The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-08-08

ilpS lAONSd do IliOuSll lie IIlSduL 10
speak but no sound came.
"John," she said quietly, ''look at
me-"
He turned, silent, unsmiling, wait
ing for her to continue.
Have you changed your mind?"
she asked steadily. "Are you trying
to tell me-" Her voice faltered,
trenbled, was stilled.
"Oh Gay, mol" He made a de-
spairing gesture. ''I'm trying to see
this thing clearly. We can't rush
into it blindly."
Cant we be comfortable, at
least" she said YEARLY.
He followed her to the davenport
before the fire, sat at little dis
tance from her.
"Cigarette?" she asked.
''Thank you" He struck a match
to light hers. As he bent toward her,
she saw that his expression had
softened. You're tired" he said
gently.
"A little"
He did not touch her, though she
willed him to with all her strength.
When his cigarette was lit, he sat
back against the upholstery. 81 don't
wonder" he said bitterly. you've
carried me on your shoulders all
evening and I'm a pretty heavy
load"
Don't be an idiot, darling"
"You watched me, you watched
your friends, as though you were
afraid"
81 was afraid"
"That I'd do or say something
that would humiliate your"
"No, John. That they would try to
make you feel uncomfortable, an
outsider, someone who didn't be-
long,"
He turned to her, puzzled.
Deliberately" he asked.
She nodded.
81 sensed something of the sort"
"You can't understand it, / sup
pose"
"I'm trying. I've been trying all
evening"" He crushed out his ciga-
rette. ''It's the assurance that
wealth gives, I suppose. These
friends of yours who were here to-
night"
"They can be loyal, too," she said
, quickly, more defensively than she
knew. "It would have been loyalty
to Todd if they'd been unpleasant
to you, tonight
"But what about you, and your
cousin?"
Hell" She was silent.
"You broke the rules. It's like a
labor union, isn't it? Only instead of
| skill in a trade you must have
wealth to be admitted. Money. You
must inherit it or marry it. /"
Don't speak that way of money" F"
she said, her voice sharpened by
WEAKNESS, by a consciousness of the
distance widening between them.
We've all lost great deal and are
likely to lose more"
| "I've learned that. Your friend,
Connie Belmont, told me that her
family are practically paupers. y
1T seems so in comparison with
what they've had. Mother, Robert
Dad-They feel that their world is
changing, that in their lifetime, per.
haps, things will never be as they
have been. Oh, why do we talk o.
it? They, my friends, who were here
tonight, aren't important" She
moved close to him and put hei
hand in his. "We're here together
It's Christmas Eve. Let's forge
Them"
| His fingers closed around her hanc
but the pressure was negligent.
''They are important. You defend
them. You were afraid they wouldn
accept me-"
81 was afraid for you, not fol
myself"
SIS that true? Would you be con
tent to go away with me and never
see any of them again?"
Eyes, oh, yes!"
"You think so now. But in a Lit
tie while, when being with me ism
a novelty any longer, when I'd b.
at work and you'd have nothing t
amuse you"
''You have no confidence in me
You still resent me. How can
convince your"
''Forgive me, Gay. I'm sorry.
His arms went around her, drew he
close to him. His lips followed tn
curve of her cheek to her lips. Sh
clung to him, conscious of sort c
desperation in the embrace, more c
fear than of passion or tenderness
Gay laid down her crumple
square of heavy damask as Burtor
at signal from Aunt Flora, steppe
behind her aunt's chair.
The gentlemen rose as the ladie
left the table. Gay glanced at Johr
standing very stiff1y beside his chai
at Aunt Flora's right. She smile
and his face frightened. She fe
him watching her a little forlornl
as she, with her aunts and cousin.
followed Aunt Flora's measure
steps out of the dining-room, as stu,
led as when, wearing the tradition;
train and three feathers, she ha
walked along a strip of carpet whic
led to a throne.
Aunt Flora sat on the love-se;
before the fire and Ernest, the foo
man, set tray with the coffee SER
ice on a table before her. Aul
Lucy, Uncle James wife, her fa'
ing prettiness extinguished by win
colored satin and the jewels ST
wore, sat in a chair at the opposi'
side Of the marble hearth II