Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-01-07

lain awake deep Into the night, Toss
/ Ing and fcyorish, She had always
thought that he must come back; for
years the fear had haunted her a.
every street crossing AZ every ring ~
/ l.inda's dnorhgll At first II had been
hut u SlNoriHg apprehension Of his
claims m anticipation of what he
Nigh! expect or want from her Then
came a suncr time, whcn she told her
self that she was an independent I'm.
man being rs wen rs he TINT She
might meet his argument with argu.
mcul, aud his threat with threat
But for the past year or two her
lossealng thoughts Of him had taken
new form. Harriet had hoped that
when they met again she might Doe IN
n position to punish Roypl Bl0ndln. 10
loo% down at him from heights Tint
even his audaeIry might not scale
That time She told herself In the
fever of the night had not yet come
Her pitifu achievements her beauty
her French ana Spanish, her sober
book reading. aud her little anccta-
tons Of fine linen and careful speech,
all seemed to cIumplc 10 nothing She
seemed again to hc the furious. help.
less, Scvcntceu.ycarod Harriet Of
the Watcrtown days her urmor lnef-
foctal against that suavc aud self
confident presence.
She had forced herself 10 unhind
the wrapplngs, to look at the old
wound She had gone In spirit to that
old, shabby paror TO which Linda and
Fred had carried Joscphinc's crib late
every night, and where sheet music
had caScadcd from the upright piano.
She saw, with the young husband and
wife. a fiery, tumble.head girl OF hf-
teen or sixteen, who helped with her
sisters cooking and housework, who
adorcd the baby, who planned future
on the stage, or rs great painter or
as n great writer-the means mat
tered not SO much that the end was
fame aud wealth and happiness for
Harriet
Fred had brought Royal BIondin In
10 supper one night, and Royal had
laughed with the others at the spirited
little waitress who delivered herself OF
tremendous decisions while she came
and went with plates, and forgot To
take on her checked blue apron when
she finally slipped into her place.
The man had been a derellct then,
ne nov Hut he was nine years older
than Harriet Field. He had had The
same delightful voice. the same pen.
rtrating eyes lie had brought poetry,
music art into The 'ordid little psrlor
Of the Watertown apartment; h. had
helped Harriet 10 tame and house
those soaring ambitions She felt
again those kisses that had walked the
little girl heart into passionate wom-
auhood she shut her eyes and pressed
her hand light against them. So young
40 happy-so confident !--plunging
hcadlong into that soaring blackness.
And now Royal BIoudin was back
again and she was not ready for him
She could not score now. But he
could hart her irreparably II he
would. Isabelle was an Indifferent
mother .nd an ihcorriGible firt, but
Mt the first word. 81 the first hint-ah,
there would he no arguing, no weigh
ing ~ the old blame and responsible
itv II there was the faintest cloud
" doubt. that would he enough
Nsrrist had shaken back her name
Of hair, had hammered furious fists
together up on the dark balcony 1t |
wasn't fHir--lt wasn't fail-iust now, /
vhss sss was So secure and happy |
Che had flung her arms across tho |
railing, and buried her hot face on
them, and had wept desperate and an
srr tears into the silken and golden .
tansle that Shons duly in the star
light.
She did net refuse him her hand
when he came to the Tea table or her
'Ees, and there was friendlinen, or
he sembance Of ii. in the voice with
Nhich she said his name. That he was
waiting perhaps as fesrfuIy as she,
or his cue, was evidenced by the
luick relief with which he echoed the
Id familiarity.
Harriet. I find You again. I've
'een waiting all this time TO find you
d heard Ward speak Of Miss Field
# course But it never meant you.
o me, I've been thinking Of you all
light"
i've been thinking, too" she said
imply.
It's after six" Blondin said with
glance about, 1--WE can't talk here :
an You get away? Can we 60 some
'here?"
Without another word She deserted :
or seat, pinned on her hat, and !,
licked up her gloves. ,
GRO BE CoNTINUED.) :
One ThinG He OverIcoks