The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-11-09

damned foolSt l1cl voice fraIed
away. as though it was too much of
an effort for her to express her
contempt for the breed.
Autumn hurried off to take her
shower. When she returned. Linda
was sitting where she had left her.
"Tn be ready in a minute" she
said as she set about dressing.
Don't hurry" Linda replied laz-
ily. mo one hurries around here.
Florian will probably be gnawing
his nails if he isn't getting tight.
But it'll do him good to wait. I
was terribly sorry, by the way, that
couldn't go to your dance. Florian
said il was a great success"
"He told me you were disappoint-
ed" Autumn said. II was sorry,
too"
"I had a bum ankle that day.
Came home late the night before
and tripped over rubber hose
somebody had carelessly left on the
lawn"
eve had the whole countryside
Lli0IG, AutuiIlH tOid ieI.
$50 Florian said. Bruce Landor
didn't turn up, understand"
Autumn started at the mention of
Bruce's name. She turned away
from Linda to pick up a garment
from the bed, fearing that her face
might betray the quickening of her
heart. "His mother has been very
ILL.," she said evasively.
81 know. She's been dying for
year. / believe nothing keeps her
alive but sheer cussedness. She
knows Bruce will have a chance to
get around as soon as she's gone"
"You know Bruce-pretty well?"
| Autumn asked.
Gas well as he'll let me-" Linda
replied. 'T called him up again
today to see if he couldn't possibly
come down. Earlier in the week he
was afraid he'd be too busy, but he
said today he'd try to make it to-
morrow night"
"He told me you had invited
him." Autumn said. She wondered
if Linda would note the unsteadi-
ness of her voice. "And he seemed
very sorry that he couldn't get down
in time for the game"
Although her attitude was casual
! enough now, what she felt was some
| thing verging on panic. Bruce had
| told her that he could not go to Ke-
| lowna. And now-if he came here,
! it would be primarily because of
her.
You've known him all your life,
haven't your" Linda pursued with
an interest that was agonizing.
eve went to school together"
"He tcld me so,' Linda sighed.
"Why didn't you fall in love with
| him?"
Autumn's hands trembled as she
drew on her stockings. She got up
and went to the dresser where she
| could see Linda's face in the mirror.
The girl was stroking her dog idly.
''It probably didn't occur to me, y
| Autumn observed with Strengthened
lips.
"It occurred to me the first time
I saw him." Linda said. "And nc
other man has meant damn to me
since"
There's lots of time yet, Lin,'
Autumn told her.
"Time has nothing to do with it
my dear" Linda observed, her lids
lowered in a resigned fatigue. "I
happens-or it doesn't happen-ane
that's all there is to it. 1t happened
to me in a minute. 1t won't happer
to him in ten years-so far as Tn
concerned"
She remained standing at the win
dow until Autumn had finished
dressing, and was ready to go down
"All setl" Autumn announced.
! Linda turned from the window anc
gave her an appraising look. Au
tumn was dressed in a simple white
net dinner gown, with turquoise
drops at her ears.
you're lovely" Linda said sim
ply, and slipped her arm through
Autumn's as they went together II
join the others.
On the portico Florian met then
with tall frosted glasses in his hand:
and led Autumn to one of the high
backed, deeply cushioned bamboo
chairs. 81 thought you'd never come
back" he said. "I knew 7 shouldn''
have let you get into Lin's clutches
From now on you're mine"
He went and got his own glass anc
returned and seated himself cross
legged on the floor at her side.
sHow lovely this isl" Autumn
murmured. as her gaze drifted ou
over the tessellated valley.
"It has never been really quite
perfect before" Florian said in ;
voice that was flushed with a sor
of urgency.
Autumn lowered her lids in the
quick pain the words brought her
She bit her lips in vexation at hel
own feeble will, her inability to pu
Bruce out of mind, cleanly and def
initively. She must play up now ol
be lost, she thought esperately.
"You are too free with your com
pliments, Florian," she said wearily
"You mustn't turn my head"
She looked across at Linda as she
spoke. The girl had seated hersel
on the porch swing, her shapely legs
hoisted above her and her fee
| brocod AGAINST the oh in rrDoy, xuhicI