The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-04-08
Observation-Disclosures
Copyright by Kathleen Norris

Harriet's face burned at the mere
thought of 1t. No. she couldn't tell
Linda yet; she was too tired to write
tonight, anyway. Linda and Fred had
not been at all approving, Christmas
night. David had reproached her, had
disappeared earlier than was expect
ed or necessary: they had not failed
of their suspicious.
"Welll I must go to bed" she said
aloud, suddenly She stood, one elbow
on the mantel, her beautiful eyes fixed
on the dying fire. 1t was midnight,
tie room and the house very still. sit
isn't exactly what 1 expected marriage
to be-" she unused. "But after ALL"
size said to herself, beginning to move
about with last preparations for bed"
I'm married to the man / love-noth-
ing can change that. And If he doesn't
love me, he likes me. I've done moth:
ing wrong, and If my life is just lit
tie different from most women's, why,
l shall have to make the best Of it
And / did tell him-I did tell him"
And her thoughts went back to the
first few minutes she had spent in
Richards Office that day. They had
been alone, discussing the last details
of their astonishing plan, when she
had suddenly taken the plunge.
"Mr. Carter, there is just one thing!
Of course" Harriet's cheeks had
famed, "of course, this marriage of
ours is not the usual marriage, and
yet, there is just one thing of which
would like to speak to you before we
we go up to Greenwich" And find
ing his gray eyes pleasantly fixed upon
her she had gone on, confused but de-
termined: I'm twenty-seven now
and perhaps l might have married
some other man before this-except
that-when | was seventeen-I did
fall in love with a man! And we
were to be married." She had
stopped short; it was incredibly hard.
'He had-or l thought he had, brought
something tremendously big and Won
derful into my life," Harriet had con-
tinued, "and I was a stupid little girl,
just taking care of my sisters babies
and reading my fathers books"
"You are under no obligation to tell
me anything of this" Richard had
said, kindly, far more concerned for
her distress than interested in what
she was saying. 81 must have known
that there were admirersl / assure
you that"
"No, but just a momenti" Harriet
had interrupted him. 81 was infatu-
ated-I knew that at once, God knows
I've known 1t ever since! went away
with him, little fool that was!"
A CLEAN of genuine surprise had
come into Richard Carriers eyes, and
he looked at her without speaking.
81 was taken Ill the day / left with
him. While I was getting well I had
time to think 1t over. / knew then I
was too young and too ignorant to be
any mans wife. I was frightened and
I-well l ran away; I went back to
my sister Both she and her husband
regarded me after that as in some way
marked, unprincipled, unworthy"
"Poor child" Richard had said.
"They naturally would. You were no
more than Nina's age"
$50 that's my history" Harriet had
finished, simply. 81 thought I had
done with men. And there have been
men, men like Ward, for instance, to
whom I could have been married with
out feeling that need make any men,
ton of that old time. But l wanted
to tell you"
''Thank you very much" Richard
had said gravely "If the protection
of my name and my house seems well
come to you, after some battling with
the world, it will be an additional sat
isfaction to me-
And then before another word was
spoken Fox had come in, announcing
the car and they had begun the long,
strange drive.
She got into the luxurious bed, put
out the bedside light, and lay with
her hands clasped behind her head,
thinking. The clock struck one; snow
was still falling steadily outside, but
in here the last pink glow of freight
f1ickered and sank-fickered and
sank lazily.
Some sudden thought made Harriet
smile ruefully. She indicated that 1t
was unwelcome bv turning over to
bury her bright head in the pillow,
and resolutely composing herself for
SInan