The Holbrook news., 1922-03-10

Harriet stopped her face was drawn and white, her words coming with difficulty, the phrases brief and dry. Richard was paying her absolute attention his eyes fixed upon her face
 "We had dinner upstairs" she said. She paused, her lips tight pressed.
 T can't tell you" she began again, suddenly, T cant tell you how it was that l came suddenly to know that I was too young for marriage In Miriam Streets little studio, where they were laughing about the baby and the SUD- per, 1t seemed different. But here, in a hotel, I suddenly wanted my sister, I wanted to be home again
 We were talking and planning naturally enough. Royal was coming and going in the two rooms; I had plenty of chance toto escape Every time I let one go by my heart beat harder"
 He could tell from her voice that her heart was beating hard now with the memory of that old time.
 If had let them all go by" she re- commenced, my life would have been different. In few weeks we would have come back to Watertown, as man and wife, and perhaps had a studio near the Streets, and perhaps found a solution. But I couldn't
 T caught up my coat; left my hat and bag. I went down the stairs, not daring to wait for the elevator, And I went to Mrs. Harrington's. She was very kind and took me in; she said that perhaps it would be better to wait until l was older. cried all night, and the next day Mrs. Harrington lent me the money and I went back to Linda.
 Of course. 1t was terrible at first. But they were kind to me, in their way. And I was-cured. I went into mysteries at the first mention of the whole hideOus thing. They saw Roy and they told me that need never see him again. The papers-for it got to the papers !-said that divorce had been arranged, but there was no need for divorce. It was all hushed up Linda and Fred never spoke of 1t. r. ah, well, cOuldn'tl
 But when Fred's brother, David, who was in dental college then, began to like me, then they began to make light of it," Harriet remembered. There had been no marriage, of course, either in law or in fact. They all knew that And I suppose if had married David it might have been hap pier for me. But as 1t was, I angered them. I didn't want to marry David. And so 1t was what folly girls got themselves into-what the world thought of girl who had been talked about'-what the least breath of scan- dal meant !''
 And you went back to BlondinT Richard suggested.
 q? No, never saw him again until a year ago in this garden." Harriet said.
 You never saw him again !" the man calculated,
 Not for nine years!' !'
 "But-my God, my dear girl, he spoke of you as his wife!" Richard said.
 He said I had been. Not that I was nowr'
 The man looked at her, looked away at the river, and shrugged his shoul- ders as if he were mystified by the ways of women.
 "But-you were never his wlfe?" he said, flatly.
 "Oh, no! You didn't think" Harriet said, hurt, "that I would have married you, or anyone else, if had been!'
 You let him blackmail you for that?" Richard further marveled.
 T knew-in my own mind, of course, that I was not to blame" the girl said, anxiously. But 1t sounded-horrible."
 Richard bit his lower lip, looked critically at his racket, slowly shook his head.
 T didn't mind what any one thought" Harriet said. reading his thought. ''But they did"
 "They?' Richard repeated, patiently.
 Everyone" she supplied, promptly. "Your wife, your mother, Mary Put nam! Even Mrs. Tabor
 T suppose sol" he conceded, after a pause And beneath his breath he add ed, "Isabelle-Ida TabOr,"
 His tone was all she asked of ex- uuiSite reasSuronce
 T hoped you wouldn't" she said. standing up with clasped hands and sudden brightening of her tired and col orless face. That's what 1 tried to make myself believe you would feel! l wanted so to leave all behind thought he had gone, that 1t was all over, that what it was mattered more than what it sounded like! thought could save Nina better, with what 1 knew, than any one else. But last night" Harriet added, proved to me that l had been all wrong I've been so worried" she added, with utter faith in his decision. T don't know what you think we had better do."
 For full minute Richard watched her in silence. Then he said, mildly:
 About Nina, you mean?'
 About everything.' Harriet sudden " laughed gaily, like a child. Life seemed once more straight and pleas ant in this exquisite June morning she felt puzzled, but somehow no long CT afraid. The menacing horrors of all tho yaorS thn yoUup IInn1 SiupSS that she had never quite dared to face, were fiuttering about her awakening spirit like Alice'S pack of cards