Show o The DIM LANTERN By TEMPLE BAILEY 0 O PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY COMPANY SERVICE I CHAPTER XVI X XVI Continued t 24 tIt It was on the way home that Jane had said to Bald Baldy I feel like a selfish pig Why my dear To take your precious prize before before be be- fore It It is cold It doesn't seem right It Isn't a s question of right or wrong If things turn out with these new people as I hope Ill I'll be painting painting paint paint- ing like mad for the next two m months And you'll have bave your work cut ut out for you as my model They like like you Jane They said so ao so lie He had driven on steadily for a alime time lime and end had then said I never wan wanted led you to marry him Why not Baldy He lie turned his up lighted eyes upon her tier Janey I I wanted you to have your your dreams dreams She had laid her hand on his armin armIn arm armin in a swift caress Youre a darling darling dar ling ling ling- and after a while Nothing can take us from each other ever Baldy Never had they drawn closer inspirit In Inspirit inspirit spirit than at this moment But they said very little about It When they came to the house Baldy went at once to the garage Ill answer that letter and put in a good afternoon after noon looking over my sketches He did not tell her how bow gray the day stretched ahead of him that him that golden day which had started with high hopes Jane changed to a loose straight frock of orange cotton and without ahat a ahat ahat hat feeling actual physical freedom in the breaking of her bonds she ahe swung along the path to the little grove It was aromatic with the warm scent of the pines and there was a I cool shade In the heart of it it Jane had brought a bag of stockings stock stock- ings to mend and sat down to her homely task smiling amiling a little as al she thought of the contrast between this afternoon and yesterday when she had sat on the rim of the fountain and watched Adelaide and the pea cock She had no feeling of rancor against Adelaide She was iwas was aware only of a great thankfulness She was indeed at the moment steeped In divine content Here was wal the place where she belonged She had a sense of blissful escape Merry ma id came down the path her ber tail tall a plume The kitten fol fol- lowed A bronze butterfly floated across their vision and they leaped for it but It-but but it went above them them Joy joy joyously towards the open blue of the sky The two cats gazed after It H then composed themselves carefully careful ly Iy like a pair of miniature lions lions lions- their paws pawa in front of them sleepy sleepy- eyed but alert for more butterflies or for Janes Jane's busy thread And it was thus that Towne found her Convinced that the house house was empty he had started towards Baldys Baldy's studio Then down the vista vista vis vis- ta of the pine grove his eye had been caught by a spot of golden color He had followed it She laid down her work and looked up at him You shouldn't have come My dear child why not notT Jane you are making mountains ot of o molehills Im not not He sat down beside her The little cats drew away doubtful It was natural that you should have resented resent ed it And a thing like that isn't easy for a man to explain Without seeming a cad a-cad- cad There Isn't anything to explain But Dut there is is I have made you unhappy and Im I'm sorry She shook her head and spoke thoughtfully I think thick I am am happy Mr Towne your world isn't my world I like simple things and pleasant things and honest thin things Its And I like a Woman One man Mr Towne He lie tried to laugh You are Jeal ous it isn't No she said quietly that although men like you think it is A woman who has self self-re must know her husband has hasner hasner hasner ner respect Her tier heart must res rest I in him He spoke slowly Ill admit that thaI Ive I've philandered a lot But Ive I've never never nev er wanted to marry anyone but you I 1 can promise you my future Im sorry But even if last night nad had never been been I I think I 1 should nave nave given given you up I had begun to feel that I didn't love you That out ut there in Chicago you swept me oft off my feet Mr Towne I am sor ry fY And I 1 am grateful For all ail your kindness kindness- She flushed and went on You know of course hat I shant shan't be happy until until until-I I dont don't we you anything He laid his hla hand on hers hera I wish you wouldn't speak of it IL It was war nothing lothing It was a great greal deal He looked down at her slender md Ind young end and infinitely m desirable You needn't think 1 I am going to et el you go he said Im afraid you afraid you must must- He flamed suddenly Im more moret it t f a Woman One man than Ihan you hunk If you wont won't marry me I 1 wont won't have anyone else Ill I'll go or alone As for tor Adelaide A Adelaide A woman womanlike like Ike that doesn't expect much more morr lean uan 1 I gave eave That's all I Cal cai sy 4 about her She means nothing to tome tome tome me seriously and never will She plays lays the game and so do I 1 but its it's only a game He looked tired and old Ill go abroad tomorrow When I come comeback comeback comeback back perhaps you'll change your mind I shall never change It it IV she he said never lie He stood up Jane I could make you happy lie He held her band as she stood beside him She looked at him and knew that be he could not Her dreams had come comeback comeback comeback back to her her of of Galahad Galahad of of Robin RobinHood Robinhood Hood the world of romance bad again flung wide its gates After Towne had gone she sat for fora a long time thinking it over She blamed herself herselL She had broken her promise Yet be he too had bad broken broken broken bro bro- ken a promise She finished mending the stockIngs stockings stock stock- Ings and rolled them Into compact balls The little cats were asleep asleep- the shadows were stretched out and the sun lun slanted through the pines piles She had dinner to get for her return return return re re- turn had bad been unexpected and Sophy Sophy Sophy So So- phy had not been notified She might have brought to the thought of her tasks some faint feeling feelIng feel feel- Ing of regret But she had none She was glad to go in to In-to to make an and and cream the potatoes potatoes- and have hot biscuits and berries berries- and honey Planning thus competently she raised her eyes eyes to to see lee coming along the path pant the two boys who had bad of late been Evans' Evans close com corn She spoke to them as they reached her Cant you stay a minute Ill I'll make you some lame lem They stopped and looked at her herIn herin In a way that startled her We cant can cant Arthur said