Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-03-16

riet's face.
Harriet waited, amused. annoyed,
impatient.
II understand" Madame Carter
said, "that you and my son-for some
eason best known to yourselves
have entered into a secret marriage7"
"Your first object, MY dear, is not to
antagonize his motherT" Harriet re-
minded herself. Aloud she said mild
iy: you have no reason to disbe-
lieEe 1t. have your
mo reason to disbelieye my son ~
his mother echoed, s~candalized. "Why
should / havel Mr.. Carter is the soul
Of honor-absoluteiy the soul. Upon
my word, I don't understand you y
II said you have no reason to disbe-
lieve him." Harriet repeated. you
said that you understood that we had
been married. II is truer"
And she looked of toward the river
with an expression as composed as
that Of Madame Carter herself.
y" suppose you know that old say
ing: "A secret bride has a secret to
hidel'" the old woman pursued, pleas
antly.
II never heard II. / did not play
much with the children of the neigh
borhood when / was a child" Harriet
answered. my father was very anx-
I. ious to protect us from picking up ex-
I pressions Of that sortw
There was a silence. Harriet, be-
ginning to be ashamed Of herself, did
not look at her companion.
"a girl Of your age has a great deal
Of confidence when she marries into a
family like mine," the old lady said,
presently. In a tone that trembled a
little. my son is a rich mamie is
a prominent man. He has used his
own judgment, of course. But I con-
fess that in your place I should not
carry myself with quite so much an
air of triumph! 1t seems to me-"
Harriet determinedly regained her
calm, and taking the chair next to the
enraged old lady, quietly interrupted
the flow Of her angry words.
II hope I have shown no air Of
triumph, Madame Carter" Harriet
! said. "You yOurself-and most wisely
pointed out to us a few months ago
that the arrangement here was un-
conventional"
"Every one was talking, II you mind
that !" the old lady snapped. But she
was slightly Modified, none-the-less.
But upon my word, you'd think mar
rying into the family was something
to be done every day" she was be-
ginning again, when Harriet inter-
rupted again.
"No-no," she said, soothingly, con-
ceding the last words an amused
, smile that itself rather helped to pla-
cate her companion. ut is, Of course,
the most serious step Of my life! But
the s~ecTecy-as Of COURSE you will APP
preciate-was because there has been
SO much terrible notoriety this year!
Why, Mr.. Carter tells me that never
in the history Of all the Carters-"
This fortunate lead was enough.
Madame Carter launched forth superb
1y upon a description Of the usual Car
ter weddings, the ceremony, the state.
In perhaps twenty minutes. she was
blandly %patronizing Harriet, giving
her encouraging little taps with her
eyeglasses, warning her Of mistakes
that Isabelle had made with Richard.
Harriet knew that before three days
were owe her terrible mother-in-law
would be telling the world Just how
wise, under the trying circumstances,
the whole thing was, and just how
clearly she had foreseen II. She was
still listening respectfully, If a trifle
confusedly, when Ward bounded from
the house, and gave her an ELUSIVE
embrace.
Hello, Mamma u Ward said. Har-
riet laughed, as she pushed away the
ilial arm. Hardly knowing what she
said or did she made her way to the
house, and up to her own room.
But here, in Nina's room, were Nina
and Mrs. Tabor, and from their eyes,
as she came in, she knew that they
knew. Nina got up, and came for
ward with a sort Of sulky gracious
ness.
q" hope you'll be very happy, Miss
Harriet suppose / oughtn't to call
you Miss Harriet any more" Nina
said, with an effort to smile that Har-
riet thought quite CHASTITY. She gave
Harriet one of her big hands, and hesi-
tated " a kiss. But they did not
kiss each other.
At luncheon everything was exactly
as usual; Richard had gone to the
city, not to return for a night or two,
and several social engagements dis
tracted the young people from the con-
temptation Of their fathers affairs.
Harriet had not dared to hope that
they would accept the situation 90
quietly, or that the world would.
There were callers on the terrace
every afternoon, there were pleasant
congratulations and good wishes,
there were a few paragraphs In the
social weeklies. Richard had for
years been too busy for mere enter
tanning, and the, dinner parties and
luncheons to the new Mrs. Carter, It
was generally fell, must walt until
next season.
To glance at the gold ring on her
finger made Harriet feel AS II a hap
piness almost shameful was barred to
view. Her new position, nnodestly as
she allied 1t. was vet a high position.
She saw Richards growing affection
and trust, Il he did not. She could
afford to wait.
"But when are zen ana Dick Garter
going to dine with usf' Mary Putnam
said, one afternoon, at tea. Madame