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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1947-05-01, Page 7THE TIMES-ADVOCATE, EXETER, ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 1st, 1947 Pago 7 Serial Story Autumn Romance by Mary W. Brooks The story thus far: Agatha Le- •Claire, wealthy Montreal divorcee, has fallen in love with Hugh Mere­ dith, fiance of Enid Walters, a young newspaper woman. Enid does not suspect anything until, in New York to arrange for the production .of her play, she sees Agatha and ’Hugh on the street. 'She is still suf­ fering from the shock when she ■arrives at the office of the pro­ ducer, John Harkness, The latter is very sympathetic, but she does not disclose the cause of her shock. She accompanies him to the theater that evening, and is moved by his, kindness. CHAPTER IX Now it was Tuesday afternoon, and she was back in Montreal again on hex? way to Agatha’s. She had felt sure that the lovers •would remain in New York during the week they supposed she was still in the west, arid this idea was verified when she telephoned How­ ard at noon and found that Mrs. LeClaire was still away. ■She would ‘would -Could at 4? told Howard then that she have to go away again and need her trunk this time, he have it upstairs for her This was the only explana­ tion she expected to make to any­ one in the household about her fi­ nal departure from Agatha’s. Hei’ packing was a simple affair. She had no furniture to pack, as before coming to Agatha’s she had •occupied a furnished apartment. At half past six it was all done, even to her taking Hugh’s photograph from her dressing table and Aga­ tha’s from her desk. She had tied them together, and put them inside a magazine in her significant action, They would remain Then she went watch the express company take her '-trunk away to a desination she gave them herself. Howard’s cheer­ ful, “Hope you will soon be back, Miss Walters,” showed that she had quite deceived him about this be­ ing a final leave-taking. But the next minute she was not so sure. “You will let Mrs. LeClaire know when you return?” Enid felt rather than saw that it was Marcelle who had stolen out on the landing over their head’s, -and was waiting for her reply. •Marcelle had probably prowled •through her rooms 'by this time 'and had found that everything was gone. trunk tray; a she thought, there, downstairs to “Of course,” Enid said to How­ ard, unashamed of the lie. There was really no reason why she should get in touch with Aga­ tha again, She had paid her rent ■for May, and she was not returning in June. 'She wanted to shake hands with Howard—he was the only member of the household she was sorry to see the last of—but that would have given everything away. All she could say was: “Thank you, Howard. I shall have plenty of time to catch my train, so I’ll walk down the hill. You Can forward any letters that come to my office.” The door shut behind her—po­ litely, not too quickly. It waB over. Something in hei- life ‘had come to an end. Something was plucked out of her heart for good. Some­ thing else that had been beautiful— a friendship—was lost . . . wither­ ed . buried deep in cold ground. She was walking down the hill, not to catch a train but because her destination was the Butler 'ho­ tel, only a few blocks away on Guy street. She had already sent her suitcase there. Her trunk, however, had gone far down town to the Beacon hotel in the east end near St. ‘Denis street, where she had taken a room to the end of the month. She had always found the Beacop. charming when she had been there at banquets with woman and girl members of the Canadian Women’s Press club. There was an old-world atmosphere about the hotel and square that one could not find uptown. Here she would be gladly lost to her woiTd; she would be able to walk to work instead of taking the street car; she would dine at French restaurants on St. Denis street, polish up her iFrench, and eventually, she hoped, become a writer in earnest. But tonight she was staying at the Butler because it was her last night in the west end. She was saying good-by to her life uptown, to the places that had been familiar ■haunts. She 'and Hugh had always talked of having dinner in the summer garden of the Beacon hotel, but •had somehow never managed it. There had always been the $1. or $1.25 price to worry 'about. Now that she