The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-07-11


of brine-soaked rigging and rope,
the thrill of a deck canting beneatn
feet instinctively braced, moved HIM
to enthusiastic and, for the instant
at least, quite unenvious response.
''That's a pretty swell prospect
he said.
Eyes, isn't it?" she said brightly,
too brightly. so that again he was
aware of the passion beneath the
light mocking words. "And that S
only the beginning. Todd's father
is giving us his place in Connecti-
cut, too, SO that We'll have an an
chorage and Dad has bought an
apartment house over by the East
River because, of course, we'll have
to spend some time in town. We're
to have the top floor. The contest
is on as to whether the decor is to
be smartly modern or quantity Vic
torian. I'm backing Mother to win.
She's all for glass and chromium.
Aunt Flora's what-not and ball
fringes haven't chance"
$50 you see there's no sensible
reason why should have run away.
1t was the whin of spoiled little
brat who hasn't sense enough to
know her luck"
"Gay-!' he said, louder this
time, his voice gritty with effort.
"Will you stop talking like an alb
surd little fool?"
"But I am" She was moving,
now, with a rocking motion back
and forth on the float. what a gift
for description you have!"
You're trying to make me think
you are," he said brusquely, "but
you aren't succeeding" He bent to-
ward her and his voice softened
from a demand to an appeal. What
are you getting at? What are you
trying to tell me? Please"
She drew a long sobbing breath
and the house of cards tumbled into
fragments. She looked up at him,
her eyes dilated by tears, then down
into the water.
''I don't want to go back to New
York" she said, so low that he
scarcely heard her and as though
the words were forced from her by
some agency beyond her control.
He did not reply. The sympathy
that welled from his heart in an un-
grudging flood made coherent
thought impossible. He sat watch
ing her efforts to regain the control
| his appeal had shattered, fighting a
desire to take her in his arms, feel
ing in his own senses the throb OF
the pulse at the base of her throat,
the trembling that shook her body.
Presently she grew quiet. When she
turned to him again, her face was
composed.
"I suppose I should apologize,
now," she said coolly. Her poise,
her detachment, checked the rush
ing food of sympathy and tender
concern.
''It isn't necessary" he said stiff
ly, feeling that she had tricked him,
humiliated because he had been SC
naively moved by what might very
| well have been feminine histrionics.
"I won't, then" She bundled her
bright hair into a rubber cap. "Apol-
ogies are misleading. She sprang
to her feet. Come on. I'll race
] you to the landing"
She dove from the side of the float
came to the surface, set off toward
the shore, swimming with an easy
| over-arm stroke. He followed, after
moment. His strong brown body
cut through the water, caught ur
with her, slackened its speed to the
slackening rhythm of her stroke.
"You aren't trying to wini" She
smiled at him across the strip oi
water ripping between them.
| whats the use? I'm licked be-
] fore ! start.
Her face sobered The smile, curv.
ing her lips, trembled.
John" she said, hesitantly.
eyes, Gay"
! But she ducked her head. When
it emerged, water streamed over
her face as though she were weep
ing.
The bow of the boat cut through
water which shimmered with the
reflected glow of the sunset. Gay
lifted and dipped the paddle slowly
watching circles, trimmed with gold
and flame and amethyst widen out
| across the still surface of the lake
The wind which had blown all day
| had died down but the air was grow.
ing cold. She wished she had
dressed more warmly but the sur
| had been hot when she'd set off
alone, directly after lunch.
| He'd thought she was dramatic
ing that afternoon. Well, hadn't she
been-a little? The rebellion beneath
the words she'd spoken was sincere
enough but her expression of it hac
been theatrical. Why couldn't she
have talked to him directly? He'o
given her an opportunity. She'd fell
very close to him, for a moment
nearer to mutual understanding thar
!, they had ever been. Then pride hac
gotten in the way, had checked the
| spontaneous response to the tender
ness in his voice that she had want
| ed to make. 1t was just as well
She was leaving tomorrow to keep 6
promise. What John thought of hel
was unimportant. She would, in al
probability, never see him agair
after tonight
No use thinking of that. Gay, a
some distance from the shore
turned the canoe in toward the land
ing. There was only one explana
ton she wanted to make. She'c
been, when she talked to John thi:
morning, very unfair to Todd. Re
morse for the impression she'd prob