The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-12-28
CHAPTER IV-C0ntinued


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Even old Hannah had slowly re-
adjusted her whole psychology with
Autumn as the center and control
ling force of the new order. That,
no doubt, was what irritated him.
He could never have admitted to
himself that anything or anyone in
the world could have usurped his
place in this house that had shell
tered him for almost quarter of
century. Nor was the girl conscious
of what she had done-he would say
that for her. She would be the first
to protest that he was still master in
his own house and his word was law.
She was loyal, if loyalty could be
said to exist in the hearts of these
young irresponsibles, and she was
affection itself. He had loved the
girl devotedly during the years she
had been away from him, but the
feeling he had for her now that she
was back had grown so deep that
the tears started to his eyes now as
he thought of her.
Just now he was more resolved
than ever that they should quit the
country. He had seen Autumn in
the company of this young Parr.
There was a nincompoop, if ever
there was one. What was wrong
with a man like old Elliot Parr that
he could breed nothing better than
a hare-brained numbskull like Flor
ian? The race must be going to the
dogs! And what could a girl like
Autumn see in him? He wasn't even
thoroughly a bad one-he was a
mere nothing! Why in the devil
hadn't the girl found herself de-
cent husband long ago? He blamed
her Aunt Flo for that. Flo never
had been one you could count on.
Well, he would have no daughter of
his mate with Florian Parr-much
as he admired Elliot.
A cold chill passed over him as
his thoughts turned to Bruce Lam
dor. Jarvis had seen Lander and
Autumn riding home together last
night after that fool affair of the lost
Willmar boy. What was getting into
people that they couldn't take care
of their own brats any longer? Damn
it all, parents nowadays had no
sense of responsibility. Well, he
would look after his own, at any
rate. If he was called upon to do
so, he would tell Autumn emphati-
cally that the Deans and the Lam
doris belonged to different worlds
and they would stay where they be-
longed. If that wasn't enough, he
would 60 further. He wouldn't
why get so wrought up over a mere
hypothesis?
He got up quickly at the sound of
a motor coming to a halt before the
house. He tossed his half-smoked
cigar into the fireplace and stepped
to a small cupboard that stood back
in one corner. He poured himself a
stable drink of his favorite Scotch
blend and held it for a moment
toward the sunlit window before he
drank it. He closed the cupboard
and went to his room on the same
floor. He would have to brush up a
bit before going down to dinner.
Florian Parr filed the two glasses
second time and handed one to
Autumn. He was well pleased with
himself. He had spent large part
of a beautiful Sunday afternoon in
the company of Jarvis Deans
daughter and had watched her as
she swung her car dizzily over trails
he had never travelled before. He
had listened to her gay chatter and
had done his best to contribute his
own share of small talk about Lon
don and Paris and the men and
women that belonged to the world
he had left when his father had
made it plain that if he wished to
remain in it any longer he would
have to pay his own bills. 1t had
been delightful outing like
a visit with an old friend.
He had thought Autumn beautiful
when he had sat beside her during
their ride but he had never seen
anyone quite so ravishing as the
girl who stood before him now and
lifted her refilled glass. She was
gowned in coolly glowing white
satin that chung the length of her
body and f1ared out almost to the
floor; small tips of green pumps
peered out from below the white,
and at her throat on platinum
chain hung a large single emerald,
her fathers gift, she had explained,
on her twenty-frst birthday.
He raised his glass toward her
and smiled. "You may drink to
what you please" he said, ''but I'm
toasting the queen of the Upper
Country!"
Queens are becoming so old-fash-
toned, Florian," she countered. "I
am not fattered."
"My error" he apologized with a
slight bow. ''Pn compromise on the
Princess - they're still in style,
aren't they?"
"Expatriated," she observed.
"Good enough" he said, and
drained his glass eagerly.
Autumn slipped her cocktail and
took cigarette from the box on the