The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-05-18

uxxx aasssass
d nervous laugh. trying not TO see ths
admiration Id hIs eyes.
sYou look wonderful n Nina said.
why. you saw this gown 1T MAJ
sau,. Harriet protested.
II ouise-or whoever she was OF
Prussia, or whatever you call it.
turned In the family vault when ron
walked down those stairsl' Ward
said. "oo-oo-caught You under the
mistletoe-oo-oo, you Wouldr" he
added, with an effort to enyeiop her
In his embrace. h
Ward, behave yourseIfr' Harriet
said, evading him, and walking toward
the dining room with his grandmother,
who came downstairs In her turn, and
Joined them.
Richard Carter watched her, the In
carnation Of young and beautiful
womanhood. Clever he knew her to
be, capable and conscientious, but to-
night she was in a new role. He liked
to see her there at the other end OF
the table ; he realized that she was the
center of things, here in his house.
and that he had missed her.
After dinner 1t CHANGED that Bot
tomley called her to the telephone,
and that a moment later she passed
the call on to Richard.
"It's Mr.. Gardiner, Mr.. Carter. He
didn't know that you were here, but
he would rather speak to you" Har-
riet said. Richard went to the tele-
phone, and az she moved to make
room for him, and gave him the re-
ceiver, he had a sudden breath Of the
sweetness and freshness Of her, Of
hair and young firm skin, of the
rustling satin gown, and the little
handkerchief that she dropped, and
that he picked up for her. He smiled
as he gave it, and flushed inexplicably,
and his first few words to the bewU-
dered Gardiner were a little shaken
and breathless. But Richard was quite
himself again an hour or two later,
when he sent for Miss Field, and she
came into the library.
II needn't say that I'm entirely
pleased with the way matters have
gone, Harriet" said Richard, when she
had seated herself on the opposite
side of his big, fiat desk, and locking
her white hands On the shining sur
face, had fixed her magnificent eyes on
him. "Nina seems In fine shape, and
I have e seen my mother better.
You seem to have a genius for man.
aging the Carriers. I'm seriously con-
sidering an offer from Gardiner; he's
got to take his boy out to Nevada for
his health. Ward wants to 60, and
would very probably like it when he
got there. I hope he will try 1t any
how! So that leaves Nina, who is
safe enough with you, and my mother,
who seems perfectly well and happy.
Meanwhile, while you've been gone,
we've gotten the Brazilian company
well started, so that I shall have q lit
tie more freedom than I've had for
years.
"You look as If you needed it," Har-
riet observed.
"You look wonderful" Richard re-
turned, simply. "Wonderfull Is that
a new gown
swell, I had it made last November
Just before I went away. Mrs. Carter
gave me the material q year ago."
Harriet glanced down at herself and
smiled.
"You might wear pearls-or ome
thing-with it." Richard said. "Do you
like pearls?"
1t was astonishing to see the color
come up in her dusky skin; her eyes
met his almost pleadingly.
"WhyI never thought" she said,
tn some confusion. s. ~
II suppose a man may ask his wife
If she likes pearlsr' Richard said, Inn
PEELED by some feeling he did not de-
fine. He had leaned back in his chair,
and half-closed his eyes, as he studied
her.
"Oh-please!" Harriet said in an
agony. She gave a Mortified glance,
about, but the library was closed and
silent. "Some one might hear you!"
she whispered. And a moment later
she rose to her feet, and eyed him
quietly. "Was that all, Mr.. Carter?"
she asked. 1t was Richards turn. to
look a trife confused.
'That's all-my dear!" he said,
obediently. The term made her flush