The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-12-23

out disturbing hef. Couiu theie
have been an accident? No! she
couldn't bear such dreadful
thought. Scott drove rapidly lots
of times, but he was always care
full. Maybe there had been a blow
out. Or perhaps the medical
injecting had broken up so late that
Scott had decided to stay over
night.
But surely, in that case, he
would have telephoned. Dana
couldn't discard the thought of an
accident. By this time, she was
wide awake, definitely alarmed
The key grated in the door.
Scott entered, tip-toeing in the
darkness in clumsy man-tashlon,
with the hope, Dana realized, OF
not waking her. ..-
"Scottvj she said, switching on
the light by her bed. -,
ooh. You are awake, honey
Scott halted in the act OF she'd
ding his coat, came over and KISS
ed her. j.,
81 was so worried I couldn't
! Sleep" Dana said. 'Where on
earth have, you been?'
"Where have you been, you
mean?" colts thoit ! ouiwtoef
mean?" Scott countered genially
az came home-all the way home
and found that you had been
running around to parties, young
woman"
Dana laughed. "You didn't stay
for the meeting?" i.
mo. I phoned Bill from the Of
flee. | was trying to get up a
bridge game, and he told me you
were there" .- - .a a.,
Didn't he ask you to join u.s."
Eyes, but I decided to come
you didn't stay long, did you?''
"No. It was lonely as the devil
without YOU"
ment?" -, O..
erinned at her. His face was
SLIGHTLY flushed. Dana noted, and
there was a smell of liquor, 100
She said, 81 know. 1t must have
been real entertainment to keen
YOU out after 81
"There's no reason for you TO
keep guessing" Scott said lightly
A little too lightly. The episode
at Paula's apartment had left hlnl
more uncomfortable than he had
believed possible. He had a queer,
guilty feeling. Though he dlan
know why. ...,. ,,r"
81 was at Paula's," he said.
cat Paula'sw Dana's heart,
which had been beating quite
normally a moment before, miss,
/ ed a beat. She repeated AT
Paula's." ... =,
CHATS what I said"
Scott found himself becoming
angry. 1t wasn't like Dana to act
like a little shrew. What if ne had
objected to her running around
with Ronnie? Ronnie had been
in love with Dana. And Scott
himself had never pretended to be
in love with Paula. even slightly.
She had been-until tonight-Just
a companionable friend. 1t was
drinking too much that had sud-
denly made her silly and emotion
al.
Dana was still staring at him.
Her face was white.
81 came home" Scott explain,
ed, lin clipping, careful tones, land
l found you gone. Then Paula
called asking us to come over for
bridge" -,
$50 you went to Paula's instead
of coming to the Richardson's as
Bill asked you to do"
81 didn't know how formal Bills
party was, and I didn't feel like
dressing"
"You stayed away until past
g." Dana said. She was ashamed
Of herself, but the long wait, the
odor of liquor and something, IN
SCOTS eyes combined to make her
| feel terribly shaken. Tears rolled
down her face. >,
eff YOU don't believe me, call
Irene Winchester and ask her
what time we left" Scott suggest
ed coldly.
81 suppose they were last to
leave" Dana said.
owe left together" Scott hesi-
tated, checking himself.
"Well?"
"Look here, Dana, Pm sick Of
this Internal questioning. !
Dana's face was so stricken that
he added, eff you must know, l
was leaving with them, when
Paula called me back for some ldl-
otto reason"
what did she want?"
'Not a darn thing" BY this
time Scott was raging 1t was
pretty hard when a man had def
nitely, unequivocably put tempta-
ton behind him to be met with
suspicion and distrust. True, the
temptation, in the guise of wom-
an with all her defenses down,
weakly throwing herself at his
head, had been no temptation at
all. Scott had been revolted by
Paula's exhibition. Yet here was
Dana, surveying him with unhap-
by, accusing eyes.
DANA" he said, reaching. out
toward her.
Don't kiss me, Scott" Dana