Show The DIM BUM BUMBy LANTERN I By y TEMPLE BAILEY BAILED rte C 0 PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY COMPANY SERVICE XIII XIII Continued Continued 0 2 20 I Jane sat sot huddled In her chair choir panting a little her eyes wide Silly she said with a sob I T The 14 sound of cl her he r velce- velce ted ech-ted end and re echoed Silly silly silly The noise without was deafening the the wind shook the walls She stood up her hands clenched then ran swiftly Into the hall A thundering crash and the lights went out She heard Frederick calling Jane Jane Janel She called back Im here and saw sow the quick spurt of a match as ashe ashe ashe he lighted it holding it up and peer peer- peering peering ing into the Ule dark There you are my dearest He lIe lighted another match and came come to to- towards towards wards her as Waldron with a brace I of candles appeared in one door and Baldy and Edith in another 1 Frederick lifted Jane in his strong t j arms Why youre you're crying he heW W I said sold dont my darling dont Then Baldy came come up and demand ed the matter motter Kitten Youve You've never been afraid of of I j storms I J She tried to smila smil at him Well Ive I've gone sane through such a lot lately i I But Baldy wasn't satisfied A Jane JIt J who dissolved into tears was a disturbing dis- dis M and desolating object He lIe glowered at Frederick holding him I J responsible At this moment Waldron reappeared re reo reappeared appeared to say soy that Briggs had hod i pronounced the streets ble Branches had been blown down and and there thre was other wreckage That settles it It it Frederick said sold t 1 You two young things may as well stay here for the night Janes Jane's not fit to go out anyhow an how Oh Im I'm all right she protested J Edith suggested bridge so they played for a n while The big room was still lighted by the candles so that the shadows pressed close Jane was very pale pole and now and then Frederick looked at nt her anxiously I You and Edith had better go up he said sold at at last And you must have Alice get you some hot milk milk Ill Ill I'll send Waldron with a bit bitof bitof bitof of cordial to set you up She shook her head I dont don't want it Dut But I want awant you to to have It lt Jt There was a 8 note of authority which almost brought her again to tears She hated to have anyone tell ten her what she should do She liked to do doas doas doas as she pleased But later when the glass of cordial came up to her she drank it I She did not go to sleep for a long longtime time Edith sat by the bed and talked to her I shouldn't she apologized Uncle Fred told you to rest Jane curled up among her pil pillows lows and said sold rebelliously Well I dont don't have to obey yet do I n Dont ever obey Edith in her winged chair with willi her Viking braids and the classic 4 t draperies of her white gown dressing-gown looked like a Norse goddess Dont ever obey or you'll make a tyrant out of him But I hate hate You wont won't have to fight I do It because its it's my temperament But you can manage him him him-by by letting I things go a bit bit and and coaxing will do the rest rest to restI I I dont don't want to manage manage my my hus hus- husband band said sold Jane All women do do- do Would you ou want to manage manage- Baldy Edith flushed different she evaded Not different You know you wouldn't go through life with him pulling wires making a puppet of him him of of yourself you yourself you want com com- comradeship comradeship understanding You'll flare fiare up now and then Baldy and I 1 do But But oh oh we love each other Janes Jane's voice shook Edith looked at her thoughtfully Jane are you happy I ought to be be- be But are you r I Im tired I think I dont don't know Ever since I came carne home Ive I've been nervous Perhaps it Is the lion tion Jane Im I'm going to say some thing Dont Don't marry Uncle Fred un unless unless less youre you're youre you're sure I went through all that with Del And you see how little I knew of what I had in my heart to give give give- She stopped her lovely face tace suffused with blushes Ive learned since learned since then And you mustn't make my my mistake And Jane dear she leaned over the younger girl like some splendid an an- angel get gel 11 dont worry about material things Baldy and I will want you always with us us- us Jane sat up Are you going to marry marr Baldy I am am sighing a B little some someday someday someday day when his ship comes In He isn't willing to share my cargo- cargo yet He loves you said Jane dear dearly lv ly Edith bent down and kissed her herI herI herI I know she said and my heart sings It When Edith went away they had hadnot hadnot hadnot not touched again on the question of Janes Jane's marriage Jane lying awake in the dark reflected that of course Edith could not know of her debt to Frederick No one knew except Baldy In the morning Towne had gone when Jane came down She and Edith had hai h t breakfast lre k t in ir rooms rooms and and there had ben been a great rose on Janes Jane's tray with a n note twisted about the stem stem To To my golden girl Her tier lover had called colled her up by the house telephone and had told her he tie was leaving for New York at nt noon A telegram has Just come Ill I'll see you the moment I get back Jane J had a sense of relief relict She would have three days das to herself Three days da s 's at Sherwood with Sherwood with the blossoming trees and the mating birds and and the kit kit- kitten kitten kitten ten and old Sophy with her wise philosophy philosophy and and Baldy on the oth other other th er side of the little table table and and Philo Philomel mel singing Briggs took her out at noon and Sophy came in to say Mr Ev Evans ans uns called you-all you up Hes He's back backI I I f w wI I i a are re y j i r p.