Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1922-02-09

IOBStuSE up Ou the UuEk DdACUhys ~
wasn't fair--it wasn't fair-just now
when she was so secure and happy |
She had flung her arms across the
railing, and buried her hot face on
them, and had wept desperate and an
CRY tears into the silken and golden |
tangle that shone duly In the star
light.
She did not refuse him her hand
when he came to the tea table. or her
eyes, and there was friendliness, or
the semblance Of It. In the voice with |
which she said his name. That he was
waiting, perhaps as fearfully as she,
for his cue, was evidenced by the
quick relief with which he echoed the
old familiarity.
Harriet l find you again. I've
been waiting all this time to find you
I'd heard Ward speak Of Miss Field,
OF course But 1t never meant you.
to me. I've been thinking of you all
night"
1--WE been thinking, too" she said,
simply.
Its after six," Blondin said with
glance about. 1--WE can't talk here.
Can you get away7 Can we go some
whereP
Without another word she deserted
her seat, pinned on her hat, and
picked up her gloves.
there's a very quiet back road
straight down to Crownlands," she
said, considering. "We might walk"
"Anythingr" he assented. briefly.
Guided by Harriet, who was familiar
with the place, they slipped through
the hallway, and out side door. They
had no sooner gained silence and soli-
tude than the man began deliberately:
Harriet, have not thought of any
thing else since came upon you yes
terday, after all these years. / want
you to tell me that you-you aren't
angry with me. You knew--you knew
how desperately tried to find you
Harriet? What hell i went through"
If she had steeled herself against
the possibility Of his shaking her, she
failed herself now. It was with an
involuntary and bitter little laugh that
she said:
"You had no monopoly Of that,
Roy"
''But you ran away from mel'' he
accused her. "When / went to find
you, they told me the Davenports had
moved away. Won't you believe that
felt terrible-that walked the
streets, Harriet, praying praying =
that ] might catch a glimpse Of you
1t was the uppermost thought for
years-how many years2 Seven"
"More than eight" she corrected,
In somewhat lifeless voice. Il was
eighteen. My one thought, my one
hope, when / last saw you, in Llnda's
house." she went on, with sudden pas
sion, twas that would never see you
againl But I'm glad to hear you say
this, Roy" she added, in gentler
tone. 'Pm glad you-felt sorry. Our
going away was a mere chance. Fred
Davenport was offered q position on
a Brooklyn paper, and we all moved
from Watertown to Brooklyn. was
grateful for 1T: only wanted to dis
appear! Linda stood by me, her chill
dren saved my life. was a nursery
maid for year or two-I never saw
anybody or went anywherei / look
back" Harriet said, talking more to
herself than to him. and walking
swiftly along In the golden sunset that
streamed across the old back road,
"and wonder didn't go stark, star
Ing mad!"
'Don't think about It," he urged,
with concern.
mo: I'll not think about it. Royal,
don't think that all my feeling was for
myself. l thought of you, too. I
missed you. Truly, / missed what you
had given my life"
A dark flush came to the mans face,
and when he spoke II was with an
honest shame and gratitude in his
voice that would have surprised the
women who had only known him in
his later years.
"You are generous, Harriet" he
said. "You were always the mosr
generous girl in the worldi"
More stirred than she wished to
show herself, Harriet walked on, and
there was silence.
LINDA and Fred made It hard for
your" he asked.
"Oh. mol They were angels. But OF
course in their eyes, and mine, too
was Marked
| Silence. Royal Blondin gave her a
glance full OF distress and compune-
ton. But he did not speak, and it
was Harriet who ended the pause.
"WelI, that's what a little girl OF
-.ghteen may do with her Iifei" she
said. II have been a fool have
made a wreck OF MINER