Show tr due t f lI MA B y HA f OEO b i. i i j 0 O MARTHA SERVICE lf lif p THE STORY THUS FAR Lovely Lorely Independent Autumn Dean returning home to British Columbia from abroad without her fathers father's knowledge stops at the home of Hector Cardigan an old family friend He tells her that she should not have come como home that things have changed Arriving home at the Castle of the she Is greeted lovingly by her father Jarvis Dean who gives her to understand that she Is welcome wel come for come for a short visit Her mother former belle named Odell has been dead for years Autumn cannot understand h her r fathers father's attitude though gives him to understand that she Is home for or good She has grown tired of ot life In England where she lived with an aunt Her father gives a welcoming dance at the castle Autumn meets Florian Parr dashing well well educated educated young man of the countryside Late In the evening Autumn leaves the dance rides horseback to the neighboring ranch where she meets Bruce Landor friend and champion of her childhood day days CHAPTER II Continued lI-Continued 4 It was only when they reached the thelong thelong thelong long avenue of Lombardy poplars leading to the Landor house that their voices ceased Bruce seemed suddenly to have become preoccupied preoccupied preoccupied pied with something apart and remote remote remote re re- re- re mote as he rode slowly forward his eyes fixed upon the house that stood among the shadows at the farther end of the avenue A cool ripple of apprehensiveness passed down over Autumns Autumn's body a feeling ominous and totally strange to her experience ence She recalled now that as a girl she had always been afraid of Jane Landor though she had never known the reason And now within a room there beyond that glowing window lay the helpless form of the wom woman n whose forbidding manner had often caused Autumn to shrink from her It was not fear that overcame overcame overcame over over- came her now but pity pity deep deep pity for the woman whose staunch fortitude fortitude fortitude forti forti- tude had been reduced to frailty by bya byn a n life that had beaten her at last lat When Bruce finally dismounted before before before be be- fore the doorway and stretched his hand up to her she laid her own slender one within it and got down l For hor or a moment she clung to his hand and hesitated Wait Vait Bruce she whispered and the thought struck her that she should not riot have come like this to see Jane Landor He smiled down upon her and folded folded folded fold fold- ed his other hand over hers You look look frightened frightened he said leaning I close to her She followed him into the house The large room was in darkness but a light from the open doorway of an adjoining room cast a soft glimmer glimmer glimmer glim glim- mer over the old-fashioned old furnishings furnishings furnishings furnish furnish- ings of the place Immediately a womans woman's voice small and nervous to the point of spoke from the inner room Is that you Bruce Yes mother Ive I've brought a visitor visitor visitor vis vis- vis- vis to see you There was a moments moment's silence Then A visitor Who Ill let you figure that out for yourself Bruce said and led Autumn Autumn Autumn Au Au- into the room Jane Landor was in a sitting half-sitting position among the pillows a light attached to the bed above her thin colorless face Autumn had expected expect expect- ed to find her changed from the woman she remembered but she was not prepared for what she saw there under the soft light of the bed aed She drew back before the look from the fierce black alack eyes that were turned upon her as she stepped through the door door- way Come in where 1 I can see you Jane Landor ordered and struggled to draw herself up for a closer look at her visitor Autumn stepped into the light and stood for a moment smiling down at the frail Crail woman Dont you remember me she asked in a soft voice that was none too oo steady Jane Landor's face twisted suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly as if in spasm She lifted her ler thin hands to her wasted cheeks and drew her breath in a quick gasp You You she cried M Millicent Millicent Milli cent Odell What brings you back here lere Take her away Bruce Take her ler away I Her voice was a hysterical shriek now She covered her eyes with her herlands hands lands as she lay back sobbing among the pillows Bruce was beside her instantly hIS us arms about her shoulders Mother mother its it's Autumn Dean he tried to reassure her Dont you remember Autumn She has las come back His face under the light was I shocked and bewildered Take her away I say Jane Landor insisted vehemently Nothing Nothing Nothing Noth ing but death follows in the way of the She clung to Bruce who tried in vain to soothe her and Autumn stole in a trembling daze from the room and out of the house CHAPTER III Breakfast in the Dean household had always been a ritual In his busiest season Jarvis Dean nevertheless nevertheless nevertheless never never- attended his table of a mornIng morning morn morn- ing mg with the leisurely grace of a country gentleman If a man could not begin the day becomingly the Laird maintained he had better remain remain remain re re- re- re main in bed He was in good spirits this morning