The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-04-17

scattering in the direction or the
courts. The girls surrounded the boy
and streamed away chattering. The
matron In yellow came back to her
card table. And Harriet, unfuriing
her parasol, deep in conversation with
the captured soldier, sauntered slowly
after the tennis players. The after
noon sunshine sent clean shadows
across the clipped grass: the stretched
blue silk of Harriet's parasol threw q
mellow orange light upon her tawny
hair and saffron-colored gown.
Richard had a child's desperate
wish that he. was dressed, and might
run after them.
But 1t was not at the tennis that he
looked, twenty minutes later, when he
reached the courts; although a bril-
liant play was being made, and there
was scattering Of applause. His
eyes instantly found Harriet's figure;
she was still talking to the French
man. whose olive face was glowing
with interest and admiration, and not
more than eight inches, Richard
thought, from her own. Harriet's own
face wore the shadow Of smile, her
lashes were dropped, and she was
gently pushing the point of her closed
parasol into the green turf. The
chairs In which they sat had been
slightly turned from the court.
Richard engaged himself in CONVEX
sation with two or three men and
women who were watching the young
sters' game and presently found him
self applauding his son for a brilliant
ace. But after perhaps five minutes
he walked quite without volition,
straight to Harriet's neighborhood,
and she rose at once, introduced her
new friend, and with a glance at her
wrist, announced that she must go.
ward said he would drive me home
the instant 1t was over" said Harriet.
clapping heartily for the triumphant
finish Of the set.
''Tll drive you home /" Richard said,
instantly. 1--WE the small car"
Friday night" Harriet smiled. For
Friday night was the night for a mems
dinner and poker game at the country
club, and Richard usually liked to be
there
81 can come backi' he persisted,
suddenly caring more for this conces-
sion than anything else in the world.
Without another word she agreed,
bade her Frenchman what seemed to
Richard a voluble good-by, and when
the bowling officer disappeared turned
with reminiscent smile.
"And now what?'
"Where did you learn to chatter
French that wayT Richard said,
leading the way to the line of parked
motors.
ooh, we lived in Paris-old Mrs
Rogers and l." Harriet reminded him
carelessly. And reaching the little
rise ofground that lay between the
clubhouse and the parking field, she
stood still, looking off across the ex-
quisite spread Of fields and valleys,
banded by great strips Of woods, and
flooded now by the streaming shadows
and golden lights of the late after
noon. what a dayi" she said, filling
her lungs with great breaths' of the
sweet air. what an hour!"
what l meant to say to you up
there on the porch" Richard said,
when that-that woman interrupt
ed"
Harriet herself interrupted with
laugh.
"You say that woman as if it was
bitter, deadly curse!" she said.
well" They had reached the car
now, and Richard was investigating
the oil gauge and spark plugs under
the hood. well, a woman like that
breaks in-nothing to her!" he said
with scorn, strightening up.
Yes, but at a country club?" Har-
,riet offered placatingly. as she got
into the front seat. and tucked the
pOngee robe snugly about the saffron
colored gown.
Il suppose sO!' He got in beside
her; there was a moment of backing
and wrenching before they glided out
smoothly on the white driveway.
What I meant to say wasN this" he
added, suddenly, with sidewise
glance from his wheel. IL want
you to realize that l appreciate the in
justice-the crudeness of my rushing
to you in New Jersey that Christmas
day. realize that we all have i'm
posed on you-we've taken you too
much for granted! I was In trouble,
and 1 couldn't think of any other way
out of 1t. But for any man to put
proposition like that to any woman"
They were driving very slowly. He
looked at her again, and met a won
dering look In her beautiful eyes that
still further confused him. He had
been intentionally conscious of an
/ odd confusion In touching upon this
subject at all. Yet his mind had been
| full of 1t all day.
81 never felt it so, I assure you I"
Harriet said with her lucid, friendly
| look. Richard felt that there was
more to say, but realized that he had
selected an unfortunate time for these