The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1922-06-29

nessi Somehow, didn't feel married,
1 felt like lost little girl. wanted
to be back In Linda's kitchen again,
safe, and scolding because nothing in
teresting ever happened.
"Well, was sick for three or four
days. 1t was the fourth day when
was well enough to go out. Royal
thanked them. and paid Mrs. Harring-
ton and the doctor and we went to
lunch downtown-it was at Martins,
l remember, and Royal was so excited
and Interested in everything. But
still felt limp and dull. We shopped
and went about seeing things after
lunch, and then we went to the hotel
where he was staying. We were regis
tered there as Mr.. and Mrs. Blondin; 1t
was all quite taken for granted"
Harriet stopped; her face was
drawn and white, her words coming
with difficulty, the phrases brief and
dry. Richard was paying her absolute
attention, his eyes fixed upon her
face.
1--WE had dinner upstairs" she said.
She paused, her lips tight pressed.
81 can't tell you" she began again,
suddenly, II can't tell you how it was
that / came suddenly to know that /
was too young for marriage In Miriam
Streets little studio, where they were
laughing about the baby and the sup
per, 1t seemed different. But here, in
a hotel, l suddenly wanted my sister, /
wanted to be home again.
1--WE were talking and planning
naturally enough. Royal was coming
and going In the two rooms; l had
plenty of chance toto escape. Every
time l let one go by my heart beat
harder"
He could tell from her voice that her
heart was beating hard now with the
memory of that old time.
IF had let them all go by" she re-
commenced, my life would have been
different. In few weeks we would
have come back to WATERFOWL, as man
and wife, and perhaps had studio
near the Streets, and perhaps found
solution. But I. couldn't!
81 caught up my coat; left my hat
and bag. / went down the stairs, not
daring to wait for the elevator. And
went to Mrs. Harrington's. She was
very kind and took me in; she said
that perhaps 1t would be better to wait
until l was older. / cried all night
and the next day Mrs. Harrington lent
me the money and / went back to
Linda.
"Of course, 1t was terrible, at first
But they were kind to me, In their
way. And l was-cured. / went into
Mysteries at the first mention of the
whole hideous thing. They saw Roy
and they told me that need never see
him again. The papers-for 1t got to
the papers said that q divorce had
been arranged, but there was no need
for a divorce. 1t was all hushed up
Linda and Fred never spoke of it. I
ali, well. couldn't!
But when Fred's brother, David,
who was In dental college then, began
to like me, then they began to make
light of it," Harriet remembered.
There had been no marriage, of
course, either in law or in fact. They
all knew that And l suppose If had
married David ii might have been hap
pier for me. But as 1t was, angered
them. 1 didn't want to marry David.
And so 1t was what folly girls got
themselves into-what the world
thought Of girl who had been talked
about'-what the least breath of scan
dial meantp'
"And you went back to Blondinf"
Richard suggested.
81? No, never saw him again until
a year ago in this garden I" Harriet
said.
"You never saw him again !" the man
CALCULATED.
mot for nine years."
"But-my God, my dear girl. he
spoke of you as his wife" Richard
said.
"He said had been. Not that 1 was
nowl"
The man looked at her, looked away
Mt the river, and shrugged his Shout
ders as III ne were mystlned by the
ways of women.
"But-you were never his wife7" he
said, fatty.
"Oh, mol You didn't think" Harriet
said, hurt. "that / would have married
you, or anyone else, IL 1 had beenW
"You let him blackmail you for
that?" Richard further marveled.
II knew-in my own mind, of course,
that was not to blame" the girl said,
anxiously. But 1t ounded-horrible."
Richard bit his lower lip, looked
critically at his racket, slowly shook
his head.
II didn't mind what any one
thought" Harriet said, reading his
thought. But they didw
"They?" Richard repeated, patiently.
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