The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-07-13

mo. A sketcn Ior magazine
competition, Badly explained.
MAY | see it?"
Baldy, yearning for solitude and
Edith. gave reluctant consent
.Cone on, everybody"
So everybody, including DR.. Hal
lam and Mrs. Toilette, made their
way to the garage.
Edith and young Baldwin arrived
first. "And this is where you work."
she said, softly.
"Yes. Look here, viii you sit here
so that I can feast my eyes on YOU?
I've dreamed of you in that chair
in classic costume. Do you know
that you were made for goddess?"
"I know that you are romantic
boy"
''How old are your" she asked
him.
twenty-five" :"
"I don't believe it, I'm twenty
two, and I feel a thousand years
older than you"
"You will always be-ageless."
She laughed. "How old is Jane?"
Twenty. Yet people take us for
twins"
'She doesn't look it and neither
do you"
The others came in and Edith
went back to her thoughts. He
wasn't too young. She was glad of
that
The sketch of Jane was on an cas-
ell. There she stood, slender figure
in her lilac frock-bobbed black
hair, lghted-up eyes-the lifted bas-
ket with its burden Of gold and pur-
pie and greenl
Towne stood back and looked at
it. Jane at his side said, That's
some of the fruit you sent
"RealIy?" Frederick had no eyes
for anything but Jane, in her lilac
frock. Jove, but the boy had caught
the spirit of her!
He turned to Badly. 1T is most
unusual. And want it."
Sorry" said Baldy. crisply. ~
am sending it off tomorrow"
"How much is the prize?"
1.-TWO thousand dollars"
81 will write check for that
amount if you will let me have
this"
81 am afraid ! can't, Mr.. Towne."
why not?"
well, feel this way about it. 1t
isn't worth two thousand dollars.
But if I win the prize it may be
worth that to the magazine-the ad-
vertising and all that"
isn't that splitting hairs?"
Perhaps, but it's the way feel"
'But if you don't win the prize
you won't have anything"
mo"
"And you'll be out two thousand
dollars" The lion in the Zoo was
snarling.
And above him, breathing an up
per air, was this young eagle. "I'n
be glad to give the sketch to you if
it comes back" said Baldy, coolly,
''but / rather think it will stick
1t was, in way, dreadful mo-
ment for Towne. There was young
Baldwin sitting on the edge of the
table, swinging leg, debonair, de-
fiant. And Edith laughing in her
sleeve. Frederick knew that she
was laughing. He was as red as a
turkey cock.
1t was Jane who saved him from
apoplexy. She was really inordi-
nately proud of Baldy, but she knew
the dangers of his mood. And she
| had her duties as hostess.
"Baldy wants to see himself on
the news stands" she said, sooth-
ingly; "don't deprive him of that
| pleasure, Mr.. Towne.'
Nothing of the kind, Jane" ex-
claimed her brother.
Badly, ! won't quarrel with you
before people. We must reserve
that pleasure until we are alone"
"I'm not quarrelling."
Jane held up a protesting hand.
"Oh, let's run away from him, Mr.
Towne. When he begins like that,
there's no end to it,
She carried Frederick back to the
house, and Evans, looking after
them, said vindictiveIy to Hallam,
"Old Midas got his that time"
DR.. Hallam chuckled. "You don't
hate him, do you? Evans, don't let
him have Jane. He isn't worth il. T"
Neither am /" said Evans. But
/ would know better how to make
her happy
Back once more in the bright little
living-room, Towne said to Jane,
MAY ! have another cup of tear"
Its cold"
II don't care. like to see you
pour it with your lovely hands"
She spread her hands out on the
shining mahogany of the tea-table.
"Are they lovely? Nobody ever told
me-"
His hand went over hers. "The
IoveIiest in the world"
She sat there in a moments s
breathless silence. Then she drew
her hands away. Touched a little
bell. "I'll have Sophy bring us some
hot water"
Sophy came and went. Jane
poured hot tea with flushed cheeks.
He took the cup when she handed
it to him. Dear child, you're not
offended?"
I'm not a child, Mr.. Towne." Her
lashes were lowered, her cheeks
flushed.
He put his cup down and leaned
towards her. "You are more than
a child to me-a beloved woman.