laid were going over to the We thought we might help She stared at them Help What do you mean Sandy gasped Oh didn't you know Mrs Follette died this mornIn mornIng morn morn- In Ing g i Evans had found his mother at noon lying on the couch at the foot of her bed He had stayed at home in the morning to help her and at atten atten atten ten o'clock she had gone up stairs to rest a bit before lunch Old MarThad Mary MarT had called her and she ahe had not answered So Evans had entered her room to find that she had slipped away peacefully from the world In which she exaggerated her ber own im im- It would go on on without her She had bad not been neighborly but the neighbors would till all come and sympathize with her son aon And Anc they would miss her because she had added to the community some measure of stateliness which they admired even as they resented it Evans had tried to get Baldy on the telephone but could not Jane was at Grass Hills He would calup call cal callup callup up at long distance later There was no reason why he should spoil for them this day of days So he had done the things that tha had to be done In the shadowed house Dr Hallam came and oth ers Evans saw them and they went wen away He moved in a dream lie He had no one to share intimately his sorrow sorrow sorrow-no no sister aister no brother no noone noone noone one except his hla little dog who trailed after him wistful eyed and with limping steps The full force of the thing that had happened did not come to at once He had a feeling that at any moment his mother might sweep in from the out-of-doors out in her white while I linen and flat black hat and sit at atthe atthe atthe the head of the table and tell him I the news of the morning j He lie had had no lunch so old Mary I fixed a tray for him He lie did not j i eat but drank some milk Then he i I and Rusty Busty took up their restless wandering through the silent rooms I Old Mary true to 10 tradition had drawn all the blinds and shut many of the windows so that the house houst was filled with a sort of golden gloom Evans went into into his mathera moth math mothers mother's ers era little office on the first floor and sat down at her desk It was in perfect order and laid out on the blotter was the writing paper with the golden crest and the box ot of golden seals And he had laughed at her henl He remembered with a pang pan that thai they would never again laugh together He was alone He lie wondered why such things hap Was all of life as sin sinister as this Must one always find trag tragedy tragedy tragedy edy at al every turn of the road H Hi He had lost his youth had lost Jane And now his mother Was every everything everything everything thing to 10 be taken laken away away Would then therl be nothing left but bul strength to eo ell dure Well God Gad helping him he worn woul endure to the end lie He closed the desk e gently lint ant went out into Otto the darkened hal hai As he lie followed its length a dill opened at the end Black again l the brightness s beyond he hI aw saw th tin two lads They came forward wilt il some hesitation Out but when Ih they y caphis cap sau a his tired face ace they forgot sell HI cu consciousness We just heard And we ve waa waat U. U help Sandy was spokesman Arthur Arhur Ar Ar- thur hur was speechless But he caught hold of Evans Evan sleeve and looked up at him His eyes said what his voice refused Evans with his arms across their shoulders drew the boys to him It was good of you to come Miss Barnes Darnes said again It was Sandy who spoke that perhaps we might get some pine from the little grove That your mother liked it it Miss Barnes Darnes Is she back Does Does Does' she know We told her She Is coming right over Baldy drove Jane In his little carAs car As she entered she seemed to bring the light In with her She illumined the house like a torch She walked swiftly towards Evans Evans Ev ans and held out her hand My dear I am so ao sorry I thought you were wen at Grass Hills We came back unexpectedly I T am so glad you glad you came He was having a bad time with his voice He lie could not go on 00 Jane spoke to the boys bOY Did you ask him about the pine pin branches Just those and roses tram fum the garden garden gar gar- den Evans You always think of 0 things things- Baldy will take the boys to the grove and do any errands you may have for him She was her calm and competent self self letting letting him get control of his emotion while she directed di dl- others Baldy coming In wrung Evans Evans' hand The boys and I will get the pine and Edith Towne is coming out to help I called her up to tell her her her- Baldy stopped at that He could not speak here of the lory glory that encompassed him He ha hal hai said It U death should come to ui w Edith Does anything else count And she had said Nothing And now she was coming and they would pick roses together In the garden And love and life ute would minister to a greater mystery When Baldy and the boys boya had I gone Jane and Evans opened the windows and pulled up the shades hades The house was tilled filled with clear light and was cool In the breeze When they had finished Jane said That's all I think We can rest a abit abit bit And presently it will be time for dinner I dont don't want any dinner They were in the library Outside Out side was an amethyst twilight with witha a young moon low In the sky Evans and Jane stood by the window looking looking look look- ing out and Jane asked In a hushed voice You dont don't want any dinner because she wont won't be at the other end of the table Yes His Ills face was turned from her His Ills hands were clinched His Ills throat was dry For a moment he wished he be were alone that he might weep for his mother And then Jane said Let me sit at the other end of your table He lie turned back to her and saw her eyes and what he saw made him reach out blindly for her hand- hand sympathy tenderness tenderness-a a womanly brooding tenderness Oh Evans Evans she said laid I Iam 1 am not going gain to marr marry Frederick Towne Why not notT thickly I dont don't love him Do you love me Jane She nodded and could not speak They clung together He wept and was not ashamed of it And standing there with his head against her breast Jane knew that she be bad had found the best besL Marriage was not a thing of luxury and soft loft living of flaming moments moment of wild emotion It was a thing of hardness hard ness shared of spirit meeting spirit of dream matching dream Jane that afternoon had bad caught her breath as she had come Into the darkened hall and had seen Evans standing between those slender lads So some day perhaps in this thil old oldhouse house house his his sons I ITHE THE TilE END |