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Updated: June 17, 2025
"I knew, I knew he wouldn't keep his original mind!" exclaimed Hildreth. "He's holding the wire ... wants to say something to you, Johnnie." "Yes, Penton, what is it?" "Only this," his voice replied, as if rehearsing a set speech, "yesterday afternoon I sent a telegram to my lawyer to institute proceedings for a divorce, and I mentioned you as co-respondent...."
My next was that we should up and run away together, and defy Penton Baxter and the world. Hildreth could see by the strangeness in my behaviour, as I came into the cottage, to kiss her good-night ... and stay a little while a new custom of ours, as we grew bolder could see that I had something on my mind. I related to her all that had taken place between me and Penton that morning....
Though Penton had gone on frequent walks with Darrie, after his day's work, chiefly because Hildreth had not wanted to go on walks with him herself, or had not wanted to accompany them both yet she and I seized on the precedent Penton and Darrie had set, and we were abroad most of the time ... roaming idyllically in the fields, the woods ... passionate ... mad with the new love that had come to us ... unseeing, in our absorption in each other's arms ... praying with devout lover's prayers that we were as unseen as unseeing....
With bravado I acted my part of the triangular drama ... but Hildreth carried off her part with an easiness, a femininely delicate boldness, that compelled my utmost admiration ... she even threw suspicious Ruth and Darrie off the scent at times. Who was this little, alien man, Penton Baxter, who also dared claim her possession!...
I found Penton Baxter, his wife Hildreth, and their child, Dan, living in two tents, among a grove of trees, near the main building of the Health Home. These two tents had, of course, board floors, and there was a woman who kept them in condition ... and there was a rack for towels, and hot water was supplied by pipes from a nearby building. I think the tents were even wired for electric light.
One afternoon Penton and Hildreth were closeted together from lunch to dark. It was my turn to cry out in my heart, and suffer agonies of imagination. The next morning Hildreth began packing up, with the aid of Mrs. Jones. I came upon her, in the library, where I had gone to get a book. My face fell dismally.
Once alone in the room, Hildreth, to my consternation, could talk of nothing else but Penton. " to think that he would do such a thing to me, only to think of it!" she cried vehemently, again and again. "If he believes in freedom for men and women, why was all this necessary? the sordidness of the public clamour? the divorce court?... oh, my poor, dear, sweet, wild poet-boy, you're in for it!
He had good table manners, but, from time to time, he forgot himself and smacked his lips keenly. And the egg dripped on his chin as he flashed a humorous incident that had happened to him on one of his lecture trips.... After breakfast he and I took a long walk together ... we began speaking of Penton Baxter ... I spoke in high praise of the great novelist ... reverently and with awe.
"Johnnie, my own sweet darling, my own dear, pure-hearted, mad, young poet.... "Don't talk that way.... "Come to me again...." "Penton must not know. Not yet. You must let me tell him. "It is my place to tell him, sweetest of men, my darling boy...." "Go to your tent. "He'd see it in your eyes now." "No, I won't go to my tent. I'll go right up to the house."
Reporters swarmed over his front porch and into his house to interview him, on the triumphant return of the party when they had served their forty-eight hours. Penton gave out interview after interview.
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