The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-06-29

Evans" Jane argued. Il am not
easily upset"
.But with all that money. You
can't keep up with them"
Don't put ideas into James
head" his mother demonstrated; "a
lady is always lady"
But Jane sided now with Evans.
"I see what he means, Mrs. Fol-
lette. haven't the clothes. I
haven't thing to wear tonight"
"Oh. / wasn't thinking of your
looks Evans got up and stood on
the hearth-rug. "But people like
that Jane, wish you wouldn't CO."
She looked up at him with her
chin tilted. s'I don't see how / can
refuse"
"Of course she can't. Evans,
don't be so unreasonable, Mrs. Fol-
lette interposed; cit viii be won-
derful thing for Jane to know Edith"
"Will it be such wonderful thing
for her to know Frederick Towne?"
He flung it at them.
Jane demanded, "Don't you want
me to have any good times?"
He stared at her for a moment,
and when he spoke it was in a diff
ferent tone. Eyes, of course. / beg
your pardon, Janey."
Mrs. Toilette, having effaced her
self for the moment from the con-
versation, decided that things be-
tween her son and little Jane Barnes
might reach a climax at any mo-
ment. ''I believe he's half in love
with her." she told herself in some
bewilderment.
AS for Frederick Towne, she
didn't consider him for moment.
Jane was pretty child. But Fred
erick Towne could have his pick of
women. There would be nothing Sc
rious in this friendship with Jane.
Jane called up Towne. ''It was
good of you to ask me-" she said.
1T am at the Follettes, but I'll go
home and dress and Briggs can
come for me there"
"Come as you are"
"You wouldn't say that if you
could see me. / took a walk with
Evans this afternoon and show the
effects of it."
evans? Oh, Casabianca?"
"What makes you call him that?"
''I thought of it when l saw him
waiting for you at the top of the
terrace. The boy stood on the burn
ing deck - he laughed.
II don't think that's funny at ALL"
said Jane, frankly.
Don't you? Well, beg your par
don. I'll beg it again when / get
you here. Briggs will reach Sher-
wood at about seven. would drive
out myself, but I've an awful cold,
and the doctor tells me I must stay
in. And Cousin Annabel is sick in
bed with a cold, SO you must take
pity on me and keep me company"
Jane hung up the receiver. 1t
would, she decided, be an exciting
adventure. But she was not sure
that she liked Frederick Towne :.
Evans walked home with her. The
air was warmer than it had been
for days, and faint mists had risen.
The mist thickened finally to a fog
which rolled over them as if blown
from the high seas. Yet the sea
was miles away, and the fog was
born in the rivers and streams, and
in the melting SHOWS.
They found it somewhat difficult
to keep to the road. They were al.
most smothered in the thick gray
masses. Their voices had muff1ed
sound. Evans hand was on James
arm so that they might keep to-
gether.
"Jane," he said, 81 made fool
of myself about Towne. But hon.
estly-I was afraid"
| "Of what?"
"That he might fall in love with
you"
"He's not thinking of me, Evans,
and besides he's too old"
do you really feel that way
about it, Jane?"
"Of course-silly."
He could not see her face-but the
words in her laughing lovely voice
gave him a sense of reinsurance.
"Janey," he said, tif / could only
have you like this always. Shut
away from the world"
"But don't want to be shut
away. 1 should feel-caged-"
"Not if you cared"
! There was in his tone the huski-
ness of intense feeling. She was
moved by it. "Oh, ] know what you
mean. But love won't come to me
like that-shut in. l shall want
freedom, and sunshine. I'll be q
gull over the sea-a ship in full
sail-a gypsy on the road-but I'll
never be ghost in fog"
His hand dropped from her arm.
"Perhaps you'll be a princess in 9
castle. Towne can make you that"
| "Why do you keep harping on Mr..
Towne? / don't like it."
"Because-oh, I think everybody
wants you"
| And now it was she who caught al
his arm in the mist, and leaned on
it. "I'm not the least in love with
Frederick Towne. And shall nev-
er marry a man I don't love, Ev-
ans"
When they came to the little house
they found old Sophy nodding in the
kitchen. She always stayed with
Jane wben Paldy was away. Sc