Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-04-29

| Suuuenly ne rose ana walked tnr0ugf
the pantry, asking two startled maidi
for Mrs. Carter. Etelka had been sew
eral years In the house without ever
seeing him" In this neighborhood be
| fore.
Richard crossed sunshiny brick
walled yard, where linen was drying
and went through brick gateway
that gave on a neglected little lane
The lane had once been the driveway
for carriage and a prancing pair,
but there were only riding horses at
Crownlands now, and three of these
were looking over the wall at the
grass-grown road. And Richard found
Harriet here. -
She was on her knees, In the pleas
ant green shadow of the old sycamores
and naples; her back was toward him.
She was looking up into the face of
the old stabeman, Trotter, who stood
before her, his crooked, dwarfed old
figure still further bent, as he held
two strong young ewes by their thick,
woolly shoulders.
AS Trotter gave him q respectful
good morning. Harriet sprang to her
feet and whirled about and Richard
saw the woodeny stiff legs of very
young lamb dangling from her arms
and the lambs meek little black-rub-
Der face close to the beautiful face he
loved.
"Oh, Richardp she said, carried
away by her own delight. Look at
1t! Isn't 1t the sweetest darling baby
that ever was! Oh, you sweet" she
said putting her lips to the little wool
ly head.
"You are" Richard said quite with
out generalization.
Harriet laughed, surrendered the
little lamb to Trotter and followed
the old mans departure to the stables
with an anxious warning.
They're to have this little enclos-
ure all to themselves" she explained
to Richard when they were alone.
He's going to build them a little
she'd" And as Richard, his back lean
ing against the low brick wall, made
no immediate attempt to move, she
looked at him expectantly. "Shan
we go back?" she suggested.
THAT sounded very pleasant to me-"
Richard said with deliberate irrele-
vance.
Harriet looked at him In puzzled
silence.
II mean your calling me Richard"
he said.
She flushed brightly and laughed.
"Did ]? always think Of you ms
Richard!" she explained.
$50 you abandon me on the Brazil
tripf' he asked, watching her serl.
,usly.
"Well--?' Harriet shrugged. 'T
bought you had to co. she added.
T'm-fll confess I'm disappointed.
But TO have Nina want to do anything
$ such a relief to me that I'm only
;oing TO think Of thati"
"yes, have to CO." Richard said
'lowly. II must be there for month
It least. But I'm disappointed, too.
got thinking of it, in the night
sleep! I'm disappointed, too"
lie fell silent. II WISH" he said hest.
atingly, that you had not told me
hat you-you don't feel that you--are
ding to love me" he said. II love
ou with all my heart and soul. It
yell, it's all think Of now. | want"
lie turned and picking an ivy leaf
rom the wall looked at II intently for
moment and tore II apart before he
Fl II fall. However" he said phil
sophlcally. smiling at her, 'we'll LET
hat wait !"
Harriet, close to him, laid one hand
pom his shoulder.
"You misunderstood me-" she sgs.
teadlly. "What ] said was that ]
ould not love you more than l do!
rent you-ever-going to under
tandw
For long minute they looked
ito each others eyes.
Harriet, do you mean til" Richard
aid then, simply.
yes" she answered, II mean It!
We always meant 1t. I've always
wed you, / think. No man could
ant any woman to love him more 4"
The blue eyes so near his own were
listy with sudden tears. In the de-
arted little lane, In the blue summer
forming and the green shade of the
fcamores, they were alone. Richard
ut his arms about her.
And for moment he held all the
eauty and fragrance and laughter
nd tears that was Harriet close to
Is heart; the soft hair tumbled, the
rown, firm young hand resting on
Is shoulder, the warm cheek against
Is own.
A breeze rustled through the
high above them; the
ue river, beyond the brick wall,
owed on In On even sheet of
ltin; two birds Topped the enclosure
/ sudden twitterlng flight; and
ON the stable region came the plan
We bleating Of mother sheep. But
J Harriet and Richard the world was
/ their own.
my wife!" said Richard Carter.