The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1922-03-15

crying again.
She and Amy parted solemnly, with
many kisses.
It's a thing that might happen to
me, or to any girl" said Amy gravely.
Harriet had an upsetting vision OF
stout, high-busted Mrs. Hawkes., pant
ing as she discussed the details Of the
Red Cross drive, but she was very
sympathetic with the young girls, and
even agreed with Nina, when Amy was
gone, that it would be much more SEN
sible to take her bath, and put on her
white organdie, and then 60 find her
father.
They dined almost silently, and we're
about to dispense quietly for the night,
after an hour Of half hearted converse
ton In the drawing room, obviously
endured by Richard simply for his
mothers sake, when Ward burst in.
He had travelled almost four hundred
miles by motor that day, his face was
streaked with dirt and oil, and CHASTITY
with fatigue. He went straight to
his father.
Say, what's all this !" he said, In a
voice hardly recognizable. Harriet
saw that he had been drinking. Il got
your wire, and we started. l thought
the Mater was sick. perhaps. My God
that worried me !" he broke of bit
terly. 'Blondin came with me; we
stopped on the road for dinner, and
the man had a paper there. Is that
what you wanted mi for-I don't be-
lieve 1t! It's a dirty lie. and the boun-
der that put that In the paper"
I'm glad you came home, my boy"
Richard said. "Tve been waiting for
YOU"
Harriet heard no more; she slipped
from the room. There were genuine
tears in her own eyes now; for the
boy had flung himself face downward
against a great chair. and "a crying.
All the household knew it; Harriet
could read it in Bottomley's carefully
usual manner and quiet speech. In the
little music room across the hall Royal
Blondin was waiting.
This Is a terrible thing" he said,
seriously.
"Oh, frightful |" Harriet agreed. A
rather fiat silence ensued. She seemed
to have nothing to say to Royal now.
But she was not surprised when, a
moment later, Nina came softly In, the
picture OF girlish distress, with her wet
eyes and fresh white gown.
Il thought it best to leave Ward
with Granny and Father" Nina said,
in vague explanation, going straight to
Blondin, who rose, dusty and weary,
but with a solicitous manner that was
infinitely soothing.
His manner, Harriet had grudgingly
to admit, was perfection. When Rich
ard and Ward Joined them a few mo-
ments later, he expressed himself with
manly brevity to the older a He
realized, said Blondin, simply, that he
was absolutely de trop; he had merely
imagined, as 'the lad" had imagined,
that the sudden summons from camp
meant illness or ordinary emergency,
or he would not have intruded at this
time. He would not express a SYM
pathy that must sound extremely airy
to the stricken family. And now, If
they would lend him Hansen. he would
go over to the club
Nonsense !" Ward said. you're all
dirty and tired and hungry, and so am
I. Wen clean up, and then well have
something to eat first! Miss Harriet
will look out for u.s."
And I'd like to see you for a mo-
e in the library, Miss Field" Rich
ard said, rather YEARLY. II want
something sent to the papers," he ex-
planned in an undertOne.
Ah-they all wanted her, and needed
her! How quick, and how efficient,
and how self-effacing Harriet was as
she went about the business of making
them all comfortable!
They talked deep into the night,
Harriet knew. for she herself was
sleepless. and she could see from the
upper balcony that a stream Of golden
light was pouring across the brilliant
flowers beneath the library windows.
She reviewed the incredible events
Of the past few days. and the actors
drifted before her vision fitfully Isa-
belle, white-bosoned and beautiful, in
her prime Tony Pope, passionate and
w%retched; Royal, ~low-voiced, dreamy,
poetic, with his eloquent black eyes;
Nina, newly awakened; Ward, weak,
boyish, ardent; Madame Carter, full Of
theatrical dignity and w~ell-rounded
phrases, and lastly-simple, strong,
anxious to protect them all, even from
their own follies-Richard.
Not one word Of blame, not one
ugly i%nsinuation." she mused, yet she
has shamed him, and he is so honor
able and she has made him conspicu-
Gus, when he Is SC modest !"
She thought Of Isabelle, fresh from
Germaine's careful hands, lying In her
exquisite white against the cushions
Of a deck chair, smiling, in the rosy
fiattering light under the green avn
ing, at the infatuated man beside her.
ugh" said Harriet. with q healthy
uDruSh of utter disQust. These few