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Show 2HjfleHflB'2ssBBSBsaHJHjBHP ' ssj--fc- sgtlJ?AtftisMPMBfcs1 -ssBBsssHs&aiSssasiw ; "That's nil my dear I" lie jinlrt, obediently. Tin- term mmlo her flush WW JbbbbVThsbI s"ll jbsRjES pPp 1 That's All My Dear!" He Said Obediently. nguln. He wus still smiling when she closed the door. CHAPTER XII. It wax the gayest vprlng that Harriet Har-riet had ever known at Crownlnuds, for even nt her best, Isabt'JIe had been socially nn Individualist, devoting herself her-self to one man nt 11 time, and to nobody no-body else, and the whole fnuilly hod necessarily accepted Isaltellu'H attitude. atti-tude. Richard had been too busy to notice or protest, the old Indy helpless, help-less, and Nina a child. Hut now there wns a beautiful and gracious woman In Isabelle's place, nnd long before tho world knew thut Mnrrlet Field was really Harriet Carter, Car-ter, there was n very decided change In the Hoclnl ntmospliere. Itlcliurd begun be-gun to bring his friends to the house! lie witN proud of his smoothly running establishment, und proud of the charming woman who neither flirted with nor Ignored the men be brought home. 1 Always .beautiful and always busy, constantly In demand on nil sides, she went about his house like 11 smiling worker of miracles, and Itlchnrd watched her. When she went home (o her hlster for n dfty or two he missed her strnngoly, and wnm!cre.d about the empty room with a desolate deso-late hense of lost. She wus presently buck, and amused the young people nt the dinner table with 11 spirited ncconnt of. her sister's move Into n new bouse "really an old bouse," that she and her family lind been watching for years. Nlnn and Amy and Ward had rushed from Iho dinner table to mi early ilnnce ut the club, nnd Ittchnnl, after 11 talk with his mother on the terrace, Innl wandered about ltb 11 vague dope of finding Harriet somewhere with her book, Hut she was not downstairs. He went back, and presently uccom-muled uccom-muled bis mother to her door. The old lady stopped outside of Nlna'a open door, from which a subdued light streamed. "Oh, Miss FleJd " said Madame niter. "Ves, Madame Carter I" The rich, lendy voice responded Instantly, Rich-nl Rich-nl hoped she would conio to the door, but his mother's message wns delivered deliv-ered too quickly to mn'ko It necessary, "You're waiting up fur Nina?" "Oh, yes, Mudnuio Carter 1" Harriet limwercd. Tho two exchanged good. Igbts Richard loitered Into bis moth-r's moth-r's room, left her In her niuldV hands, r.ml went back Into the dimly lighted, pueloits upper hull. He felt oddly stirred there were letters duwimtnlrs, hW usual books and amusements, but l.e felt curiously Impelled to try for me more word with Miss FleJd. He opened the door of Nina's room, nnd went In, and knocked on the half-open half-open door within that connected ft Hi Harriet's room, Tome. In, Is It jou, I'llgrlml" the jilciiMiut, quiet voice said. Itlchnrd epped to the doorvuy I Inn let, seated In a square basket i-luilr under the soft flood of light from 11 basket-shaded lamp, roso pre- 'finitely, nnd stood looking ut Cm lib widened ejes und parted lips, wllhnijt spenlilng. She was plulnly f lightened, though she uinilu herself smile. The beautiful room wun full of i-IiiuJowb; ut tho wide-open windows tl In rurliilns stirred In tho cool night a !r. "Frighten you?" Itlchnrd wild, "Is (here something ?" Her eyes worn those of a deer that Is ufruld to turn. "Why, I wanted to suggest lhat we tell our Jlttle piece or news to tti-family," tti-family," Richard suggested, lifter u momentary search for 11 suitable subject. sub-ject. "I cnine very close to telling my mother. Just new. Ir there any good reason for further delay?" 'Why, no, I don't I don't suppose there 1st" Hnrrlet stammered, "There will be tnlk." "I suppose so," be answered, simply. "Ifut what we do Is our own affair, after all. I shall explain to my mother moth-er that for us both It seemed a practical prac-tical and n well, not unp1cnnnt solution. so-lution. There need be no change here, but you will simply hnve n more assured as-sured position" She had been watching him, with nil June In her face, ltit as be went on the color slowly drained away, and about her beautiful eyes a look of strnlu nnd even of something like shame gradually deepened. When she spoltc, It was as If the muscles of her thront were constricted. "Yes, I see. Certainly, I see. We will have" to let them talk. This Is simply the best arrangement possible under the circumstances 1" "It Is nn nrrnngement that a man perhaps has no right to ask of a woman," wom-an," Itlchnrd Mid, "Love means a great dent In a girl's life, and I suppose sup-pose there Is nothing else that makes up for the lack of It. Hut you are not an ordinary woman, and I assure you thnt In every way that I enn I menu to prove to you how deeply I appreciate what you are doing for us nil." "Thank you!" Harriet suld, almost Innudlbly. "Simply