- p. 5 r l 1 d yI I IThe The day da was so perfect turn fun New York He say Bay lIeU hell come over tonight That was news indeed 1 Old Ev Ev- Jane got into the frock of faded lilac gingham and went about the house singing staging Three days Of free freedom dom It was after lunch that she told the old woman Im going down in inthe inthe inthe the Glen there Glen there should be wild bon hon honeysuckle Sophy Sophy There were wore bees in the Glen and butterflies and a cool silence On the other side of bf f the creek were pasture and cattle grazing But no human creature was in sight Jane walking along the narrow path had hada a sense of utter peace Here was familiar ground She felt the wel wel- welcome welcome come of 01 inanimate things things the the old willows the singing stream the great gray rocks that stuck their heads above the edges e es of the bank On the slope of the bank she saw sa w the of the flowers she sought She climbed up picked the fragrant sprays and sat down under undera a hickory tree to make a bouquet From where she sat she could view the broad stream and a rustic bridge just at a n turn of the path And now around the turn of the path came come suddenly a man and two wo boys They carried rods fishing and stopped at a jutting rock to bait ball their hooks One of the boys went out on the bridge and cast his line His voice came to Jane clear ly Mr Follette theres there's a thing 1 J hate to do and that's to bait bolt my hook with a worm Id I'd much rather put pul on something that wasn't alive Why is it that everything eats cats up something else Jane peered down at the man man poised on the rock It was Evans He was winding his reel against a taut line Ive caught a snag he said look out Sandy theres there's something on your hook As they landed the small catch with much excitement Jane was aware ware of the strong swing of Evans Evans' figure the brown of his checks cheeks the Lite brightness of his glance as he spoke to the boys He gave the death stroke to the silver flapping fish with a jab of his knife blade knife blade and the boy boyan on the bridge complained There you are arc killing things I dont don't like it t do you Everything we eat The woods are full of killing It is dreadful when we think of it It is dreadful Evans kat at down on the rock and looked across at al atthe althe atthe the boy on the bridge But there are more dreadful things than death injustice and cruelty and hate And more than all all fear fear And you must think of this Arthur that what hal I we call a violent death is some sometimes times the easiest An old animal ammal with teeth gone trying to exist That's dreadfulness Or an old per person person son racked by pains Much better if both could have been dead m In to the glory of youth He had always alwa's had that quick and vivid voice but this certainty of ot phrase was teas a resurrection He lit spoke without hesitation Sure of himself Sure of the Ule things he was A iP You boys needn't think that I 1 dont don't know what I am talking about I do When I came conic back from France there re was something sOI wrong I was afraid of ot everything t I 1 lived for lor months in dread of my shadow It was awful Nothing can enn be worse Then one night I came to see ste that Gods God's greatest gift to man mUll is is- is strength to endure lie He flung lung It it nt them und them and their wide eyes answered ered him After a n moment Arthur said huskily Gee that's thal's great Sandy sighed heavily hla I saw a n picture the other day of a boy who wanted to play ploy baseball and to hold the baby I reckon that's what you mean tan Most of us have ha to hold the baby when we want to play piny baseball The others laughed ten young Arthur said sold It looks to me us ns if life lite is just one darned thing after aUer another Not quite quitt that Evans stood up Im afraid Im I'm an awful preacher he apologized but you will ask questions Most ups grown-ups dont don't answer them said sold Arthur earnestly they just say Be good and let who will be clever better say Be strong Evans was reeling in his line liue We must be getting towards home Do you see ste those shadows Well We'll be belate belate belate late- late He lie stopped suddenly There had hod been the crack of n a twig and he had turned his eyes towards the sound And there poised above him her hat oil off the Ule warm wind blow blow- blowing blowing ing her bobbed black hair blowing I too the folds of the Iliac lilac frock back from her slender figure stood Jane Jane He Ill went charging up the bank to towards wards her herMy herMy My dear he said sold my dear That was all But he was there holding her hands devouring