The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-07-06
sudden protective tenderness.


God helping me, I'm going to get
back. And you are going to light
my way. Jane, do you know when
saw you coming towards me with
that dim lantern it seemed SYM
bolic. Hope held out to me-seen
through a fog, family. But light,
nevertheless"
''Oh, Evans, if I could love you,
would, you know that"
IT know. You'd tie up the broken
wings of every bird. You'd give
crutches to the lame, and food to
the hungry. And that's the way you
feel about me-"
He had let her go now, and they
stood apart, shrouded in ghostly
white.
God helping me-" he said again,
'I'n get back. That's a promise,
Janey, and here's my hand upon
it."
She gave him her hand. "God
helping us both," she said.
He lifted her hand and kissed it.
Then, in silence, they walked on,
until they reached the house :.
The Towne car was waiting, and
Mrs. Toilette in furry welcomed
them. II don't see why you didn't
ride over with him."
He hadn't come, and we pre-
ferred to walk"
what was the matter with you,
Evans?"
Nothing much, Mother. I'm sor-
ry you were fused" He gave her
no further explanation.
Jane put on her slippers and went
off in the great car. And then Ev-
ans said, I'm going over to Hal
lam s."
Aren't you well, my dear?"
81 want to talk to him" He saw
her anxious look, and bent and
kissed her. Don't worry, Mumsie,
I'm all right"
DR.. Hallam's old estate adjoined
the Toilette farm. The doctor was
nerve specialist, and went every
morning to Washington, coming
back at night to the quiet of his
charming home. He was unmar-
ried and was looked after by men
servants. He had been much inter-
ested in Evans case, and had in
fact had charge of it.
The doctor was by the library fire,
smoking a cigar and reading a
brown book. He welcomed Evans
heartily. II was wondering when
you would turn up again. He
showed the title of his book, "Bos-
well. There was a man. AS great
as the man he wrote about, and
we are just beginning to find it out. I"
Rare edition?" Evans sat down.
"Yes. Got it at Lowdermilk' S
yesterday"
"We've oodles of old books on
our shelves. Ought to sell them,
suppose"
'I wouldn't sell one of mine"
Ha1lam was emphatic. s'I'd rather
murder a baby"
Evans famed suddenly. 'sI'd sell
mine, if I could get the things
want"
ST don't want anything as much
as want my books"
ST do. ! want life as I used to
live it."
The doctor sat up and looked at
him. "You mean before the WARP"
eyes"
"Good."
"I'm tired of being half man.
If there's any way out of it, l want
you to tell me-"
| The doctors eyes were bright with
interest. He knew the first symp-
toms of recovery in such cases. The
neurasthenic quality of Evans trou-
BILE had robbed him of initiative. His
waking-up was a promising sign.
'The thing to do, of course, is to
get to work. Why don't you open
an Officer"
"A fat chance I'd have of getting
| clients
81 think they'd come"
The doctor smoked for a time in
silence, then he said, "Decide on
something hard to do, and do it.
Do it if you feel you are going to
die in the attempt"
There was something inspiring to
Evans in the idea. Hard things.
That was it. He poured out the
story of the past few days. The
awful scene with Rusty. Tonight IN
the fog under the pines. Wanted
more than anything to drop myself
in the river"
| He was walking the floor, back
and forth, linping to one edge OF
the rug, then limping to the other.
Then Jane came. Little Jane
Barnes. You know her, and she told
me-where to get off-said I was
captain of my soul" He stopped in
front of the doctor, and smiled
whimsically. "Are any of us cap
tains of our souls, doctor?"
"Tn be darned if / know" The
doctor was intensely serious. "Will-
power has a lot to do with things
The trouble is when your will won't
| work"
mine seems to be working on
one cylinder" Again Evans was
pacing the rug. but that idea oi
an Office appeals to me. 1t will
take a bit of money, though. And il
is rather a problem to know where
to get it."
"Sell some of the old books. IL
buy Them"
Light leaped into Evans eyes. "It
would be one way, wouldn't it?
Mother would rather hate it. But
what's library against life?" He
seemed to fling the question to Z
listening universe.
The doctor laughed. She'll be