Evening star., 1935-09-21
FEATHER
INHERHAT
bl JULIE ANNE MOORE

hope gone out of his eyes, Lee tossed
the match box into the air The
hum became a continuous. echoing
blast.
well" said Lee. here We are"
Ann said, gravely, We've got to get
down, Lee. It's open there. They'll
be able to see us and at least
We'll have water :"
How they managed that long and
sometimes treacherouS descent, neither
Ann nor Lee would ever be able to
before they started. Yet, they had
done it.
They had been content with mini
mum of salvage from the wrecked
plane-two blankets, one fairly new
and the other not only old and frayed,
but full of spike holes, from the
luggage compartment; the foot-long
fashlight; the two leather seat
cushions, and the canteen.
When Lee was settled on the edge
of the clearing, with his back to a
tree and his injured leg resting on a
cushion. Ann dropped the blanket
she had worn as a pack and pulled
the canteen strap over her head.
IF you'll just be patient now" she
said, whimsically, III hurry supper
all I can"
Lee watched her dark little figure
moving across the clearing until she
came to the plot of grass at the
waters edge. They had had nothing
to eat since dinner at Elmville last
night and they might neve- eat
again-but she could joke about it.
How many men, he wondered. could
have stood up under the strain of
the past "a hours so well? And yes
terday he had thought of her as only
little animal ted girl who would never
grow up and whose sole attractions
were a delightful innocence and an
infectious zeSt for life.
She came back and put the canteen
in his hands. The canvas cover was
cool and damp. You'll find the
steak little rare" she said, smiling,
but most men like it that way"
He took the canteen from his mouth.
"See here, young woman. It's bad
enough to be hungry without being
reminded of rare steak"
Ann said, Its beautiful out there.
Lee. I've never seen so many stars
in my life; and when you bend down
to drink from the stream they're all
around your face"
I'D like to see the stars for
change" Lee said, quietly. Couldn't
we sleep out there, Ann?"
Ann had been staring off through
the blue darkness, lost in thought; but
now she turned and took up the two
blankets and the canteen. "All right"
she said You hold the flashlight."
They were five minutes covering the
distance that Ann had walked alone
in one, but at last Lee sat on the
grass and Ann spread the good blanket
and helped him to slide onto it. She
shook out the other blanket few
feet away and sat down, wearily. After
a little she asked. Suppose another
plane does come along, Lee. During
the night, l mean"
You'd be surprised" Lee said, from
how far up you can see flashlight
If you hear ship, you hop up
and move that flash around in a
circle. Not fast. Just enough to keep
it moving"
You think another plane may come
over?"
Certainly. If not tonight, tomor-
row. They're probably combing the
country for us right now" Lee was
talking against his own convictions
now. but his tone of voice did not
betray him.
A silence fell. Ann lay back with a
leather cushion under her head. Funny
how lovely and peaceful the world
could seem when you were hungry and
lost and wondering if you would ever
be found. She thought of her mother
and father of Rita, waiting in
Mollie's apartment in Washington,
after her first day at the Census
Bureau, probably thinking them both
dead by now -. of Thurman Wells,
dead in the rejecting pool 1t. of Selma
and Deane Runbrecker and the Sena-
tor, and Mollie whom she had not
seen since that first night of Bill
Hudson.
Bill L. what little fool she had
made of herself, falling in love with
him the moment she saw him. taking
1t for granted he must be at least