The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-11-02

the talk of the Okanagan-she had
sent to England in the early days
for hounds and hunters and brought
them all the way round the Horn.
Her daughter, Millicent, was even
more lovely than she was. You
must know this if you are to under
stand what am to tell you about
your mother-and if you are to Judge
her kindly"
He paused, and into the monotony
of his voice came a break.
Every man who met your moth
er. Autumn, fell in love with her."
he went on. "It was so before our
marriage-and it was so after our
marriage. I never found that hard
to understands had fallen in love
with her myself. Nor was it hard
for me to understand how she came
to fall back somewhat into her ways
of coquetry after we had been mar
ried for a few years. Men would
not leave her alone. They could
not, it seemed. She loved mel
have never doubted that. But was
many years older than she and she
loved life and youth and gayety. /
was too set in my ways, perhaps" "
He sighed, and Autumn patted his
knee affectionately without speak
ing.
fThere was nothing serious in any
of these - these affairs as she
1@1 Il. IL lrsnd
of her admirers as soon as the nov
city wore off, and as soon as they
began to grow serious. 1t was an
innocent sort of vanity with her,
which she indulged quite openly.
She loved the admiration of men,
but she loved even more to let the
world about her see that she was
being admired. She would have
found no pleasure in any sneaking
love affair that was carried on
where others might not see"
He paused while the clock on the
mantel struck the hour. 1t was
midnight.
mot long after you were born,"
he continued, "Geoffrey Landor
came here from the Old Country and
bought the ranch that lay next to
mine. We had been boys together
in England. He was younger than
Ia sort of er-do-well who had
married a woman of his own age
who thought she might make some
thing of him, think. She had writ
ten to me and it was on my advice
that they left England and came
here to settle. I was as anxious to
bring him around as if I'd been his
brother"
One of the great logs broke softly
in two, the sparks cascading into
the glowing embers.
"Geoffrey was restless and reck-
less and full of charm. Millicent
fell in love with him-and he with
her. It was a new kind of love for
her, but mistook it for another of
her brief infatuations. knew it was
different when it dawned on me
that she never made anything of
him when they were in public to-
gether. Discretion-that was new in
Millicent. And then one day she
told me-confessed that Godfrey
had won her heart"
Autumn heard Jarvis hands NOV
ing slowly up and down the arms
of the chair.
ST must have gone a little mad
then," he went on after a pause.
''There was no use in my trying
to hold her. / knew that. She was
gone already, you see. But couldn't
let her 60. I hoped that might do
something to win her back, perhaps.
The weeks went by, but soon knew
it was hopeless. She was kindness
itself to me, but she would forget
sometimes and 60 about the house
like one in a dream. She would sit
with me throughout whole evening
and never speak word. became
bold one day and went over to see
Jane Landor when Godfrey was in
town. I asked her if she knew what
was going on between Millicent and
her husband. She denied that it was
so, but I knew she was fully aware
of it. She was too proud to admit
it. ! was a little unreasonable, I
guess. I told her what | thought of
a woman who could not keep her
husband to herself She told me to
60 home and look after my wife.
That was the last time I spoke to
Jane Landor, except for politeness
when we met in public"
His voice had become very low
now, but strangely controlled.
Spring came, and knew Milli-
cent and Godfrey were having rem
devious, but there was not breath
of scandal. l said nothing at first.
l said nothing until could stand it
no longer. Then II gave orders.
l made Millicent a prisoner in her
own house. / forbade her going
anywhere beyond the grounds unless
/ went with her. Perhaps was
foolish in that At any rate, | kept
them apart. Millicent didn't pro-
test. If this had been one of her
silly flirtations, you see, she would
have died rather than give in to me.
But it wasn't. This was real to her
and she didn't utter a word of
protest. She obeyed me to the let
ter. Presently I heard that Geof-
frey was drinking heavily and neg
lecting his work. The gossip of that
was on every tongue When he was