Show 7 A many SCHUMANN ir or sr ice C CHAPTER LX IX continued 10 ellen was silent for a moment then she leaned forward pleadingly mother I 1 please dont say no right away I 1 take that last year ol of art school this fall fail I 1 know it is october but id only be a few weeks late I 1 could make it up they go abroad in december please talk it over with eatherl im very unhappy here please let me go awall lizzie straightened herself regally now weve been all over that before no daughter of mine can go around studying naked statues in france and italy with a troop of dissolute students not dissolute 1 I dont care how well you are chaperoned or how famous famore your instructors are I 1 wont hear of 0 it perhaps some summer you can go with ms me to europe your father will never leave long enough to take me so well go tog together etherl just be patient but its not the same I 1 want the instruction in the class I 1 want to graduate from pearson fearson school but why wh y in the world do you want another year you cant seriously mean to be an artist why not an artist fizzles Liz Lizz les voice whined like a saxophone oil off key with all your fathers money such nonsense its ICs not nonsense mother its seeing things further than anyone else sees expressing things that others feel dimly its itis something th t too 0 0 tremendous to put into ord I 1 w words s the silver voice ran off lizzle lizzie like rain oft off waterproof water proof she reached up and swatted a fly on the curtain im sure you paint very pretty pictures now she said flatly ellen knew her cause was lost she wondered drearily if lizzie had ever been in love not liking not acceptance but had known this lovely terrifying thing she felt tor for jerry she have or she would remember CHAPTER X on monday morning hugh departed on a weeks hunting trip with do DOJ I 1 hiller and two of docs friends both of whom hugh had met on several previous occasions hugh sat beside doe doc who drove and akin were in the rear together with duffle bags grips and gun cases and raps english setter laddie two restless setters were boxed on the trunk rack in the rear toward noon coon they had covered a hundred and fifty miles and were approaching the hunting preserve doc became more and more enthusiastic this little burg is A mile from here we turn off on the roughest road you ever saw narrow as the gate to heaven and second gear most of the way three miles of that before we come to the lake and you see the bodge i 11 they were driving through country where rising hills were gayly flying the last banners of autumn they had bad the colors of a paisley shawl infinite shades of yellow rose scarlet green and mauve at the next curve see it said doc ile he had cast aside his bis professional manner and was a boy out on a lark hugh marsh was vas unexpectedly with him he had met hugh in an elevator a few days ago said to him im going on a hunting trip monday bird hunting ruffed grouse going up in northern pennsylvania where our club has twenty two hundred acres an impulse had made him speak of it suddenly that way hughs eyes had kindled ile he had laid his hand on his arm take me along doc im no hunter but I 1 need to get away I 1 go as a guest pay my share go he had almost choked hugh gol go the darned old MIMI idiot no one he would rather have with himl him sure you can go he had un answered and they had gone into hughs office and talked over the equipment he would need doc hiller had explained about this club to which he had belonged tor for three years and suggested that hugh jorn join it the dues were only fifty dollars the comfortable lodge house could take care of twenty men they had dammed the stream and stocked th elake tor for trout fishing in november the members went for grouse and quail and in december for deer and black bear it was a hunters paradise the air was like wine the fellows were a good sort no game hogs they had a colored cook who could cook like nob odys business hugh would be so tired he hd would ifould ale sleep P like a baby ca cot will veil and forget forge I 1 h he e ever had a steal plant to worry overl hugh had drawn his hand across his eyes with a tired gesture just the thing just what I 1 want doc shut his teeth grimly he knew what was eating the old boy lie he had guessed it before the hints came here we are he sang out si blesey the caretaker a tall weather beaten ostive ol of the hills met them at the door just behind him was jim the colored chef smiling the hall was filled with trophies of moose and deer gun racks occupied one side to the left was a living room thirty feet long and about eighteen wide with a gray stone fireplace blackened at the lintel a fire of beech logs blazing in it it doc showed it to hugh with pride heres where we spend our evenings tonight sit up late perhaps a poker game or talking guns and dogs but tomorrow night the first day of the season one by one they disappear up the stairs cant stay awake hugh and doc occupied one of the seven bedrooms the bu bull 11 pen a long room with its eight cots was left for the late arrivals they had lunch in the big dining room with its rectangular table made of planks with birch log supports then set out with si bieley and two or three members of the club from tryon city to reconnoitre they tramped up to wolfs hollow