had come into “her money” now that Hugh was a.ble to share Agatha’s . . . As she sat down the wry smile on 'her lips threatened to become i a constriction in her throat. She swallowed with difficulty, trying to beat back her tears, .forcing herself to remember that she was 'at a table in a hotel garden. People would notice her, even if she was wearing a black dress (and looked— to Howard, she hoped—as if she might be traveling. It was unusual for a girl to be there at dinner alone, but of course a newspaper woman had certain liberties. It was nearly 7 o'clock when she began -her dinner, and by 8 she was on her way west along Sherbrooke street to Westmount park, for a rest and a last glimpse of it for some time to come. 'She threw herself down on a bench near the pond, 'and watched it idly while knots of people pass­ ed her or circled the water. Two small Iboys, who would soon have to go home to bed," and who were becoming shrill and frenzied be­ cause they realized it, were having a last fling with their tiny sail­ boats near her. Strangely enough—she came to herself with a start—she found it was Agatha, not Hugh, of whom she was thinking. It was only six •months since they had met Agatha. Here in the summer evening quiet Enid could think of Agatha for a moment without anger; of how she had looked in her jade gown the November night they had met her; of her pleasant dinner fox’ them a few nights later; of Agatha’s dis­ tress that February afternoon when she had seen her husband in the hotel tearoom. Agatha—.Enid could feel almost •calm now—had been caught up by something stronger than herself in her affair with Hugh. She had been discontented, unknown adventure Hugh . It was that Enid uncontrollable anger, with a jeal­ ousy that she knew was contempti­ ble. But the fact remained. She •felt her cheeks flaming, and yet her •heart was cold. The question resolved itself into this: Had Hugh influenced Agatha, or had Agatha influenced Hugh? Perhaps the trip had been in the nature of a holiday fling for both of them—a sudden thought half formulated by Agatha, endorsed by Hugh. Or perhaps . . . What was the good of this end­ less searching out of heart and motive? She would never know. Perhaps as she sat here think­ ing of them they had already de­ cided on an elopement to Europe, where they could do as they wished. 01* possibly they would be married before they left New York, and go to ‘London or (Paris on the next ship sailing. Hugh would write to Enid, say­ ing that he was really in love at last, begging her forgiveness . . . Agatha would not dare write! She had given something with one hand, and with the other snatched to of at disillusioned, yet— herself—ripe for an some kind. the thought of Hugh felt herself shaken with that—and everything else Enid careci for—-away ngain. It was growing dark now. The electric lights in their incandes­ cent globes were dull gold balls in straight rows through the trees, through the winding paths of the park, near the little bridge that led to the big cricket field beyond. In the black rippling water at her feet Enid saw two of the golden globes reflected many times over. As she watched, gleaming circles rose from the bottom like golden plates flung into the air by some submarine juggler. Sometimes when the breeze, subsided and the water was almost still, the juggler took a moment’s rest—but the next minute the golden plates were flung up again, higher and higher, till their reflections looked as if they would reach the trees. Enid got up to go. Tomorrow night she at her new home in the At about 6 o’clock the day afternoon, Enid had Marks 50 Years would be i east next , just down her fountain pen .for a in hei’ work when the doorway of her small office was suddenly dar­ kened and she looked up to see Hugh standing there. The throb of anger that shook hei* at the sight of him—as she knew it would—'was followed in a moment by something like pity for ■him. How little he dreamed that she knew! “You are back sooner than I ex­ pected,” he said, truthfully enough, coming forward with extreme non­ chalance to sit in the chair at her right. “ suppose I don’t dare kiss you in the sacred precincts of a newspapei’ office?” •She found voice at last. “No, indeed.” (Not now, “Never again!”) And yet his presence was disturb­ ing. She looked up at him; her heart was pounding uncomfortably. “Did you have a good