morning morn morn- ing mg as he sat in his place his daughter daugh daugh- ter on his right and old Hannah opposIte opposite opposite op op- op- op him at the end of the table nearest the kitchen Hannah Stewart Stewart Stewart Stew Stew- art had since the death of her mistress mistress mistress mis mis- tress twenty years before been accustomed accustomed ac ac- ac- ac to eating with the family unless there were guests This arrangement arrangement ar ar- ar- ar had seemed to Jarvis to tobe tobe tobe be the most sensible one while AulA Au- Au lA tr n was small and had hud to be at at- tended to and later Hannah was so much one of the family that it was unthinkable that she should eat alone Hannah had seen to it that the paper streamers and other decorations decorations decorations dec dec- orations that had festooned the dining dining dining din din- ing room for the dance dunce of the night I Ithe before had been cleared away and the place restored to its wonted I homely austerity She would give I her attention to the drawing room and the rest of the house as soon as the meal was over Here in this room however life llie had returned to its accustomed way To Autumn it seemed that some perverse fate had ordered the quiet scene so that she might find it impossible impossible impossible im im- im- im possible to seek an answer to the questions that had assailed her mind throughout an almost sleepless night She had ridden home from the Landor place and had returned to her fathers father's guests with a feeling feeling feeling feel feel- ing that some curse had been laid upon her She had moved about under a black spell that was as unreal unreal unreal un un- un- un real to her as a delirious dream And when it was all over and the thelast thelast thelast last guest had gone she had hurried to her room and lain awake until dawn I Her father turned his eyes searchingly searchingly searchingly search- search upon her as she seated herself herself herself her her- I self at the breakfast table It was a little too much for you that business last night he ob- ob s 1 r ry r y I I i il l s sJ si i J 1 r f You look frightened he be said leaning close to her served gently You look stale this morning I didn't sleep well Autumn ad ad- Ill be all right when Ive I've had a little rest She had permitted her father to know only that she had indulged an impulse last night to get away alone for a ride in the moonlight it ha had been impossible to tell him of her frightening visit to the I dont don't know what's wrong with the women nowadays Jarvis continued con con- In my time a young woman woman wom worn an could dance all night and go to work the next day and be none the worse for it But the women today have gone to pot Old Hannah sniffed I 1 dont don't see that your men nowadays show much to brag about The Laird smiled Aye they're a feckless lot and have a mighty high opinion of themselves Its Ils hard to judge the present by bythe bythe bythe the past Da Oa Autumn ventured II Aye my girl theres there's something in m that too Its It's the times that make the difference It Il was a hard life we lived when 1 I was a youngster young young- ster and ster-and and it made hard men of us And hard women too Autumn thought her mind upon Jane June Lan Lan- dor take more than a hard life to make anything o 0 the like o o 0 that Par lad Im I'm thinking Hannah suggested Theres no way of telling that Jarvis countered Theres good goodblood goodblood goodblood blood in the boy His father comes of a good line The worlds world's full fun of fools who can boast of good fathers before them then said Hannah stoutly Right enough declared Jarvis chuckling to himself It takes two to breed even a flock of culls Will you be using the car today Da Autumn asked abruptly No IINo Ill I'll be down at the pens till supper Haven't you done enough traveling to be content for a D while I have some things to do in town she said Ill leave right away and be back early Therell be no call for haste the Laird cautioned her You drive that car like something that hail had lest lesther her wits Autumn smiled at him Id I'd lose hire them completely Da if I had nad to sit sil and watch you dr drive ve it it Her father grunted Theres no taming you Im I'm afraid Well you didn't get that from me No observed old Hannah that she She's her own mother over again and theres there's little fault Cault to find with her for that Silence fell upon upon Jarvis Dean as Hannah told of how Millicent Dean had ridden to the hounds in the days when the of Ashcroft Manor Man Man- or were still famous disciples of the chase Autumn listened eagerly and would have ventured a question here and there but that her fathers father's brows grew darker and his countenance countenance countenance counte counte- nance clouded the more as the garrulous garrulous garrulous gar gar- old housekeeper proceeded That will be enough now Jarvis Jarvis Jarvis Jar- Jar vis interrupted finally in a voice voice that quieted Hannah at once and the breakfast was finished almost in silence better b be getting away the Laird advised Autumn as they got up from the table and Autumn felt that her father had no desire to leave her alone with Hannah Get your things together and Ill I'll have havethe havethe havethe the car brought out for you And while Autumn was