The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-07-18


in at filling-station at the side of
the road. A gangling boy with buck
teeth and shock of sunburned hair
appeared in response to the bleat
of his horn.
"Can you tell me how to get to
the Lawrence camp?" Todd asked.
The boy was lost in admiration
for the car.
''How far do follow this road?"
Todd asked brusquely.
"Oh, eyah. Bout mile and q
half. You'll see the name on the
mail-box."
Thanks"
Todd tossed a coin to the boy, re-
leased the brake and pressed the
accelerator.
A mail-box. Todd slackened the
speed of the car. A figure detached
itself from the vines and underbrush
at the side of the road. A long
arm waved in greeting. Kate!
"Hellol" he called and brought the
car to a stop. No other figure to
greet him. He felt his heart thud
painfully. where's Gay?"
Kate stood in the road beside him.
"Out on the lake." she said. Kate's
expression was composed. She
looked quite natural, little tired,
perhaps, but serene. Fishing" she
added. "You took a time getting
here"
81 was arrested" His spirits lift
ed. Kate looked as he was accus-
toned to see her, lanky and rakish
in a tweed skirt and green wool
blouse, her expression a charac-
teristic blending of wry humor and
casual friendliness. He opened the
door. "Get in, Kate. You look like
a Slightly sardonic wood-nymph.
How's your generator, my friend?"
'My WHAT" she sat beside him
and he turned the car into the lane.
He laughed. 81 heard, a few min
utes ago, that you'd had trouble with
it."
THAT boy with the teeth" Watch
ing her in a side-long glance, he
saw her expression change. She
looked, though he could scarcely
credit it, as if she was about to
burst into tears.
"It isn't that bad, is it?" he asked
but the laughter had gone out of
her voice.
"It's as bad as can be-" Kate
said with difficulty.
SIS Gay ill? Has she been hurt?"
"Worse than that"
He stopped the car in the lane.
What is it? What has happened?"
She turned to him, her face work.
ing queerly. 81 meant to break IL
to you gently" she burst out. 1--WE
been sitting out there by that mail
box for hours thinking of what
should say. There isn't any way to
say it except to tell you the truth
and I'd rather be chopped up and
thrown to the wolves. I shouldn't
have called you last night"
"Why shouldn't you have called
me?"
Because it's none of my busi-
ness. Yes, it is. I love her and I
know it's all wrong"
whats all wrong?"
"Gay has fallen in love-" Kate
said wildly. "He was here when we
came"
who was here2" stag 49, ~
"John Houghton, DR.. Lawrence's
nephew. Do you remember him al
Gays debutante party? Nice look
ing. Dark and rangy."
II remember" He slumped back
behind the wheel. Ibid she come
here to meet him?" he asked.
| "No. He just happened to be here.
The long arm of coincidence" She
gave a crack of nervous laughter.
Don't ever say anything is inn
possible. But she came here be-
cause she's been in love with him
since the summer they spent here
with DR.. Lawrence six years ago.
Would you have thought Gay was
romantic2 She's fairly wallowing in
1t. Little fool!"
"You aren't very convincing,
Kate" He smiled wearily. "Do you
like him?"
"I do. That's the trouble. He is
attractive. And so in love with her.
But it's all wrong"
why is it-wrong?" he asked qui-
etly.
She glanced at him in relief and
admiration.
"Did you expect me to 60 melo-
| dramatic?" he said. "I'm afraid
that's little out of my line. Why
did you call me?"
81 hoped we might get her away
| from herein time"
"And there isn't-timef It's too
late, now?"
"I'm afraid so. Last night" She
hesitated for moment then plunged
on. ''They haven't told me any
thing. But the way they act is
enough. I've tried all day to tell
them you were coming. l couldn't.
I feel like traitor until ! think Of
Todd, what do they think of all this
at homer"
"It's been pretty awful. Funny,
though-None of that seems impor-
tant-now."
Ito be continued)