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Show B 1 1 1 1 1 m 1 1 1 1 1 1 m 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 m 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r 1 n 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 m m 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 1 1 m 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 n 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 m 1 1 1 I I HARRIET PIPER I I I By KATHLEEN NORRIS , I H , Copyright by Kathleen Norrl J sIH 'fi llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltlltllllllllllilllllllllllllllltllllllllllllllllllllltllltllllllllllllllllllltllllllllfllflllllllllllllllllllllllllltllllfllltlllltlllflllllllllllllllllliiiiii iV i 1 "I MEAN MARRIAGE." Hlt Synopsis. Harriet Klcld, twenty- ! eight yearn old, and beautiful, I H the social secretary of Uio Illrta- H tlous Mrs. Isabel Carter, At M "Crownlands," Itlclmrd Carter's H home, and govorpess of soventecn- ' year-old Nina Carter. Ward, twen- H ty-four yearn old and Impression H a bio, fancies hliimelf In love with B his motlier's attractive secretary. H. Mrs. Carter's latest "affair" 1 with H young Anthony Pope, and the H youth 1b taking It very seriously. H Presiding over tbo teacupo this H summer afternoon, Harriet Is pro- H foundly disturbed by the arrival of H; visitor, 1(0)111 Ulondln. Next day, at a tea party In the city, H Ulondln makes himself areenule Hj to Nina, and leaves a deep linprcs- H slon on thu unsophlatlcatcd girl, H Harriet's agitation over the appear- H ance of Illondln at "Crownlands" 1 Is explained by the fact that ho H had been a disturbing element In B her life ten years before and sho H fears him. Tho man Is an avowed H adventurer, IIvIiib on tho Kiilllblllty M of the tdlo rich. He frankly an- H nounces to Harriet his Intention of H marrying Nina, and urges her to H aid him. She Is in a senso In his H power, and after pleading with him H to abandon his ncheino agrees to M ' follow a policy of neutrality. H Knowing tho tender feeling she has m ' Inspired In Ward Carter, Harriet M Is tempted to marry him for tho H position and wealth he can glvo H her, though realizing alio docs not H lovo him. Ulondln has Ingratiated H himself with Madamo Carter, lllcli- H ard's mothor, and alio Is whole- H beartedly In favor of his marriage H with Nina. Ward urges Harriet to H marry him. She procrastinates. H Mrs, Carter elopes with Pope. Illon- H ' din threatens Harriet. Hlio prays H . to do what Is right. Dlondln and H . Harriet ngreo to keep silent about H their past relations. H r H j CHAPTER IX Continued. M "Your ; devotion to my son "and Ills fl family Is extremely praiseworthy," H said Mrulnme Carter, coldly. "Hut, as H Mrs. Talior, who Is of course a woman B of the world, anil comes of n very flue B family film was a Klngdon, the BBb Charleston- family as Mrs. Tabor was ! unylng, Itlclmrd Is Just the sort of H chivalrous, splendid man who Is per- H fectly 'helpless In his own house!" B Ilnrrlet smiled, with a touch of fl ' "When Mr. Carter Is dissatisfied H with mc, Madame Carter, I shall of H course consider myself dismissed. H tlut until that time I am very clad to H make his own house comfortable for H The hard, angry color of old age H had heen rising In Madamo Carter's H face during this speech, and now she H was quite obviously enraged, H "You are linrdly In a position to H dictate to me In this matter 1" sho said, H shaking. Harriet watched her gravely H us she roso from her chair, mnde n H few restless turns about the room, H opened and shut bureau drawers, H dropped and plucked up hnndker- H chiefs and newspapers. In n dead si- H fence the girl asked: H "Was that all?" H A sort of sniff was the nnswer. liar; H rlct sighed as sho entered her own M suite to find Nina and Amy compln- H ccntly dressing themselves for the H afternoon's run. B "We're going to Easthampton, Miss" H Harriet; Granny sild It was all right," H ' Nlnn said. In great spirits. "I knoV H !) She Would Not Yield to Any Nursery u Control Before' Amy! ', , j you won't feel hurt, because the car LbHHHI '' .uliUJlli' .woi't ccomiuoijiitju more, Iiiijj !) the, and It's too long a run to sit on ! 