in her room preparing for the trip to town she could hear her fathers father's voice in stern admonishment to poor old Hannah I Hector Cardigan possessed a horror horror horror hor hor- of glaring daylight and the rays of the late morning sun that filtered into his drawing room between the heavy drapes of the windows suggested suggested suggested sug sug- to Autumn the curious fingers fingers fingers fin fin- gers gers of the present prying into the crypt of the past She sat in one of Hectors Hector's armchairs a glass of iced tea in her hand her lids half closed upon that searching beam of light from the window Hector she said glancing up at him with sudden directness I III came to have a talk with you Do you mind Hector smiled at her We used to get on very well with our talks if it itI I remember I was a child then Hector Yes Yes that's that's so that's so I really really really real real- ly hadn't considered that aspect of our our our-our our friendship may I say I am no longer a child Hector Very trae my dear I recognize recognize recognize nize the fact fact and and I am forced to confess that I have never been a spectacular success in conversations with women You dont don't have to be on this o occasion oc oca casion Hector I am not here for small talk m Hm well m well of course course- I want to ask you some ques ques- I cannot promise promise promise-ah ah definitely you know know to to answer any question a ayoung ayoung ayoung young woman might put to me Can CanI I now Autumn could not tell whether his manner was becoming evasive or merely apologetic You can answer the questions I have in mind Hector I am sure of that Well we shall see perhaps What WhITt for example are you vou going to n r g ask k Autumn drained her glass and set it aside I went over to visit Jane Landor last night she beganI began I thought you were giving a dance I left it for an hour or so and so-and and rode over to the Landor place I Imet Imet Imet met Bruce and he took me to the house to see his mother I see sec Rather singular conduct conduct- for a hostess I should say Ill admit it was was for for the time being in any case I saw Jane Lan Lan- dor You You spoke spoke to her Im not sure Perhaps a word I forget It was what she said to me that I have come to ask you about Hector moved uneasily Poor Jane Landor is not to be held to account account account ac ac- ac- ac count for anything she says these days my dear I understand she is no longer longer coherent I am not going to hold her responsible responsible responsible re re- re- re for what she said Hector I I 1 want to know the meaning of it it that's all m Hm well my dear what dear what did she say When I stepped into the room with Bruce she became hysterical She declared to Bruce that I was Millicent Odell and pleaded with him to put me out Of Was that all Not quite As I 1 turned to leave 1 heard her say that death followed in the way of the Anything else Nothing I hurried out and rode back home as fast as I could For several seconds Hector remained remained remained re re- re- re standing with his back to the fireplace his hands folded behind him his eyes at gaze across the room Well now he said at last it was a somewhat curious greeting you received I confess and one likely to give you pause but as I Isaid Isaid Isaid said before the poor woman woman- The poor woman Hector has hus lost her sense of time and place but there is no use in m your attempt attempting ing to convince me that there was nothing significant in m what she said s I m Hm m well well perhaps you had better belter ask me lne your questions my I Idear j I lear dear and I shall consider them them I What sort of woman was m my nether Hector Autumn a asked ked kedum um bluntly lie Fie Ie looked at her a ii tiller suu tied expression in his eyes Your mother She was the most beautiful woman I have ever known my dear I have heard that years that years ago ago ago- from Hannah Was she in love with my father Hector smiled How can one know what is hidden in a a womans woman's heart I know my father loved her herand herand herand her her- and loves her still after twenty years Did anyone else love her My dear child we all loved her Hector replied with a sigh He turned slightly away from her then and picked up one of the yellowed dice on the mantelpiece She was the only woman I ever loved The simplicity of the statement brought a momentary silence to Au Au- She was aware suddenly of an awed thrill as though some haunting fragrance of the past had for a fleet instant possessed the room But then as she glanced covertly covertly covertly cov cov- ertly up at Hector it seemed to her that she had always known that the elderly soldier had cherished a romantic romantic ro ro- romantic mantic and hopeless passion for Mil Mil- Autumn made an effort to regain her composure Did Geoffrey Landor love her I I she pursued I dont don't see how he could help it really Please Hector I want the truth You know exactly what I mean I must know Hector Cardigan stepped slowly from his place and seated himself in a large chair opposite Autumn a. a 9 Z ZY Y c r rr r MY Partly Partly as as far as it goes Autumn replied He spread his feet before him and slowly brought his hands together the points of his fingers meeting In my time my dear he began began began be be- I gan |