The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-03-21
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

ID
"You have talked with Autumn
about it?" asked Hector.
A little-a very Ittle-one night
just after she came back" Bruce
admitted.
You came to that conclusion to-
gether, them" Hector asked. 81
hope you don't mind my question
ing you in this way. It's scarcely
good manners in a host"
1T can't make the slightest diff
ference, Hector" Bruce replied. st
see no reason why you and should
stand on ceremony"
Certainly not! Certainly not! Be-
cause of that, I mean to tell you
the truth about that episode, if you
can bear the telling of it.
Bruce bit meditativeIy at his un-
der lip while his eyes studied Hec-
tors face.
I'm of age, Hector" he said. "I
guess I can stand hearing it-if you
can tell it."
The old man drained his glass and
set It on the table. ''Then-listen
until I'm quite through with it," he
said.
Bruce felt ridiculously like a child
who was about to be told the facts
of life for the first time. But IN
spite of his mildly derisive mood,
the piquant articulateness of Hec-
tors ancient furniture and clocks
and silver and porcelain gave him
a strangely warm feeling of recep-
tIvity. However shocking Hector's
disclosures were to be, it seemed
true 10 him now at leaSt-Whether
or not the mellow personality of the
room had hypnotized him-that the
past was the past, yesterday flowing
back into the Renaissance, into the
Middle Ages, into the lush glow of
prehistoric times, sealed and sePa-
rate from today.
Three clocks, IN various Swallowed
recesses of the room, struck eleven.
Bruce had heard all of Hector's
story, and the two men had sat for
minutes without speaking a word.
Hector got up from his chair,
looked briefly at the youthful figure
seated across from him, elbows
propped on knees, head resting on
hands, and poured out two more
drinks of brandy.
"a night-cap, my boy" Hector
said sturdiIy, as he offered the glass
70 Bruce.
Bruce came suddenly out Of his
reverie, and took the glass from
Hector, than sat for a moment star
ing into the sparkling liquor.
How much of this does Autumn
know" he asked.
Everything have told you"
Hector replied.
ST see," Bruce said quietly. did
JON tell herr"
Jarvis Dean told her-one night
soon after she came back"
You don't happen to remember
about what night that was?"
Hector thought for a moment.
mot very clearly. She called here
the next morning. think-on her
way TO visit the PARIS"
That was on her first visit,
wasn't it?"
Il believe it was" Hector told
him.
1T must have been" Bruce said.
est Just about killed the girl, 7
guess"
Hector looked at him for a mo-
ment- why do you think she has
been playing the fool ever SINGER"
Bruce tossed off the brandy and
set ms glass aside. ITS a crazy
world" he said. lone night-only
a week ago-I learned how it feels
70 wat to kill a man."
Old Hector, standing above him,
raised his eyebrows. A light seemed
70 dawn In his eyes and he smiled
whimically down upon the roughly
tousAed head of his guest.
That was good for your soul, my
boy" he observed. You learned
something that ought to mean much
to you II the future"
Later, when Bruce got into his
car, Hector stood within the little,
cowi-kke porch Of his abode and
noted that the Milky Way was a
pearE bridge built from mountain
top TO dark mountain top. Bruce
called a good night and Hector
waved a response. And as the car
sped away he looked up at the sky
again and thought how much young
er the stars had been when he was