'But, dfipvm J-'hlld," Harriet sold, In BBBBBBBBBB m Jif!r I (rieinlll(Ht ! .iiiuii ucr, 'T (lini't he- HH M llVve'you Vilul I'et'tVr do tlllit! You're H A mutinous ntj marked Nina's ha- H hi lull mouth. 8)10 would not yield to HH aty nursery control hefoic Amy! B ''Anyway, I'm going!"- she muttered. la Mag herhlgh whflC'lTucksklu shoes, H. yiib soiae ehortenlng of breath. Hbbbbsb QrAiiiiy says a girl's brother" IlarrJct paid jio further attention 'to them, and the two developed a splendid splen-did case for themselves. Hut sho went down to find Ward, .nnd took him iwir-llnlly iwir-llnlly InU) Iter confidence. Would lie please le a darling, and see that there was no nonsense? -She coidd not well cross Ids grandmother and Nlnn without with-out Ids fntlier to hnck Jier. Would he promise her that they would be home by fjeji o'clock, at latest. Komewhut comforted by Ward's affectionate af-fectionate loyalty, Harriet went up to tires for the one o'clock luncheon, nnd while flhc wiis dressing xi now Idea enme to lur. For a few minutes sho shook her head, stood thinking, with u face of distaste. "I con fl do thntl" she snld aloud. And she picked up the gingham dress that sho Had laid on the bed. Hut there was a prettier drew In Harriet's wardrobe, a gift from Isa-belle, Isa-belle, that she hnd never worn. It was a flowered silk of mull, of n soft deep blue that was exactly the color of Harriet's eyes, and at the throat and wrists It had frills of transparent lace. The soft rallies that made the skirt were cunningly edged with black, nnd there was n great open pink rose nt the belt. Harriet put on .this cnchnntlng garment, gar-ment, npd us she did so she felt some half-firrgotten power rise strong within with-in her. There was one trump In her hand that she had never thought to piny In n game with Nlnn Carter, but she was glad to find It now. At half-past two o'clock the car was at the side door, and Nlnn nnd Amy came downstairs with their wraps, and Saunders and Ward ran about laughing nnd confusing things. Ulondln Ulon-dln watched the performance Jnzlly from a basket chair on the porch, hut when Nlnn called htm a halMaughlng, half-daring, "We're ready, Mr. Illondln!" Illon-dln!" he sauntered down to the car with his pleasautest expression, hut with the regretful statement that he was not going: n vicious headache had developed since luncheon. Whatever the effect on Amy nnd tho young men, to Nlnn this was n staggering stag-gering blow. She hnd triumphed nil through luncheon, hnd Inughed and chattered, had made Wnrd telephone a dinner reservation for five, nnd hnd assumed a hundred coquettish airs. Now nil this crumpled, faded away, and Harriet knew, as sho stood beside be-side the car looking down at the folded light nig on her arm, that she was ready to cry. "No, you'll have n far nicer Mine without me," said Iloynl, throwing nway his cigarette, and resting ono firm on tho car. "I wouldn't Interfere, becnuso I knew you'd all glvo it up! You Just nil havo a perfectly wonderful wonder-ful time, nnd I'll be down next weekend week-end and hear about It I" Nina stood Irresolute; too choked with sudden disappointment to risk her voice. It was all hateful, maddening, madden-ing, horrible! Thoso two hoys nnd Amy uh, there would be no "fun" now! She loathed Amy, getting In so briskly, anil saying, "Come on, Nlnn !" She hated Ward, sho WlBlied that they were nil dead, nnd herself, too. Tho storm came nt Good Ground, and" they nil hud to scramble with curtains, cur-tains, "smelly curtains, Nina called them. And the dinner was onten In warm, sticky hnlf-dnrkness on n hotel porch, with horrible music making a horrible racket, according to the same authority. Saunders nnd Amy held hands till the way home, too, nnd .Nlnn thought It was disgusting; everyone wns too tired to talk, they bounced along silently and crossly. And 'upon getting hotne", Miss Harriet Har-riet came out of tho shadows on the porch,' lodkllig -perfectly' exquisite In her new gown, sweetly Interested 'null cheerful., She wild Mint she was "so sorry- the dinner was poor, they hnd had such a nice dinner at home, and thut she had had a talk with .'tlii'lr father, and they were to go back to Crownlands neM week. ..Nlnn, did Hot see