American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1922-02-04
CHAPTER ~.

coming. and she knew what hour had !
come. She stood up as he reached |
her. and they measured each other |
narrowly, with unsmiling eyes
There was reason for her pnleness |
today. and for the faint violet shadows |
about her beautiful eyes. Harriet Ind
lain awake deep into the night, toss.
ing and feverish. She had always
thought that he must come back for
years the fear had haunted her Mt
every street crossing, at every ring Of
Lindn's doorbell. At first II had been
but a shIvering apprehension OF his
claims, IN anticipation " what he
might expect or want from her. Then
came snner time. when she told her.
self that she was an Independent hui
man being as well 20 he, that she
might meet his argument with argu.
ment. and his threat with threat.
But for the past year or two her
Iessening thoughts Of him had taken
new form. Harriet had hoped that
when they met again she might be In
q position to punish Royal Blondin, to
IOON uONu TT lih htikuto thos
even his audacity might not scale.
That time, she told herself In the
fever Of the night, had not yet come.
Her pitiful achievements. her beauty,
her French and Spanish, her sober
book reading, and her little affecta-
lions Of fine linen and careful speech,
all seemed To crumple to nothing. She
seemed again to be the furious, help
less. seventeen.yearold Harriet OF
| the Watertown days. her armor inef-
| fectual against that suave and self
| confident presence.
| She had forced herself to unbind
the wrappings, to look at the old
wound. She had gone In spirit to that
old, shabby parlor 10 which Linda and
Fred had carried Josephine's crib late
every night, and where sheet music
had cascaded from the upright plano.
She saw, with the young husband ana
wife, q fiery, tumble-lIsad girl OF hf-
teen or sixteen, who helped with her
sisters cooking and housework, who
adored the baby. who planned future
on the stage, or ms u great painter. or
as a great writer-the means mat.
tered uot 80 much that the end wa
fame and wealth and happiness. f,s
harriet =.
Fred had orough, "oya' n'onu'n '1
10 supper one nignt' anu "oya, ""u
laughed with the others at the spirited
little waitress who delivered herself of
tremendous decisions while she came
ana wen. WIN p'".es, a"u 'oso. ~
take o" her cnecseu oue "p'on ""''
she hnni'y s.ppeo 'n'" "., p"e.
os NOW. But he was nine years Older
than Harriet Field. lie had had the
same delightful voice. the same pen
etrating eyes. lie had brought poetry
music. nrt. into the sordid little parloI
Of the WATERFOWL apartment he hat
helped Harriet to tame and house
those soaring ambitions. She rel
again those kisses that had walked tn
little-girl heart into passionate won
anhOOd she shut her eyes and presset
her hand tight against them. 80 youhl
so happy--so confident !-plunginl
headiong into that soaring b'ackness
And now Royal BiOndln was bacl
: again. and she was not ready Tor MIN
. She could not score now. But n
!. could hurt her irreparably II n
would. Isabelle was an indinereh
mother. and an incorriglbie nlrt' ou
at the nrst word at the nrst hnt-a!
!, there would be no arguing. no weigI
n Ing OF the OLD blame ana respons'o'
q ityi II there was the faintest c'ou
|. Of doubt, thai wouio DC enough
Harriet had shaken oack ner "ap
=, hair had hammered furious ist
Il .auath., nm am m. dairy balcony.
d wasn,, s.ir--,t wasn't fair-tust nov
when she was 40 secure and happy
y. Che had aunp her arms acroAs III
II railing. and hurled her hot face o
'e them. and had went desperate and al
& yrv tears into the silken and g0lde
~ tangle that shone duly IN the sta
" light
* She did not refuse him her han
IN when he came 10 the tea table, or HI
- eyes, and there was friendiiness'