time in the Laurentians,” she asked. (One couldnt have a scene here. One had to be conventional.) He was silent. She knew after a moment that he had suddenly realized what he had always to remember when he was with hei*: that he had been to the usual hunt­ ing ground of the Montreal holiday maker, the Laurentian mountains. He had left word to that effect. He would have to live up to it. “Not very exciting at this time of year. But one escapes the black flies, of course.” Poor Hugh! He had to go on with it. She couldn’t resist being petty and cruel a little longer. “Why didn’t you stay over this week-end then? It seems foolish to come back on a Friday!” “I thought you might be back.” The words slipped out—he could not see how ironically. He had not expected her so soon, and yet he thought she might be back! Is Agatha back too? The ques­ tion wavered on Enid’s lips; with ' end. Fri- laid lull •Mr. and Mrs. J. H. A. Robinson, of Lot 10, Con. 3, Blanshard Town­ ship, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with members of the immediate family as guests. 'Mrs. Joseph White, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Robinson and Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Arthur also were guests. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have lived on the farm where Mr. Robin­ son was born all their married life. Mr, Robinson is 7C years of age, Mrs. Robinson, the former Lottie Pearn, of Usborne Township and is 71 years of age. They were mar­ ried in Kirkton Methodist parson­ age by Rev. Thomas 'Snowden, Ph.D. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have two son, two daughters and 11 grand­ children. Sons and daughters are: James E. Rdbinson, at home, and his family; Joseph Robinson, also of concession 3, Blanshard, and Mrs. Evenial Stephens and Mrs. Clarence Stephens, Fullarton Township. Many cards, flowers and gifts were re­ ceived. William Rodd has sold his 100- acre farm on the 8th concession of Blanshard for $7,500 to Mr, Geo. M. Dann of Bryanston, who will take possession ‘this week. Mr, and Mrs. Rodd moved to their residence in Granton some time ago. — St. Marys Journal-Argus. A Scotchman helped his friend out with his income tax by going to live with him as a dependent. an effort she suppressed it. No, she would find out nothing that way. She must think of him as a stranger . . . be careful. . . . He stood up and went over to the wall to turn the leaves of her cal­ endar. “I haven’t heard anything about your western trip yet,” he said with sudden impatience, striking the month of May for no reason at all. "Come out and have some dinner now and tell me about it. Then you can come back here and finish your work.” She had no intention of telling him that her work was finished and that she would not be return­ ing. It was M'ay, women’s club meetings had come to an end, and she had much less to do. "Very well, I will put on my hat in the cloakroom.’’ “Cheerio.” He looked relieved. He loved Agatha, but habit bound him to Enid. He was, as usual, drift­ ing . . . (Continued Next Week) Next Week: Enid’s hurt pride at the way Hugh has scorned her love makes her a little cruel when she reveals that she knows the secret of his love for Agatha We prepare and recommend the following Permanent Pasture Mixtures: Long-’ Per Acre erm Pasture Mixture *A” Orchard Grass 4 lbs. Brome Grass 5 lbs, Meadow Fescue 3 lbs. Alfalfa 4 lbs. Timothy 4 lbs. Blue Grass 2 lbs. White Dutch Clover 1 lb. Ladino Clover 1 lb. This is the O.A.C. formula 24 lbs./ A nurse crop of Early Oats or Rye Grass is recommended with above. Long-Term Pasture Mixture 0 Meadow Fescue 4 lbs. Orchard Grass 5 lbs. Brome Grass 5 lbs. Canada Blue Grass 2 lbs. Perennial Rye Grass 3 lbs. Domestic Rye Grass 3 lbs. Timothy 4 lbs. Crested Wheat Grass 2 lbs. Ladino Clover 1 lb. White Dutch Clover 1 lb. 30 lbs © Per Acre No nurse crop required with this mixture, the Rye Grasses serving this purpose. Under normal growing conditions and proper care in plant­ ing either mixture will provide an abundance of pasture annually from early spring until late fall for from five to ten years and will graze 2 to 3 animals per acre. Complete seeding instructions in every bag or we will gladly mail on request. All ingredients new crop Grade No. 1 Seed prepared according to approved scientific standards. 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