Judsonia weekly advance., 1922-04-20
than a scalp a day" said her brother,

than a scalp day" said her brother,
fraternally.
nina has a fortune!" the girl re
marked, dryly opening her wide white
parasol.
Lord, he could marry a girl with
ten times that Look here, you don't
think man like Blondin would con-
slider thati" he protested.
II would rather see Nina dead and
buried" The words burst from Har-
rlet against her will, against her prom
Use TO Royal. There was no help for
| it, her essential honesty would have
it's way.
"Talk to himi'' Ward, fortunately,
was not inclined to take her too seri-
ously. you'll like himl Gosh he
certainly has a good effect on me-"
added the youth, modestly. HE
doesn't drink, and he talks to me
you ought to hear him about char
acter being fate, and all that Say,
listen, before we get out of the
woods-?"
His sudden sense OF her nearness
and beauty beied the careless words.
Harriet found his arms tight about
her. her face tipped up to the young,
handsome face that was stirred now
with trembling excitement. The quick
movement of his breast she could feel
against her own, and the passion of
his kisses almost frightened her; she
was held, bound, half-lifted off her
feet.
Ward % she gasped, freed at last,
and with one hand to her disordered
hair, while the other held him at
arm's-length. Dear PleaseY'
1t was no use. Soul and senses were
enveloped again, and close TO her ear
she heard him whisper: I'm mad
about you Do you know that? I'm
mad about your
81 think you are!' she stammered,
breathless and laughing. you mustn't
do that! You mustn't do that Why,
we might be seen p
Breathless, too, he flung back his
hair, and stopped to pick up her para
SOL
do you think 1 carel" he painted,
indifferently. Il wouldn't care If the
whole world sawl''
"Sh-sh!" BY the magic only
known to youth and womanhood Har-
riet had gathered herself into trim
ness and calm again. She took her
parasol cOmposedly. Her eyes told
him the whole story. Nina and Royal
in fxuo httn
coming up from the tennis court.
you 1ool---fool-fool :" she said to
herself. What had they seen? What
new twist to the situation would
Nina's suspicious afford? Richard
Carter trusted her; this was no time
to tell him that she loved his son.
Did she love WARRIOR with his keen
and kindly eyes would Wards father
see exactly what she saw in the mar
riage? Caught kissing in the woods
| like Rosa or Germaine; it was I'M
thinkable! How she had weakened
| her position here! How she had
risked-her heart contracted with
| pain-severing of her association with
Crownlands.
Luncheon. under it's veneer Of
gaety and foolishness, offered fresh
terrors. For old Madame Carter had
come down, and it occurred to Harriet
that if Nina had seen anything in the
wood, she might naturally interest
her grandmother with an account of
1t. The old lady would go instantly
to her son. And Richard-Harriet
could imagine him, tired, harassed,
heartsick over the recent inexplicable
weakness of his wife, having to face
another woman's treachery, having to
listen to the demure announcement of
the little secretary's engagement to
his son.
He was experiencing the most over
whelming shock of all his life now;
he must shortly be exposed to all the
whirl of scandal: the silenced gossip.
the averted eyes Of his world, the
weekles with their muddy insinua-
TONS the staring fact headined above
his breakfast bacon. This was her
time to efface herself and the house.
hold to help him to lift the load.
"Im afraid 1 wasn't listening, Mr.
Blondin?"
"Miss Nina and I want to know
what day we may have our party?"
Royal repeated.
1.-THE studio party?"
"The roof-garden party. We're 60
ing to have it from half-past six to
half-past seven only, because then 1t
won't be too hot"
"Why not have 1t at night, with Ian
terns?" Harriet said, quite involun-
tarily. And again pang of self-con-
tempt swept over her 1t was hateful,
1t was incredible, but she was playing
his game as calmly as If doubts and
reluctance had never entered her
heart.