to the cherry grove and in the old orchard they found fresh bear tracks the bears had been feeding from the old apple trees had clawed out the honey from a stump after dinner doc showed him how to oil his gun and discussed the value of 12 16 and 20 gauge shotguns hugh refused to enter a bridge game but sat behind rap at the poker table for an hour then such a weariness came over him that he went up to his bedroom As he undressed he vaguely wondered what dorrie was d doing she was staying with his mother mothe while he was gone she want to take a vacation now the only place she cared to go was atlantic city and she would rather go there at easter strangely enough she seemed removed outside the periphery of his emotions for the first time he felt almost no interest in what she might be doing at six the next morning there was a banging on his door and jims voice announcing Brcak breakfast fast dr hiller mr marsh he went on down the corridor knocking at each door hugh ads was half dressed when doc raised himself on his arm grinned sociably said dellol howd you sleep exactly like the infant you said I 1 would and I 1 feel horribly hungry Is that ham we smell trying in g doc rolled out home cured ham they could hear bear voices downstairs and in the yard the yapping of the dogs as food was brought to them the darkness outside was rifted drifted with gray and the air from the open window damply chill later when they had breakfasted and set out in twos and threes for the different locations the sun broke through hugh wearing his new hunting coat and red cap carrying his new gun went with doc youre liable to get a bird before I 1 do beginners luck I 1 never knew it to fail I 1 hope you do it will make you enthus enthusiastic lastic a real hunter hugh drew on his pipe thanks doc birds or no birds this is good enough for me he indicated the woods quiescent and gleaming in the sun something in him balked at shooting anything living and free but he tell doc that when tobey flushes a bird you fire first ill have the second shot it if you miss were going to the grapevines be ba feeding there today how far is it another mile I 1 think hard to tell on this uneven ground suddenly tobey stood still his tail a rigid line there was movement in the underbrush to the lefts left a sudden whirring as two ruffed grouse rose in flight after a see second or two does docs gun spoke but he missed them you shoot he looked at hugh reproach reproachfully fu ily 1 I waited tor for you why you hugh gave a deprecatory laugh 1 I told you I 1 was a poor one to go hunting wiehl I 1 know what it was all about until you fired doe doc gave him a push still sleepy never mind well probably see others a bird or two compared to say you know I 1 dont give a darn dam whether we get any liable not to you will be handicapped from the start 1 I was going to say compared to having you along said doc not looking at hugh as he moved ahead hughs eyes dwelt on docs broad back something sturdy and dependable pen dable about that back got a match roc poc paused and pulled out his lighter hugh kept his bis eyes down as he held the flame to his pipe get this straights straight old man im not much for saying things as you know but your taking me on this trip means a lot to me think ot of tha th finest lifesaving life saving lob job you ever accomplished in that hospital of yours tumor on the brain blood transfusion what are some of the things you do to keep people alive amputation amputation 11 hughs hazel eyes held a sudden glint whatever you do there he said slowly youre doing now for me ayou understand doc nodded sure I 1 do As he walked on he whistled a few bars of pack up your troubles halt half under his breath that afternoon when they came in footsore and weary they had two birds both of which doc had shot after dinner hugh wandered outside away from the smoke filled noisy living room he saw a small animal swimming perhaps it was a beaver the lake was black shot with a few reflections of light from the windows of the lodge the opposite shore was shrouded in darkness amputation the word repeated itself clung to him he raised his eyes the faint radiance of early evening was in the sky A single star very brilliant very large hung above the top of a pine it seemed to be challenging his attention bright star he gazed at it a long time its steady shining seemed to bear a message one that his groping inner ear translated he felt as if he had been lost in the labyrinth of an underground cavern fumbling this way and that falling hopeless far off he saw the light of an opening which promised to bring him upward to the sunlight once more to peace it was friday night when hugh came home doc stopped his car before the marsh home hugh unloaded his bags carried them up the walk his hi s mother met him at the he door we expect you so soon dorrie has gone over to the lawrences Lawren ces the lawrences Lawren ces he took off his chamois jacket who wh are they fluvanna looked startled friends of yours dorrie said oh yes he gulped remembering he turned as kezia came out ot of the living room hello kezia hello any luck she kissed him twice with warmth he was pleased you done that since you came from school you been away before and im glad to see you hughie bring anything for the family larder three grouse