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

1eel tnat entnuSlaSIn lS-iidisS.
at knowl I hate i'll" she cried.
"We're all that way, my friends. /
mean. We think it's smart to be
bored and disillusioned. We avoid
any display of emotion as we would
avoid plague. Even Todd and L"
She paused.
The roadster dipped down into
hollow where fog moved before the
headlights in wraith-like shapes.
John felt his hands trembling on the
wheel.
Don't talk about it. You needn't,
I mean. There's nothing you're
obliged to explain"
'tBut I want to-" she said earnest
ly. II could have gone away let
ting you think what you pleased of
me but someone else is involved.
This-yesterday morning when I
pulled my act on the float I must
have given you a very unfair i'm
preston of Todd. I'm not being
forced into this marriage"
John gave short laugh. ''I could
scarcely have that impression" he
said.
'None of the things you probably
think are true" she went on. I'VE
didn't merely drift into an engage
ment. It wasn't propinquity or the
fact that both families hoped and
expected that we would marry. !
suppose that would have put us off
each other, If anything. We're nei-
ther of us lambs which could be led
to sacrifice without good deal of
bleating."
Presently she continued. ''I like
Todd better than anyone I've ever
known" she said, as though she
were explaining the situation to her
self as well as to him. "We enjoy
being together. We think the same
things are amusing or sad or ex-
citing"
''I should think that would be an
excellent foundation for marriage"
John said as she paused.
"But it isn't enough. It's all too
What were the words you used?-
controlled and detached. We hold
things too lightly" Mounting pas
sion famed in her voice. Todd
shouldn't have let me come here"
she said.
'Let your"
"Oh, / know" She gave a low
rueful laugh. "He couldn't have pre-
vented my coming. But if I'd cared
enough for him I wouldn't have
needed to come. If he'd cared
enough for me he would have tried
to keep me there with him. IT," she
broke off, and added: II meant to
correct the unfair impression of
Todd I'd given you. I'm not doing a
very good job"
He ignored that. ''Why did you
come, Gay?" he asked.
"I've wanted to tell you" Her
voice was quiet, now, very thought
full, wholly sincere. "I've been afraid
to try. 1t doesn't seem reasonable,
even to me. ! had no idea that you
would be here"
ST know that" John was uncon-
scious of the fact that he had slack
ened the speed of the car. With his
eyes still fixed on the road ahead,
he waited for her to continue.
"I'm not afraid now," she went
on after an interval of silence. "To-
night, while I was waiting for you,
thought of Uncle john"
"Yes?" he said, bending toward
her.
do you suppose that when you
are-dying," she asked simply, like
child puzzling over a mystery be-
yond its comprehension, "that some
especial wisdom is given to your"
Her phrasing of thought he'd
had, startled him with its similarity.
He remained silent, his WEAKNESS
gone, every nerve in his body sud-
denly tense and alert.
''I thought of that tonight" she
went on without waiting for a reply
to her question, while you were
bringing that baby into the world.
When realities touch you. pride
seems unimportant. I'm not afraid
to tell you now. I wanted to come
back to the cabin because I'd felt
intensely here. I'd been both happy
and unhappy and not ashamed OF
either. no hidden emotion beneath
mockery for fear I'd be thought SEN
timental and naive"
"But you were so young then,
Gay" John drew in at the side OF
the road and stopped the motor.
"And have you-succeeded?"
'I was disappointed the night Kate
and I arrived. I realized how fool
ish I'd been. The cabin was as I
remembered it, but had no feeling
about it until"
Her voice which had been COM
posed trembled to faltering stop.
She glanced up at him and he saw,
in the light from the dashboard, the
tears on her lashes. the uncertain
half-smile on her lips, the melted
stars in her eyes. His arms went
around her. drew her close.
Gay" he said. Darling! love
you. It's a relief to say it. I'm
not afraid either. Oh, Gay"
She turned so that her cheek
touched his. Her arm went up
around his neck.
"John!" she cried softly. "Oh, /
was afraid it wouldn't happen. I
was afraid I'd go away without hav-
ing really been with you. Or that
you would. We're both so stubborn
and proud and ridiculous" She
laughed, half sobbing. "John!"
''I couldn't have gone while you
were here,' he whispered against
her cheek. -