The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-01-18

brief and tragic story of what had
occurred. An eagle had flown down
on the flock and terrorized a few
stragglers that had wandered a
short distance from the others. They
had raced back and spread the con-
tagion of fear in the flock. The rest
of the story they could read for
themselves in the havoc that had
been wrought during the brief mo-
ments of the hopeless struggle.
Hannah, in the kitchen of the Cas-
tie, lifted her tear-drenched face
from her hands. you will have to
go and fetch her, Bruce" she
sobbed. "She is stopping the night
with the PARIS at their lodge. You
know the placer"
Bruce looked down at her. Yes
know where it is" he replied.
"Wil you go, them"
His lips frightened. "Tll CO." he
said.
In a few moments he was on his
way, the dusk thickening about him
as he sped along the winding trail
that led southwark into the noun
tains. Two hours later he climbed
up out of the troublous dark heat of
the valley into the sheer, cool star
light of the hills. Now the road be-
came narrow and capricious, and the
black spires of the dense pines made
cathedral ominousness against the
sky. How like Autumn, Bruce
thought with frowning admiration,
to have driven over this road alonel
One false swerve of the wheel and
she would have been at the mercy of
this solitary wilderness until some
one found her and brought her out.
He strove to keep his mind on the
deviousness of the way so that he
might be possessed of a measure Of
composure for the difficult task that
lay before him. He was glad, with
a self-effacing bleakness, that her
friends were with her-Linda Parr
and Florian. They would be able to
offer her comfort, as he himself was
not qualified to do.
He had telephoned to Hector Car
digan from the Dean place. 1t had
seemed proper that Hector should
be the first to be informed of the
tragedy-and, if possible, to break
the news to Autumn, Bruce would
have given much to have had the
old friend of the family with him on
this sorry mission, but Hector had
not been at home and Hannah had
urged that the tragic news should
be carried to Autumn without delay.
The road began to steepen treach-
erously as Bruce approached the
comparatively open shelf on the
mountain where the Parr Lodge
stood. From somewhere in the
shrouded darkness far above him
came the sinister, feral wall of a
cougar, a trailing sound of wounded
malevolence. Closer at hand an owl
hooted as though in mockery of that
other more menacing cry of the
wild.
A gleam of light through the dark
weft of the pines, and Bruce was
driving in at the open gateway to
the lodge. He turned his car about,
deferring for a painful moment the
duty that was before him, and for
| mulating in his mind, with all the
gentleness he could muster. the dol
orous words that he must speak. AS
he got down from his car he could
hear door opening in the lodge
behind him. A moment later he
was face to face with Florian Parr.
Even in that instant, when his dis
tress of mind was uppermost, Bruce
detected embarrassment in Flor
ian's manner.
Hello, Florian," he said as he
extended his hand.
Florian took the proffered hand in
a brief clasp, then seemed to draw
back hesitantly. "Brucer he ex-
claimed softly. You're the last per-
son | expected to see here tonight. ;"
Bruce glanced toward the house.
1--WE come with some pretty bad
news, Florian," he said in a low
tone. "Autumn's father was killed
this evening"
Florian fell back step. "Killed?
Good Godl How?"
"He was over visiting the flock
young Shane brought out to be sold.
The boy says an eagle frightened
the sheep and they got to milling.
Shane Il led to break up the jam and
they got into ditch on top of him.
Jarvis jumped in and saved the boy
but he never got out of it him
SELF
Florian ran his hand across his
brow, speechless from shock. Bruce
saw him glance abstractedly toward
the house.
my God!" he groaned at last.
This will just about kill Autumn!"
YOU'D better go in and fetch
Lin" Bruce said tersely. "She'll be
the best one to break the news to
her."
But Florian was regarding him IN
blank CONSERVATION. Bruce, puzzled,
began to feel an impatience at his
singular attitude.
There's no sense in delaying it.,
Florian," he said harshly "She has
to be told. And Lin is the one to
talk to her."
AS he spoke he glanced toward the
house. It came to him that there
was something strange about the
/ place. It seemed deserted, some
how, and although the windows were
open no voices came out to them
from within.
Lin isn't here" Florian said
Lzzx,.1x. A,,+,,y,~ 1~I 900 110~a