Show the SILVER F UTE i hi-i il o t Larrimore ar 1 E mw N U i CHAPTER Continued XV-Continued XV Continued 13 13 Stephen heard the sigh lIe He glanced nt at her sideways lIe He could not see her eyes es only the curve of her cheeks and the brown hair hall I blowing In n ringlets lets under her smart hat But Dut there was something forlorn In her bel position In the hand which he did not hold lying liing I Ing- Ing palm upward In her lap lIe He shouldn't have let her come There were sad things s to remember Better DeUel not to go o back It hurt him when she slie was unhappy lIe pressed her hand liand In a ft comfort comfort- comfortIng comforting In ing way and aud wisely said nothing What was she thinking Stephen wondered sitting beside him so 80 BOvery ver very quiet and still Would he ever know all of or her thoughts There were times when he felt close to her and times when he be felt shut shutout shutout shutout out He lie had no part now in n her thoughts What was she remembering remembering remembering bering Her lIeI rand hand slipped away from Ills his lie Ue made no attempt to hold It There was They would be there very ery soon soon Barbaras Barbara's hands heM held each other closely It was sad to be coming back Its Just the same samel me I Kit mar mar- marveled marveled Stephen laughed Why shouldn't It be he asked Places seldom change In a year And there at last was the gray gray- shingled gray shingled house with the willow trees and the rose vine Tine over the thedoor thedoor thedoor door Were IVere here Kit said In a husky voice Barbara arbara smiled mistily at him She couldn't speak because of the lump In her throat Stephen saw her swallow saw sow the tears on her lashes Ue He thought that just at first she might like to tobe tobe tobe be alone Get the key from the real estate agent he be said to Thomas KIt will show you OU Take rake Guy and Jamie Jambe with you e e eThomas Thomas a IT'll the children had bad gone to the real estate agent Stephen and Barbara were alone Barbara peeped Into the house through the windows s Theres the old Ilia piano no she said as though she was surprised to find It there It was always out of tune There were tears In her volt vol voI tears tears misting her lashes She smiled an April smile Stephens Stephen's heart swelled with tenderness ten ten- tenderness ten tenderness Darling he said finding press press- pressIng pressing ing lug her hand She led l him m beneath the arbor to the studio We sat here so often she said pausing on the steps She lifted the door latch Its open I l she said looking at Stephen In wondering surprise The They entered the studio Someone Is living here herd I Bar nar- Barbara barn bara glanced around the room Now who do you suppose suppose- suppose There were sl signs s of an occupant a cot made up In to the corner books a pipe an oil oll stove sto a battered guitar How In the world world- world Stephen did not complete the question Barbara Bar Bar- Barbara Barbara bara had slipped down to the floor She was holding the guitar against her breast rocking It as though It were a child Barbara arbara he be said wonderIng surprised Its Bruce Druce she said through shaking sobs Uncle Stephen Bruce ruce Is here I Ue lie understood It then Some Some- Something Something thing died In his heart something that never would live again You love lovo Bruce ruce 1 I he said slowly I cant can't help It She looked up nt at him her bel face streaming with tears I didn't want you to know all right Very gently he lifted her from the floor settled Into a chair and held her close In hIs arms It was always Bruce Druce he be asked Yes Always she slie said Why by didn't you tell me me dear I I 1 I couldn't Uncle Stephen Why Wily not Because Because she paused suddenly shy Please he urged tilting her bel chin to look Into her eyes Well she said Bald at first I couldn't because wed we'd made so 80 much trouble I mean your hunt Aunt went away vay and Miss Emily and that was all our fault Cault You didn't know v about children I thought I ought to Stay h And ll then then- then Again AgaIn she paused Her lIeI lashes misted with tears curved down against her cheeks checks Then what Stephen asked gently You must tell me dear Then the night of my wy party party-be- party be beside side the lily Illy pond I cant can't Uncle Stephen The lashes swept liP from Crom her checks Her IIer eyes eres were troubled and shy It It It seems so dreadfully hard I kissed you OU be he said sold under under- understanding understanding standing She nodded In Ill a different way he contin continued brushing the soft hair hall I back ack from flom her I brow ro She Slie nodded again You you thought thought you knew that I loved you Again the brown held head nodded And you didn't want to hurt me I couldn't she said earnestly Youve been so kind to us all And AndI I do love you ou Uncle Stephen tier lIeI arms were around his neck her bel cheek check damp with tears pressed closely against him I love you better than anyone except she added Bruce I know Stephen said There are all kinds of love Ill I'll try to be satisfied with the kind that you rou can gIve me You lou wont won't be hurt burt Uncle Ste Ste- Stephen Ste- Ste Stephen Stephen phen No I 1 want you to be happy You see sec he said thoughtfully I I wasn't sure sure- sure I About what About you I 1 wasn't sure that you loved me-In me me In a marrying way WilY I mean And he continued I wasn't sure about myself I thought that I might have bave been kissing your mother that night by the Illy lily pond Mother Barbara arbara asked lie Ue told her the story then He toM told her about the Barbara he be had r 1 t n 3 1 h Babble Sabbie Babbie Babbie Darling loved a very long time ago She lIstened quietly her cheek against hIs the fingers ers of one small hand folded around his ills thumb why you have Fathers Father's painting of her she said when he be had finished Yes les that's why You are very like her I didn't know which of you I kissed that night by tho lily Illy lilypond pond You see he added I loved her very much Then you dont don't mind about Bruce I mind he lie said holding her bel hervery hervery very close But not too much I want you ou to be happy You are very dear to me Barbara arbara dearer than anything else In the world Youre