, of j,
mir and young firm skin, Of the y
lstling satin gown, and the little 4
that she dropped, and
Iat he picked up for her. He smiled
he gave II, and flushed inexpIicably,
Id HIS first few words to the bewil-
red Gardiner were a little shaken =
I'd breathless. But Richard was quite
mself again an hour or two later, =
hen he sent for Miss Field, and she T. =
me into the library. v
Il needn't say that I'm entirely
eased with the way matters have
ne, Harriet" said Richard. when she
d seated herself on the opposite
lie of his big. fiat desk. and locking a.
r white hands on the shining sur
,e, had fixed her magnificent eyes on
n. "Nina seems In fine shape, and oil
have never seen my mother better. op
81 seem to have genius for man ST
ing the Carriers. I'm seriously con-
ering an offer from Gardiner; he's Ca
to take his boy out TO Nevada for
health. Ward wants to go. and rel
uld very probably like it when he ar
there hope he viii try II any bu
VI SO that leaves Nina, who is ere
e enough with you. and my mother,
o seems perfectly well and happy.
awhile, while you've been gone, an
We gotten the Brazilian company RIG
I started, so that ! shall have lit err
more freedom than I've had for an,
re ems