Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-10-14
rooxas at The Bachelors, And that was
very long ago.
CuAPTER NNlV.

light ahead. He had seen Evelyn several
times before she had left home on occa-
sons when he went to the house with
Fenton for conferences with her father.
He had intended saying good-by TO her.
but the lorters went hurredly at last
and he was not sorry; it was easier that
way. But Mrs. Whipple, who was exer-
cising a motherly supervision over John.
had exacted promise from him to come
to Orchard Lane during the time that
she and the general were to be with the
Porters in their new cottage. When he
went East, Saxton settled down at his
club in Boston, and pretended that 1t
was good to be at home again; but he
went about with homesickness gnawing
his heart. He had reason to be happy
and satisfied with himself, He had prac-
ticaly concluded the difficult work which
he had been sent to Clarkson to do; he
had realized more money from their as
sets than the officers of the trust company
had expected; and they held out to him
the promise of employment in their Bos-
ton otiics as a reward. SO he walked the
familiar streets planning his future anew.
He had succeeded in something at last,
and he would stay in Boston, having, he
told himself. earned the right TO live
there. The assistant secretaryship of the
trust company, which had been mention
ed to him, would be a position of dignity
and promise. He had never hoped to do
so well. Moreover. it would be pleasant
to be near his sister, who lived at Wor-
cester. There were only the two of them,
and they ought TO live near together.
1t is, however. an unpleasant habit of
the fates never to suffer us to debate
simple problems long; they must throw
in new elements to puzzle US. While
he deferred going to Orchard Lane new
perpleSity confronted him. One of Mar
graves people" came from New York
as the representative of the syndicate
that had purchased the Clarkson racton
Company, and sought an interview. John
had met this gentleman at the time the
sale was closed; he was a person of con-
sequence in the financial world, who came
quickly to the point of his errand. He
offered John the position of general man
ager of the company.
The next day John thought he saw
it all more clearly. He went out and
walked aimlessly through the hot streets.
He realized presently that he had gone
into a railway office and asked for a sub
urban time table He carried this back
to the club, and studied the list of Or
chard Lane trains. He found that he
could run ont almost any hour of the
day. He slept and woke refreshed, with
the time table still grasped in his hand.
He had been very foolish. he concluded;
it would be a simple matter to go out to
Orchard Lane to call on the Porters and
Whipples. The next afternoon he went
up to Orchard Lane.
1t suited his mood that he should find
no one at home at Red Gables but Mr..
Porter. who played golf all the morning
and slept and experimental at landscape
gardening all the afternoon. He vel
coined John with unwonted cordiality.
There were some details connected
with the transfer of the Traction Com
pany to Margraves syndicate which Por-
ter had not fully understood, or which
Fenton had purposely kept from him;
and he pressed John for new light on
these matters. John answered or parried
as he thought wisest.
John left his greetings for the rest of
the household. There was a train at 6
o'clock it was now 3 and he loitered
along, stopping often to look out upon
the sea. A group of people was gathered
about a tea table on the sloping lawn in
front of one of the houses. the colors
of the women's dresses were bright
against the dark green. 1t was a gay
company their laughter fioated out to
him mockingly. He wondered whether
Evelyn was there, as he passed on, beat
ing the rocky path with MS stick.
Evelyn was not there but her destina-
ton was that particular lawn and its
tea table Turning a bend in the path he
came upon her. He had had no thought
of seeing her; yet she was coming down
the path toward him, her picture hat
framed in the dome of a blue parasol
He had renounced her for all time, and
he should meet her guardedly; but the
blood was singing in his temples and
throbbing in his finger tips at the sight
of her.
This is too bad !" she exclaimed, as
they met. Il hope you can come back to
the house"
She walked straight up to him and
gave him her hand in her quick, frank
way.
Pm sorry, but l must be in to town
on this next train," he answered. He
turned in the path and walked along be-
side her.
This happened to be one of our scat
tering days, for all except father"
I'VE had nice talk, he and l. Your
place is charming. Don't let me detain
you. I'm sure you were going to join
these lotus eaters"
81 don't believe they need me-" she an
swered, evasively. They seem pretty
busy. But if you're -ungry- or thirsty,
7 can get something for you there" They
passed the gate, walking slowly along.
He knew that he ought to urge her to
stop. and that he must hurry on to catch
his train; but it was too sweet to be
near her; this was the last time and it
was his own.
They paused finally and John held open
little gate in a stone wall. de was
grave and something Of his seriousness
communicated itself to her. Clearly, he
thought, this was the parting of the ways.
Wont you come in? There are plen-
ty of trains and we'd like you to dine
with u.s."
A great wave Of loneliness and yearn-
ing swept over her. Her invitation
seemed to create new and limitless dis
tances that stretched between them. he
.,oLo Incidentally of the offer he had re-