and a couple of quail but dont ask who shot them jerry purdue sauntered out of the living livin room good evening mr marsh have a nice trip yes thanks hugh looked at him with surprise was jerry now calling on kezia it if excuse me ill go wash vash up a bit he joined his mother in the library at the end of the hall a few minutes later a pleasant room with a fireplace and open bookshelves lining the walls she had been read ing something and the book lay on her lap how long has this been going on Hs he motioned toward the liv ing room quite a while do you approve of it no I 1 gave my consent because she was meeting him secretly theres ellen 1 I know pain was alive for or a moment in his mothers eyes what will be the outcome she will tire of him or she will marry hirn him she says she wants to marry him now hugh lighted his bis pipe be damnably unhappy I 1 predict he pulled on his pipe savagely jerry smashing up ellen and kezzie wanting him to satisfy her vanity 1 I know those things hugh and yet what 1 I think that kezia will get along with him better than euen ellen they have a common meeting ground their selfishness makes them understand der stand each other ellen has depth and loyalty she is suffering now but not so much as she might have done later but mother he wont make kezia happy she turned her eyes on hugh with a patient infinitely gentle gaze im afraid not and of course I 1 want her to be happy there was silence between them tor for a moment then Flu fluvanna varina went on hugh that has been my goal in life to have you children happy but I 1 am beginning to see seebe bc ginning to see her voice faltered that no parent can guarantee happiness to her children they both sat still and hugh had a knocking prescience that she knew knew about dorrie no parent can guarantee happiness she had said and had looked at him with compassion did she know it she sha did he felt sorrow that she would have his burden to bear and a tremendous relief mother he said then stopped gazed at her hugh i she opened her arms and he bent to her put his head on her breast with aching yearning felt her tenderness hood flood and envelop him oh mother he sighed his eyes were tearless but the aching pain was released her arms folded around him her cheek check lay against his hair they were close in that mystic bond of mother and son its hard hugh im glad you know he groped to his feet stood by the mantel dont grieve too much I 1 have to get myself together meet it it has happened to quite a few others lived through it it hopeless tell me about it for while I 1 saw you getting haggard and silent it until dorrie came this week that I 1 realized did she speak of it she shook her head 1 I only knew something is very wrong I 1 met lizzie pendleton this week in a department store she said too bad about hugh and dorrie I 1 asked her what she meant and she gave me an odd look and said she supposed I 1 knew and swept away I 1 pieced it together he began to pace the room then he told her the story or as little as he could minimizing suppressing scanting details 1 I suppose you have to know I 1 hoped you but situations like this never stand still to go back to where we were he shook his head is impossible something is killed destroyed his mothers eyes were filled with tears she looked suddenly old and white her vitality borne away by her deep suffering tor for him the telephone rang in the closet under the stairs and they heard kezia scramble to answer it her hello was followed in in a moment by you wont be home yes cars have a way of getting out of commission at times ill tell your husband not to expect you here of course hes here got in an hour ago she appeared at the library door then hugh the telephone she lingered a moment caught by the gravity of their faces its dorrie she whispered hugh took up the receiver hello 1 hugh she began with hesitation 1 I think be home until tomorrow you no I 1 her voice strengthened and had a whip of defiance in it anyhow im at the lawrences Lawren ces and they find they have a flat tire wanted me to stay all night but if youre home ill send tor for a taxicab shall I 1 come for you no need of it its way across town ill be along in half an hour very well said hugh grimly but dont come here go to our own house he began to gather up his things ill take your car mother if you u dont mind kezia hovered over him in excited solicitude ill drive you over hughie come jerry help me get the car out she paid no attention to his protestations that he drive himself but hurried away with jerry following soon kezia sounded a summoning horn from the driveway hugh put down his burdens in a corner of the hall im going but ill be back in a little while im only going to talk to her he strode out the door he waved to kezia in dismissal thanks but I 1 want to walk CHAPTER XI the walks were uttered littered with leaves that scuffed under hughs feet his shadow lengthened as he passed under one are arc light shortened as he be approached the light at the next corner he walked slowly took the long way round that he might give dorrie time to get home for or cun to get away time for her to rehearse her story for the last time and he must be cool as he was now viewing the whole thing with balance the turmoil which had mounted in him the last hour and which had |