Harriet and the Piper

ing for dinner was a slow and serious business for her. She gave Harriet a cold, appraising glance

gone in,

ersons was the essence of scrupulous

change her dress

the sort of gracious cruelty of which she was mistress. Richard Carter gave his daughter's com

message from her mo

ured gown with its pink poppies, "told me that she was surprised to see that you had--had stepped into the breach so nicely--" Her son's reproachful glance had the effect of i

way. Her heart was hot with fury, and she was only partly soothed by hearin

ng hot water and clattering tea-cups. "Who's coming?" she added aloud i

. Yet in this second, as he craned his neck to get a glimpse of the approaching guests, a sudden thought was born in her. Honour had compelled her to a gen

randmother's snubs, might be the realization of her own ambition, after all.

dy's anger and confusion, and of the world's amazement at the masterly move of the quiet secretary. Richard would

"Look at that man with them, that fellow with the hair--that's Blondin! That's the m

HO

usea through her entire body. The brilliant terrace swam in a mass of mingled colours before her eyes; the casual, happy chatter about her was brassy and unintelligible. The hand with which she touched the sugar tongs was icy co

to whom she presently saw him talking. Almost everyone else in the group was looking at him, too; Royal B

ow honouring Ward. Well over six feet in height, he had dropped his leonine head, with its thick locks of dark hair, a little

t the throat. On one of his long dark hands there was a blazing sapphire ring, and about his wide-brimmed Panama hat the folded silk was of the same colour. Ha

to continue his ridiculous conversation with the flattered Ward, and to accept names and greetings absently, in an aside, as it were, smili

and his beautiful little mother stood in a full sunset flood of light, with her small hand in that of

disaster, that it must be. She might not escape, there was nothing for it but courage, now. H

. Blondin," said Isabella.

hint of a smile, looked straight into his eyes, and she knew he was as frightened as she. But from neither was there a visible s

hay and camel's milk and carrots!" Ward was beginning. Roy

d, Laddie!" he p

ad not spoken because she was quite unable to command h

rs. Carter. I promised Nina some

iss Field?" said Roya

but he was only interested in testing the boy's accent and vocabulary. As a matter of fact, everyone laughed and listened, perfectly appreciating Ward's mad ventures and the other

rs; the music room; the breakfast room all cheerful green and white; the library, in cool north shadow; and the dining room, long and dark and dignified, where maids were already moving noiselessly about the business of dinner. Here in the hall was the pl

er remotely placed in a wing that commanded a superb view of the river. There were guest rooms on this floor, Richard Carter's room and his wife's beautiful rooms, and there was an upstairs sitt

ows the blue river glittered, and the fresh, heavy foliage of the trees moved softly, and inside was every charm of furnishing, of brilliant flowered draperies, and of exquisite order. There was a business-like heap of mail on Harriet's big desk; there were flowers everywhere; fan-tailed Japanese

out her. What now? What now? What now? hammered her heart. Nina tos

on your bed because Maude had the laundry

d Harriet, in an o

nd put her bare feet on the floor, groping for slipp

ffle at her wrist, twisted her arm

ed her hand. But Harriet, smiling

just how the new cook sends dinner in Your mother wasn't at all satisfied with luncheon yesterday. I don't know why this comes to me," she added, busy with her mail in

asked Nina in the doorw

mart little English hat with a little curled cock feather on it, was it? It's qu

that for that brown hat l

nd your mother wouldn't let you wear it," Harriet said, mil

he appearance of the young heiress of Richard Carter, except perhaps with kindly pit

oung neighbour, a little older than Nina, was to be made in a few days' time, at a

r. "You'll have to wear the white mull, an

baby," Nina said, gloomily. Harriet laughed, dazed, but n

n't going to wear your glasses!" she assured Nina, aloud. "Not if y

ul and mind again. She went out to the porch, and looked down into the clear shade of the early twilight, under the trees. The terrace was deserted; every sign of the tea-party had vanished, not a cr

to peep at Nina, who was reading in bed, and to go on to Isabelle's room. If Mrs. Carter was alon

kles and her pretty feet, were all absolute perfection. The illusion that veiled her slender arms stood at crisp angles; the silk stockings showed a warm skin tint through their thinness; her lower eyelids had been skillfully darkened, her cheeks delicately rouged, and her lips touched with carmine; her brows had been clipped and trained and pencilled, her lashes brushed with

y two hours. The air was warm and fragrant, the prospect of dinner, with its eagerly attendant Tony, rather stirred her, and the mirror had everything delightful to say. Like all women of forty, Isabelle liked the night, tempered lights and becoming settings, and

etty!" Harriet

icks things up, or how he knows what's right." Mrs. Carter half-closed the fan, and lai

What's-His-Na

od the allusion

e said. "Everything seems to be

been making changes there of late, and the girl's interest and interference were invaluable. She laid down the fan, and

e smiled, through a cloud of pale smoke

it in Isabelle's presence. But at this hour, when Richard or Ward or Nina, or even Madame Carter, might come in, she felt any familiarit

rush away the ash from her cigarette, "playing your p

cing down at the severe blue cross-barred gown

y she discontentedly introduced her favourite topic: "I could have been a business woman,"

riet observed. "So I had no choice. A

arter had his mother to support, of course. We thought we were pretty reckless to pay sixty dollars rent. He was on

apartment, worrying over the extravagances of the one maid. The man eager only to push on, to more mon

and gave her brilliant presentment

ew where her thoughts were, asked idly. The older wom

beautifully managed. And all by that boy. He has two coloured women and the man--just a perfect menage. And they adore him. Absolutely!"

em, but now she says no. But if Nina stays with her grandmother overnight, I thought I would like to see my si

o-day, and asked me if you would take charge of t

use?" Harriet ask

rancesca's

d the colour crept in

why she as

ntently said promptly. "In the second, Morgan won't be there, because she says it's a

most unpromising tone, "whether o

red to answer. "Personally, I should very much

ell Mrs. Jay, in a day or two, that she had simply mentioned it to Miss Field, and Miss Field had b

y. "A lot of women and children," she reflected,

, what what? Say, Mother," he added, becoming suddenly serious, "what do you think of Blondin? Isn't he a corker? Say

tecting her bottles and jars from his big hands as he sat down. "Yes, dear, we'll have

about--oh, I don't know, philosophy, and the way we all are forever getting things we don't

f upon a chair, wrapped her garments about her,

t because Adelaide Pomeroy and I used to be in the pantry, eat

h I had gone! I suppose he's got a book out. Will you see if you can get me anyth

w, solitary dance and song. If the hint of a scornful smile touched the secretary's beautiful mouth, she s

hem artfully, while Harriet and the children chattered. Nina was full of excited anticipation. Francesca's tea to-morrow, and the box-party on Friday, and a new gown for each-Nina fancied herself already a popul

with a glance toward the door of solid mirror that

a Carter of the Carters, daughter of the house. And thinking this, her smoky blue eyes met Ward's, and perhaps there was something in them that he had not seen there before. At all events, she was ashamed to see him colour suddenly, and become a little incoherent, and to have him turn to h

, for her snowy-white hair was a wig, her teeth not her own, and her eyebrows quite openly manufactured without one single natural hair to build upon. But it pleased her generation to regard these facts as sacred, and to assu

rting back, now, and rema

n in the act of brushing her hair! Th

g. Madame Carter never failed to be staggered by her daughter-in-law's irr

haken dignity, "I admit that I have had recourse to what they cal

. But she only gave the old lady a somewhat disquieting smile as s