her with his eyes Then he dropped her hands I thought you were a ghost he said saida a little lItlie awkwardly I called colled you up this morning moraine and Sophy said you were In town I came out at noon The day was wasso wasso wasso so perfect I had to see sec the Glen It is perfect When I found you were out I got the boys I am cm tak taking taking ing a holiday half after otter my trip I He Ill was talking naturally now smiling at her as she stood beside I him She found herself trembling almost afraid to speak again lest lesther lesther lesther her voice betray her She had been more shaken than he by the en en- encounter counter She wondered at nt his ease case And so it happened that woman woman- womanlike womanlike womanlike I like as os they walked alone at last after the boys had left them in the little pine grove back of the house that Jane said Evans you haven't wished me happiness No he said and his eyes met mel hers squarely I think you might spare me that Jane She flushed Oh she said Im sorry He laid his hand for a moment on her shoulder Dont be sorry lit lit- little littie tie tle Jane But we wont won't talk about it That's the best way for both of at ofus of us not us-not not to talk He lIe stayed to dinner stayed for tor an hour or two afterwards afterwards titling fitting him himself self in pleasantly to former niches Jane could hardly credit the change in him It was she decided not so Sg much a II resurrection of the body as ns of at the spirit His Ills hair was gray and now and then his eyes showed tired his shoulders sagged But Dut there was no trace of the old timidity ty the old withdrawals He lie was in in- crested responsive e nt nl times buoy buoy- ant nut The things she she- hC had loved land In him ilm years ago ngo were lignin again there think dark k This man did not thoughts When hi Iw went wont away awn she stood together on the terrace In n the warm worm darkness mid and d watched him lie Ill still limps n little Jane said Yes Vas Shall we WI go In now no Jane No Nu Lots Lot's sit on the lIu stops steps and und see sec the moon rise They sat nit side by b side When is Towne To coming buck back Baldy asked liske I In throe three days dus were shrilling in mo nO monotonous I cadence from from fir far lI ay n came e the plaintive note of a whip whip- Hut there was another plaintive e note not close clo t nt lit hand June Jane youre you're crying Biddy sold said sharply tile the miner matter dear den r He lie put his arm about her hats the matter Malay Baldy I dont don't want to get mar get mar red mar I want to 10 stay sta with you you you- forever forever- You shall stay with me She sobbed mid and sobbed and he soothed her Little sister little sis sis- sister sister ter he said you lire are crying too much In these clays days At lust List June Jane spoke Dearest I must marry him Theres There's no way out lies lie's done so much for me me- me and sonic some day duy perhaps Ill I'll love him CHAM UK XIV XI It was after the tile day when she ehe had met Evans in the Glen that Jane began to be haunted by ghosts There was a ghost who wandered through Sherwood on moonlights a u limping hesitating ghost who said Youre wine Jane I must have my daily dally sip of you And there was a n ghost who came in a n fog og and said You lire are a n lan Ian lantern lantern tern June June held held high And that ghost In the glow of the You You You are arc food oud and drink to me June Jane Do you know it IU Ghosts ghosts ghosts holding out appealing hands to her And always she had turned away But nut now she shedid shedid shedid did not turn Over and over again oguin she lent her ears to those whisper whisper- whispering ing words Jane June you ar nr n ne Jane you are a lantern lantern You are arc food tood and drink Jane Jane Well she was having her hes' punish punishment ment She had not loved him when he needed her And now that she needed him she must not love him She hardly knew herself herscU All the years of or her life she had seen things straight and she hud had tried to live up to that vision She saw them straight now She did not love lovo Fred Fred- crick Towne She had no right to marry him Yet she must There was no way out Towne was aware of a difference In her when he returned from tram New York She was more remote A little less responsive Yet these things caused him no disquiet Her lIer crisp coolness had hud always constituted ed one of her great charms You are arc tired dearest he told her I 1 wish you would marry me right away and let me make you happy They were lunching at the Capitol Capitolin in the Senate restaurant Freder Frederic ic Ie was an on Imposing figure and Jane was aware of his importance Peo Pea People People pic glanced at him and glanced again and then ten told others who he was Some day duy she would be his wife and everybody would be tell tell- telling telling ing everybody else that she was the wife of the great Frederick k Towne The attentive waiter walter at nt her el elbow el- el elbow bow laid toast on her plate and arad served Maryland crab from n a silver sliver chafing dish Frederick knew what she bhe liked and had hud ordered without asking her But the delicious food foud was tasteless 70 TO III UE n CONTINUED lU |