change your name on your cheeks," Richard said, thoughtfully. "I shall have Fox step Into the bank with the authenticated signature. And If there Is anything else, use your own. Judgment, Perhiijm, If I v jjn nioth-er, nioth-er, you would like io'wrlte to "certain friends? You can continue to draw on the Corn -Kxchnnge, that's simplest, and I hope you'll renumber that you have a large personal credit there." he added, with a smile. "It occurred to me tonight that you you mustn't let your sister worry about that new bouse. If you want your own. car " "Oh, good heavens, Mr. Carter 1" Harriet said, suffocating. "Ask me anything that puzzles you," the mail said. And with a brief good-night good-night be was gone. Harriet, who had dropped back Into her chair, fat abso-, abso-, lutety motionless for 11 long, long time. Her eyes were llxed on space; she hardly breathed; It almost seemed us If her heart was stopped. Htriuird went downstair surprised to feel still vaguely itiniitisneit. lie had had bis word with Harriet, bad said. Indeed much Hint lie had not ex-peeled ex-peeled (o say. However, It was much better to let the world know their relationship; re-lationship; bo was perfectly satisfied to have It so. Hut still, as he settled himself to 1111 hour's lending, Iho plaguing little Impulse persisted. He would like In go upstairs again; he missed her companionship. There was something Very appealing appeal-ing about this woiimn. thought Itlchnrd, Itlch-nrd, suddenly closing his book. Her beauty, her silences, her complete subjugation sub-jugation of her own Interests to bis, he found strangely fascinating. "lly fieorge, she has umde a most Interesting woman of herselfl" Illch-urd Illch-urd decided, opening bis book again. "She ought to he right In the middle of things, that girl!" A dn or two later Madame Carter enme out to the terrace at eleven o'clock, hcmillfull groomed nnd gowned, ami with an Imperative hand arrested Harriet, who was tumbled nmlSunhiirncd from the tennis court nmUwns going toward the house. ".lust 11 moment, Miss Field," said sheljnngninecntl.v, Harriet obediently obedient-ly stood Mill, und watched Madame Carter's magnificent i settle Itself "No Reason to Dlsbsllsvs My Ssnl" His Mothtr echoed, Scandalized. slowly In a basket chair. The old lady freed an eyeglass ribbon deliberately, straightened n ruffle, laid her magazine maga-zine beside her on a tnb. "There was a "little matter of which I wished' to sJpentc'Mu you," she said, 'suavely, bringing her distant glance to rest dispassionately dis-passionately for a moment upon Harriet's Har-riet's face. Harriet waited, amused, annoyed, Impatient. "I understand," Madame Carter said, "Hint you und my sou for some reuson best known to j ourselves have entered Into 11 secret marriage?" "Your first object, my dear, Is not to antagonize. Ids. mother!" Harriet reminded re-minded herself. Aloud she said mild-iw mild-iw "Von iiilvii no leiiMiu "to dlsbc- lleve It, have ymt?" "No reiihou to dlnbelleve my soli I" his uiotber echoed, scnndnll.cl. "Why should 1 have I Mr. Curler In Hie soul of honor absolutely the soul. Upon my word, 1 don't umlerrdiiiid ou',' "LP W y''il)iA' l1" jvusoti Jo disbelieve disbe-lieve "hlnC "llnrrlet repented. "Vou said that you undersluod IJmt we bad been married, it N true!" And she looked off toward Hie river jrlth an expression as compoHed as that of Kludiune (.'inter lierxelf. "I suppose jou Ituow that old saying: say-ing: 'A secret bride has 11 secret to hide I'" the old woman pursued, plens-anUy. plens-anUy. T never heard It. T did not play much with the children of I bo neighborhood neigh-borhood when I wa 11 child," Harriet answered. "My father wns ery Bullous Bul-lous to protect us fioni picking up expressions ex-pressions of that sort !'' There was a silence. Harriet, beginning be-ginning to be ashamed of herself, did not look nt Iter companion. "A girl of your ape bus 11 grent deal of confidence when she marries Into a family like mint1," Hie old lady suld, presently, In a tone that trembled n llttJe. "My son Is a rich man he Is 11 prominent man. He bus used Ids own Judgment, of course, liut I confers con-fers that In vour nluco I should not carry i-.,Vhc!f ultli quite so tnucn an M air of triumph I Tt seems to me" B Harriet determinedly regained her Bfl calm, und taking tho rbnlr next to tho BBj enraged old Indy, quietly Interrupted Bfffl the How of her angry words. ' Bfffl "I hope J pave shown no air of H triumph, Madame Carter," Harriet 'LbbbbI sald. "Ywi yourself and most wisely H pointed out to us a few months age I kH that the arrangement here was sav o conventional " ' (H "Every one was talking, If yon mind BffE that!" the old lady snapped. But ahe ( was slightly mollified, none-the-less. "nut upon my word, you'd think mar- BbJ rylng Into the family was something BBJ to le done iery day 1" she wma bo- 4BB Klnutrigiigaln, .when Harriet Inter- 'BbJ roniiiil rt iri 1 1 'BH a assss (CoaUaasd aest Weekr M |