South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-10-14
by \. Maria Crawford.


There was the mellow fragrance
of late Autumn in the air when Dave
Thorton turned his runabout from
the white road Of the valley TO climb
Roam mountain TO the little stone
lodge ne had visited every fall for
I'VE years Here and there a patch
Of crimson. nipped by an early frost,
slowed like blot OF blood against
the green of the trees. To the left
IN the valley. an acre OF gOldenrod
rippled in the breeze like a field Of
grain. ready for harvest The
shouts OF children, playing around
AN old cider press. where the older
people were busily crushing late
apples. came TO his ears. and he
smiled grimly at their happiness.
Some day. they too. would be disil-
lusiOned about lie as he had been.
The whistle OF a bob-white, calling
nearby corn field where pumpkins
lay yellow I'm the sunlight a trum-
pet vine spilled its scarlet bloom
riotously over the oak trees by the
road.
He was going back against his will
and better judgment Five years
before he had built the little white
lodge and furnished II out of his
store Of treasures. picked up on his
travels all over the world. They
had planned to spend their honey
moon there-he and Carolyn May
nard But fate. i'm the person Of
another man. had interposed and
Carolyn had Tilted him and married
a young am bassador who had taken
her abroad Immediately. Dave had
pried open the old wound every year
by going back and living over again
his old love affair Now he was go
ing back TO pack up "a few Of his
things for he had planned 20 sell
the place 70 Edmee Boynton a
young girl who was beginning %
sell short stories TO the magazines.
He had met her at a little studio tea
and had come 10 like her we'll
enough In the weeks that followed
10 agree 20 sell her his little house
Of dreams. the dreams that had
never come true for him. She was
coming up the next day 20 look il
over.
When Dave was half a mile away
he looked up and saw the lodge like
a little white flower opening out OF
a green calyx. Smoke curled IaziIv
from the chimney. Evidently the
old caretaker was ready for him
As he stepped on the rustic porch
he saw a merry little IRE OF Black
Jack logs cracking on the old brass
and irons that had been his
mothers. A rough basket OF wild
flowers hung outside the door With
I'm gay pillows gave a festive air 20
his worn old leather couch and he
saw a eukelele dropped carelessIy
IN the corner. a Chinese tea set
that he had picked up In Canton was
on a wagonette and a little blue
fame burned cheerily under the ket-
tie. He stood In the doorway. a lit
tie amazed. wondering n his eyes
did not deceive him Many times ne
had pictured the little house like
that. warm and intimate and COSY.
Possession" said Edmee Boyn-
ton. dressed I'm a dull blue smock
that half hid. half revealed the
carves OF her young body as she
came 20 meet him. "is nine points
or the law Mother and I have
moved IN. TruthfuIly. we are stop
ping at the hotel on TOP OF the
mountain. but could not resist
running down here and getting
things all homellke for you Like
st." she asked. smiling at his ex-
preston.
so much that 7 can't think OF
selling the place no1s."
Suddenly a little pulse in his
throat began 20 hammer with pain
tul insistenoe He wanted 20 take
her IN his arms and kiss her where
her shining black hair waved back