illondln; for the first time In her Ilfe'sh6 cried herself to sleep. .' " Harriet had assuredly trlunjphcd, hit It was onTenns that forjmoro tlmn one reason did not entirely please, her. Richard,, finding tjio pretty secretary prettier than ever. In her blue goyu mid wqrmedhyu re-luxed re-luxed ddyvtf Ihe -luJj:,tnd a mood of friendliness, had specifically Instruct-, ed her Mint she wus to dine wih q umilyt.jou.jfib occasions, tu to'ilifass n's "the others did, nnd' to' regard,' herself her-self ns "n member of the famlly'iP! A'id this, Harriet wus quick.. to rimwe, plueedhdr InTn perhwir position jiMxlo' dlflicult by IMchnrd's kindly hjjjnj" pinning no less Minn his mothers lksf t'lllty, by.tue udorlng Bympnthyjo)pW'' bervuiits, nnd the ntTecMonnte fulfill Iniitles of the Curler children. Richard's Rich-ard's friends tookliolr' cue froin Illin, ns was upturn!,. .nntMn the first oRjrly winter dinner ,'pnVtles nt Crow'nljinds Hnrrjet could, .not but sparkle "ijnd lend; 'she had 'Witched her owh lvel at Jnst. J; '- ''' A' eWl1MTV&lMHlhirii'WV4mV,;lho.fls; began to envelop Richard Carter''-for' the first time In many years. He was conscious of n desire to express his appreciation to Miss Field, It was natural Mint this should tnkc the form of money; a little present, In the form of n check. She had a sister who wus not rich; she would like to go home with laden hands. Out the question wus, how much? He was musing over Mils very point nnd other matters of deeper moment one morning when Harriet herself eutne In. She returned his smile with her usual bright nod, but he thought she looked pale nnd troubled. "Mr. Cnrtcr," she said, bravely going to die point, "do you think Nlnn Is able, with your mother's help, to man-ago man-ago your house?" Richard looked nt her silently for perhaps two minutes. Then he said, quietly: "Mr. Illondln, eh?" The girl looked bewildered. "My mother has given me n hint, Indeed In-deed I've seen, Mint ho would" want to tnke you nwny from us!" Richard said. Harriet, without any show of emotion, emo-tion, looked down, nnd wus silent In "So You've Refused Ward, Have You?" her turn. But It was not, ho saw with sui prise, the silence of confusion. On the contrary, she seemed simply n little thoughtful and puzzled. "Mr. Cnrtcr," she snld presently, "I have reason to believe that Mr. Illondln Illon-dln would be a very hnd husband for Nlnn. I hnd no scruple In In diverting divert-ing his thoughts. Hut If he wns the only man In the world" nnd to his surprise, she slowly got to her feet, nnd spoke ns If to herself, her eyes fixed far nwny "I would sooner kill him than mnrry him !" she sn'd. Richard sat genuinely dumfounded. Her benuty, her nssurnnce, and the cleverness with which she had man-nged man-nged that Hloudln's allegiance should be temporarily shifted from his own daughter, held him mute. It was with the charm of watching perfect nctlng that ho followed this extremely amusing amus-ing and unexpected womnn. . "I confess that I am glad to hear It!" ho snld, dryly. "Nlnn Is very nngry nt me," Ilnrrlet snld. "Well, I havo to .stand that!" And she gnve Nlnn's fnther a whimsical whim-sical and friendly look. "Hut what then?" Rlclinrd asked. Ilnrrlet Immedlutcly became serious again. "Hut this," she snld, "you know your mother Is right. You're nil' too kind to me; I nm really n member of tho fnmllv. I love It. I love to dress for dinner, nnd order the car, nntl charge things to your nccounts! Hut It's not possible. You seo that?" Richard .was quietly looking down. Now hoi mudo severnl parallel lines Ljvlth n pencil before ho looked up. "No. I don't sec that!" "Mary Mrs. Hiitirtim, for Instance, who Is very fond of mc, and .Mrs. Jny. They wunt to nsk mo to dinner to' Christmas pnrtles nnd they're not qulto.cxjinfortablo about It. Inin not u momjjpr.pf your family eveii though you nro'; k)nd enough to trent me ns one. I liin i'i paid employee, nnd Mail-tune Mail-tune Carter naturally resents their treating mc ns anything else. Hut tuost of nil," sntd Harriet, seeing- that she wus not mnklng headway, "It's my-self. my-self. Nlnn, nnd your iriothpr, nmKMrs.-Tabor nmKMrs.