loure lovely I She smiled through the tears on her lashes And then there was a change In her face Her eyes widened the flush paled put of her bel cheeks lie He felt felther felther elt her tremble f felt lt the swift beating of her bel heart Listen she said What Is It dear But ut he lie heard It then And lie he knew the song Ue lie had hall heard It very often often We Wo sail II the ocean blue We catch catch-a da plenty-a plenty fish Bruce ruce Barbara arbara slipped a away ay from rom Stephens Stephen's arms lies coming Uncle Stephen Barbara arl afa met Bruce ruce at the door Stephen saw her hesitate saw her here e expression change when she siro looked at Bruce ruce saw her run Into his arms lie He heard their Incoherent words words- Babble Babble al ble darling Where were you ou Bruce ruce I went away But you came back h here re I had to find flud something of you Youve found round all of me For always For always Do you hear hearIt hearIt hearIt It Bruce What darling darling darling- The Pile sliver silver flute Funny I Do you hear It dear Yes I haven't for ever so long Dont Don't let It stop playing again No No Dont Dollt ever let It be bo lost I No Darling I 1 I love you so much They had tor forgotten otten Stephen Stphen He went out and closed the door e eStephen Stephen sat In a It deck chair un on under der del the willows looking down across the harl harbor or calm In the twilight Tile The shadows were deepening The sound of the wind In the willows was a n song that was happy and sad Stephens Stephen's mood harmonized with the song He Ile too was happy and sad happy I because Barbara arl ara was sad because something In him had died something which he thought never live e again There would never ne he be for Cor him a areal areal real and anil tender romance lie tie had had only of It the Bar Bar- Barbara Barbara bara he had loved a very Tory long time ago the Barbara whom he had held field for a n moment against his heart I Ifor lie knew now why he had been I troubled by doubts and uncertain uncertain- uncertainties uncertain ties ties tics nt ot times during the summer lIe hadn't wanted to marry Barbara lIe He hadn't wanted to marry Emily lIe wasn't a marrying man roan It was the future alone he had dreaded lIe need not fear that now There were Kit and Gay and Jamie to give his life a meaning lie would never feel entirely alone A ready ready- readymade made ronde family was n a blessing He wasn't a 8 marrying man Tho The notes of the guitar drifted through the shadows Barbara arbara and Bruce sat on the studio steps Stephen could not see sec them but he heI knew they were there I I Ono One small mall table dear And two email mall chairs A lazy parrot tor for a pet pot The kind that never swears Two small chairs 1 I That was all all- adventure ad adventure venture Stephen thought They would be happy hoppy together They were young and deeply In love tie lIe could bear It to lose e her to Bruce ruce Lose her He lie need never lose her entirely lie hall had a n place In her ber life lIe Ito knew that she would love him and remember him That he be thought was enough There would be cares of course But ut what did dill they matter lie could help them perhaps give them the shingled gray shingled house Better etter not Parents he thought thou amused at nt him him- himself himself himself self In the role of a father ather med med- meddled meddled meddled entirely too much Better to let them make their own way But Buthe Buthe ut uthe he would buy the house bouse Sometime she might have It Uncle Stephen She was wn standing beside him her arm linked through Bruce's ruce's arm her eyes shin shin- shinIng shinIng shining ing like stars Yes dear There was a pater pater- paternal paternal nal note In Stephens Stephen's voice He lIe was aware of it It Barbara had hod found for or herself the proper place In his life lite Theres so much Id I'd like to say She hesitated lie knew v she sho was searching for or grateful words Never mind he said She gave up the attempt She left Bruce ruce and cross crossed ell to Stephens Stephen's chair I love you ou Uncle Stephen she said her arms around his neck I know lie ITe smoothed the sort soft hall hair back from her brow Ill I'll I Ill I'll always be grateful I dont don't want you ou to be grate grate- grateful grateful ful rut lIe He held her for a moment he held the Barbara arbara he Clad loved closely against his heart I want you to be happ happy Ill do my best lIest Bruce said huskily Im sure of that Thank you Oll sir The They walked across the lawn and through h the gate In the picket fence Stephen watched them until un until un- un til they disappeared In the shadows lIe He was sad for tor a n moment a sad Bad sadness Badness ness that had nothing to do with reason There was In his heart for fora fora or ora a moment a longing for the thing was vms not for tor him Too late he thought hearing bearIng above his head the happy sad sail song of the willows Too Toolate Toolate Toolate late for tor always too late The door of the house opened Kit came across the lawn Gay waltzing like a butterfly Jamie Jambe with Chips at his h heels They clustered about his chair Goy Gays Gay's curly head dropped against his shoulder Kit sat on the tho grass at athis athis athis his feet Jamie Jambe hung over the chair wanting to he close Chips lapped Stephens Stephen's hand with a 11 rough wet wetton ton tongue ue How lIow long can we stay Gay asked breaking a friendly silence A day or two Stephen an answered an- an answered roughing h her r bright brown curls Are we to live at school Gay Cay and 17 I Jamie asked I think so Kit and I are go- go going goIng go going ing abroad Just you and I Uncle Stephen Kit looked up through the shadows with a question In his eyes lie tie wondered wondered If Uncle Stephen was hurt about Bruce Druce He ITe wanted to know that lie he wasn't Stephen read the question In Kits Kit's lifted ees eyes Suddenly the sad sad- sadness sadness n ness ss vanished the longing for or some some- something something thin thing he could not have ha They were nice Youn youngsters They were his lIe He need never feel alone Yes he said and there was a note of In ills his voice Well have to leave Barbara arbara here I guess I think she slie wants to stay TIlE END |