The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-09-28

smiled at her. "I have learned to
take nothing for granted" he OBJ
served. Butt understood you
were celebrating over at your place
tonight. How do you happen to be
here?"
ssI don't believe I could even ex-
plain that myself" she said little
blankly. 81 just rode away, and
I'm here"
He smiled again and took a ciga-
rette from his breast pocket, struck
a match and lighted it between his
cupped hands. In that one brief
moment she saw the dark, crisply
curling hair that was cropped short,
straight dark brows rather heavy
above eyes that she remembered
now were a deep blue, a nose we'll
formed and sensitive about the nos
trils, and a mouth that was some
what full but straight-drawn and OBJ
stinate. In the sudden realization
that she was giving him a shame
less scrutiny, she wrenched her gaze
away in the instant that he looked
up at her.
81 had expected to see you over
at our dance tonight" Autumn said.
"Or were you not the least bit GU
rious?"
"Curious?" He regarded her in
tently. "Scarcely-curious. should
have come if / had been able. This
happens to be very busy time for
me-and besides, mother has taken
another bad SPELL"
"Oh, I'm very sorry. Father told
me she had been quite i'll. / should
have been over to see her if I had
had time. Do you think she would
remember me, Bruce?"
His eyes rested gravely upon her
face. Her hand moved nervously
to her cheek as his look held hers,
the moonlight seeming to go thin
and extraordinarily translucent be-
tween them.
II doubt it" he said at last. "You
are grown-up now"
Won't you take me down to see
herr" ~-,,...
"Now?"
"Why not? It's still early, and
can ride back that way. Unless,
OF course, she's asleep"
"She never goes to sleep until
come in" Bruce told her.
"I should love to 60 down, then,''
she said.
Bruce glanced once in the direc.
ton Of the ravine. 81 can come
back here later" he said. LET LIS
go this way, then"
He led the way across the slope
to point from which the light in
the Landor house was plainly visi.
Bile.
II hope you will not be shocked
at mothers condition." he said,
"She has had stroke, you know,
and it has left her partially para
lyzed. She may not even remem-
Der your name"
What a pity" Autumn said. "She
was always such a proud, capable
woman"
1t was only when they reached the
long avenue of Lombardy poplars
leading to the Landor house that
their voices ceased. Bruce seemed
suddenly to have become preoccu,
pied with something apart and re-
mote as he rode slowly forward, his
eyes fixed upon the house that stood
among the shadows at the farther
end of the avenue. A cool ripple O.
apprehensiveness passed down ovel
Autumn's body, a feeling ominous
and totally strange to her expert
ence. She recalled now that as q
girl she had always been afraid O
Jane Landor, though she had never
known the reason. And now, within
a room there beyond that glowing
window, lay the helpless form of thu
woman whose forbidding mannel
had often caused Autumn to shrinl
from her. 1t was not fear that over
came her now, but pity-deep pit,
for the woman whose staunch forti
tude had been reduced to frailty b,
life that had beaten her at last.
When Bruce finally dismounted be
fore the doorway and stretched hi.
hand up to her, she laid her own
slender one within it and got down
For moment she clung to his hanc
and hesitated.
wait, Bruce" she whispered, ant
the thought struck her that sh,
should not have come like this t,
see Jane Landor.
He smiled down upon her and fold
ed his other hand over hers. "Yo,
look-frightened," he said, leaning
| close to her.
She followed him into the house
The large room was in darkness