-Tabor Jt'si Just n hint hero and there noth(m?iKt nil I Hut-lr-undormljies uu posltlp; , I dress, I( entertain ;our friends, V Join you In town; It inli'kcV tnlk.W5Jftnl,;l canT-M Can't " - . . She 'Kt'oo(f.'up,trnd..Orlied,iljc.rvbiickt on htm proudly, and he knew that she wns crying. "Just u minute," Richard snld, finding find-ing himself more shaken than ho would haw believed. "It Is yoil'r.0 sure It "fsn'.t HJondlhr ' .,' "Roynl Hlondlu ! No, It's more serious," seri-ous," IlniTle ulil. "It means constnnt IrrlUitiou. fjr your 'uVother. ft iniviins that, she Is xifwnys Id! h. state of qjIiis-peratlori. qjIiis-peratlori. I'llrink I don't knnw, but I hnve reason to think that she nuule "She bus no right" to do that," said Richard, soberly. Tin not you know that ! crltlclz-lug," crltlclz-lug," Ilnrrlet said. The innn sighed, nnd tossed o few papers on his desk. ".Sometimes t have Imped," ho began, be-gan, on a fresh truck, "that you and the hoy might fancy each other. I'm not satisfied with Ward. He needs an anchor. Thut would he n solution for us all!" It wus n random shot, but to Jils surprise she flushed brightly. "Ward knows that there Is no chntice of Mint," she said, quickly, "dearly us I love hlml" Richard's eyes widened with whim-stent whim-stent amusement again. "So you've refused Ward, have you?" "Long ago," she nnswered simply. The man Inughed ; but u moment later his face grew dnik and troubled again qs he snld: "I hardly know whnt to do! The girl Is the first consideration, of course, nnd she needs 'you- I fuel that she Is not only safe, but happy, when you are here. I've unfortunutely renched a plnce where I've got to feel free. You've heard us all talk of this new asbestos merger my dear girl, that will keep mc going like u slave for mouths, perhaps years I I won't know when I nm to be home, or what I shall have to cancel. I suppose I can't convince you how Jindly we need you. My mother well, she bus utwuys taken life Mint way; sho can't change now, I shall have Ida Tabor as n fixture fix-ture here, I suppose, Nina running wild, Wnrd never home! You you glvo me exnetly what I want here! Good dinners, fires., hospltnJlty, a good report from Nina nnd Ward; I can bring men home, I can " He mused, with a smile touchtifg his flue, tired face. "In short, I wish there was some fortunate young mnn somewhere to make you Mrs. Smith or Jones, Miss Field, and let you come back to the Carters Immediately again!" .Harriet laughed, sighed sharply lm-mediately lm-mediately -upon the laugh. "Unfortunately, there Isn't such a man," she snld. And she added, "Even n widow, sometimes, Is vulnerable." Richard smiled, but some sudden thought mnde the smile hut an absent one, nnd he sntquite obviously plunged In meditation" for a long minute. "Hero's another suggestion, Miss Field," lie said suddenly, looking up. "I don't know how this will strike yon; It hns occurred to me before. Gnrdlner hinted It or I thought he did, nnd tho more I think of It the more possible It seems. You nrc a business womnn and I am a business man. You know exnetly what I am, exncMy what occurred In my married life, after twenty-two years. That that sort of thing is over, of course. Hut there Is Mint way of settling It, If you enre to consider It " He pnused, with a questioning look of encouragement, embarrassment and nffectlonnto Interest. Ilnrrlet hnd grown pule nnd had fixed her eyes upon his ns If under n spelt. "You nieun " Her voice failed her. "I mean mnrrtngc. I menu Mint you nnd I shall quietly get married In a few weeks, when I nm free." he nnswered. nn-swered. "I hnve Just Indicated to you whnt It would mean to me. I hope," he added, watching her closely, ns she snt stunned nnd silent, "I hopo that It would ii J so have Its advantages to you. Your position then would lie unquestionable, unques-tionable, my mother Nlnn the world, would hnve nothing to sny. Your Influence In-fluence on Wnrd Is the one thing Mint mny save the boy. Of Nlnn we've already spoken My mother I know her! would immediately become the champion of her son's wife. There would. he n three days' buzzing Mint would end It I" The swift iiprushlng of Joy In Harriet's Har-riet's heart was accompanied with Mie first ngnlcs of renunciation, was perhaps per-haps all the . more poignantly 'sweet becnuso of, them, Slie hail pot-coine to tills hour wlthom knowlng,whnt he meant to her, Mils qulot man'wlfji the splen'dldl' mouth nnd tho keen grn' eyes, and she trembled now-wUh tin exquisite 'emotion that becnied vto'' drown out all the post and all the future fu-ture everything except Mint he love;) htm Und'heneeded her!' Hut when shjg,. spoke irwhs'ns coolly ns ho , "Mr..