The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-11-16


ment which he chose to ignore, Lin
da pressed forward to the side of
the table and looked on while Bruce
bought a pile of chips and waited
for the next flip of the ivory ball.
When Timothy reached for the spin
dies again, Bruce placed three chips
on squares and offered a handful To
Linda.
I'm not lucky" she demurred.
He turned again to the table and
waited for the ball to drop into the
slot. While he waited he noticed a
short. plump man who had had too
much to drink pushing his way to
the edge of the table beside Autumn.
He could not help seeing that Au-
tumn's hands were clenched on the
table edge. Florian stepped between
her and the boiSterous guest and
the game went on.
Autumn stood on a gilt chair be-
side the crowded table and tossed
chips on thirteen and black. She
knew that she swayed occasionally;
Florian, standing below her, sup
ported her with an arm about her
slender hips. Now and then she ran
her fingers through his hair and
Florian turned his face up to hers
with an intense and meaningful look.
She lost again on thirteen and
black, and as her laughter pealed
out she looked up to see Bruce Lam
dor standing beside the table, his
arms folded, his eyes toward the
broad French windows that stood
open on the other side of the room.
Within her dull voice repeated
over and over again, 'I must not
see him-I must not see himi" He
turned his head slowly toward her
now, his mouth drawn up in a quiz
zical smile so that the deep furrow
appeared in his cheek. That furrow
in his lean brown cheek, which must
have been a dimple when he was a
J child-she had kissed his cheek just
there, in an infinite tenderness, only
two nights ago. She felt terrible
vertigo all through her being, sud-
den collapse of all her defenses. The
feeling lasted for only a moment,
however. When he looked at her
again she was able to smile with
a hard, vivid carelessness.
And then the short plump man
lurched toward her, lost his balance
and fell heavily against the chair or
which she was standing, clutchine
Florian in desperate attempt te
right himself. 1t seemed that be-
fore she had reached the floor
Bruce was there, had caught her ur
and was carrying her out of the con
fusion through the open French
doors and into the sunken garden.
She beat against his breast anc
sobbed frantically for release. Wher
he put her down at last behind {
hedge of honeysuckle, he wa:
breathing heavily. She backed away
from him as though to turn anc
run, but he snatched her hand anc
pulled her back roughly to him
placing her against the hedge 81
that she was forced to face him.
What sort of game are you play
ing, Autumn" he demanded.
The silver sheath of her dres
seemed to quiver in the starlight
But she stood erect before him, he
head flung back, her eyes blazing
into his.
I'm playing - no game" sh
painted. LET me go back"
He eyed her coldly. Either yo1
are playing a game tonight--or yo
were playing one night before last,
he told her.
Her lips quivered over he
clenched teeth. "You can Judge fc
yourself" she replied.
He stepped toward her and seize
her wrist. "Do you-mean that?
he asked.
She released her wrist with a wi,
lent jerk. Don't touch me-don
touch mel" she cried and shran
from him.
Her voice was a shrin whimpe,
not loud, not the voice of one utterl
beyond control. An incomprehens
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