-Curterr'whit of your 'wife?" . Ills eyes iuet,.lers wcnrlly. "Divorce proceedings were Instl-tuted,.lniinedlutely Instl-tuted,.lniinedlutely It wns definitely established es-tablished she had gone wltJi;.ouug Pope, The decree will be uliNollile."1 -; "Hut that will not cannoilfV M sltuntlon" Hnrrjet, fnltcreil fj1' ,.. 'You m'eiu-y' tlio' ninn Iicsitntcil, "j oil J menu you tlnjCyirti Wgurd mo its.iljiirrlcd..e(llp;;;.;r" .! ,,st!4 i rrU'tt"ifrtii(l.lttf ipotipi),. absolutely abso-lutely ovc,pow;DrfiTg,-;oiidC'! 'without sHcli'klng. . MS v" ' .. . "Will you-vaHr.-you let "nfc, think f.bout It ?J, she fnUcnl. .A rmidden brightness 'cnm'e Ihni )ils fupe.i "You know 'how; I wH8.JTonght (ift to think of illvorctV- slic w'ont ifpleiyllngly, "I'e made plenty of mlstulie's'ilu my l)fl',",h)jf''i'ytv ueftitteTllerntoly done Avr.nt-1 ToUhvus Sirfow ' s ; 'A a'IMvi tlljAji-oulili'h'nROjliniy naked slowly. ' " i oWI-Ul'lV'J AhouRlH nfiSut It!" sk i'mVeTrU-ftWx.&:$aople. my bister ami her husbaiu would suy so( I I would haye snld so of spine" other woman !" ' ' "This would not be fin ordinary marriage; you would be entirely your f t ii i own inlstiess." Richard Mitil, with i quiet significance. "It would be n mnrrtage only In the eyes of the world." "I ijee," she snld. "I must hnve time to think iibout It 1" "As long ns you like!" She had risen, nnd now he rose, too, nnd went with her to the library door and opened It for her. "When you decide como nnd tell me," he snld, bowing. She turned to give him a parting smile, with n desperate wish to tell him half the honor nnd Joy she would feel In taking his name, In shining his rcsiionslhllltlpa. hut the tilonsnntlv lm- personal nod he gnve her chilled the words unspoken. Harriet fled to her room. "My chance," she whispered, pressing press-ing her cold finger tips lo her hoi cheeks, "my chance nt Inst and 1 can't take It I No, I can't take It 1 don't aire whnt. ids world does or thinks nty world doesn't permit It! No I can't. Not a divorced man, not a mnn with n living wife! I've been n fool I've been wrong, plenty of Minos, hut I've never committed myself my-self to folly and wrong I"- She stared blindly ahead of her. After a. whllu she spoke ugnln, hnlf-ulntid hnlf-ulntid : "Oh, hut why Ws It hnve to be this way! If I could go to him, tell him whilt he means to me, If wu were pool1 If we could take a Utile place next to Llndn never to see Nina or his mother or Wnrd or Roy again Oh, whnt heaven! How I should love It, planning for things together, a? Llndn and Fred did, having him come home to me every night! "Hut It Isn't Mint way," Harriet suddenly sud-denly recalled liej.'self sensibly, "and It Is folly even to think ubotlt It! He Is a rich man, and u married man, and (hat ends It. That emk It." A great ilesoJntloq swept her spirit. She fell froln hitter musing to weakening. weaken-ing. The law permitted' it, after nil. Plenty of good women hud shown her the way. The family needed her; sho might do good here. Anil above nil, she loved him. She heard n stirring In the bedroom. bed-room. "What time Is It, Rosa?" she culled suddenly aware of weakness ani tatlgue, "My goodness, how' you frlglvlnel me. Miss Field ! It's Just noon." "Do you happen to know If Mr. Cal" ter Is still downstnlrs?'' "Yes'm, he Ii; he's expecting Mr, Fox to come." ' , Ilnrrlet smoothed hrr tumbled hair and went slowly downstnlrs. "Hut I love him!" she snid, suddenly sud-denly standing still on the landing, i I 4l m ilf $ Ji H MIlliBBrTOUiff '.iWvT "I Love Him With All My Soul!" to look out nt the softly fulling snow with brimming eyes. "I love him with nil my soull" A moment Inter sho knocked at the .library door, opened It In nnswer to his call and wept In, closing It behind be-hind her. -i - "My wife Itabcll.c died yeterday on an opcratjng tab's in.Parit." 1 ,- . ... tTO 13E CONTUNUIjp.) |