The Washington times., 1935-12-12

klpp said, Undoubtedly grin
ned slightly and changed the sub
ject.
He had lost not $40 but $500. 1t
was the first time he had ever told
Ann a deliberate lie and he was
q little surprised to discover he
could do it so easily. He remem-
bered suddenly that the only other
time it had seemed expedient to do
SO he had failed completely. He
thought: It's darn funny I can
lie to her about this but I couldn't
about that night with Francine
when I should have :"
He thought then: I'll have to
do something about that five hun
dred right away"
And then Ann was rumpling his
hair with tender fingers and say
ing: Don't look so downhearted,
darling"
He caught her up in his arms
and carried her out to the break
fast table, pauSing twice to kiss
her and once to demand to be
told in words of one syllable that
she still loved him and would
continue to do so world without
end
And all at once the loss Of $500
or the necessity of replacing it
seemed unimportant and trivial
compared with the fact that in
just a few days now he would be
on the Atlantic Ocean and she
would be breakfasting alone in
New York =.
First, it had been 7 o'clock
In the morning.
That was when Ann had aWak-
ened and lain quite still, remem-
hering that this was the morning
of the day Kipp was to leave for
England on boat that sailed at
midnight.
She turned her head so that her
eyes could rest on him. He was
still asleep and she raised herself
carefully on one elbow so not to
awaken him and stared at him en-
grossingly. her mouth and eyes
tender. Then, after long while,
and when she could bear it no
longer, she leaned over and kissed
him.
Now, it was 5 o'clock in the
afternoon.
Kipp had gone to have shower
and Ann was walking up and down
the lving-room; up and down,
pausing now and then to straighten
magazine on a table or light a
cigarette or extinguish one. 1t was
so hot that her silk blouse clung
to her damply. Her bangs were
too long and she kept pushing
them back on her forehead with
slim, nervous fingers.
Some time during the afternoon
1t had begun to rain. Wistfully,
half-heartedly, as it often rains on
q hot sultry afternoon in late
August.
Ann walked over to the blue
sofa and Strengthened a cushion.
She wished Kipp would hurry with
his shower. But she was glad he
was singing. At least she could
hear him. He was there, on the
other side of door. And in such
little while he wouldn't be. He
would be, instead, on the other
side Of an ocean. An enormously
wide ocean. Ann laughed little
shakily kicked a footstool out of
the way and went into the bed
room.
II am behaving" she told her
self Scornfully, like a child, and I
meant to be very brave and gay.
will be brave and gay!"
Then she looked at the three
pigSkin bags all packed, and two
Of them neatly strapped, on the
bench at the foot of the bed, and
her face crumpled up suddenly
and two tears splashed down
across her mouth.
Just what does one bring a
person one loves very much from
Iondon?" Kipp wanted to know
above a cheerful splashing of
water.
Ann didn't answer him because
she couldn't trust herself to speak
just at that moment. She walked.
instead. over to Kipp's dresser and
began nervously Strengthening an
array of things he had thrown
down on it,
She laid his watch and his keys
and his cigarette case and lighter
and his check book all in a neat
little pile. There were some letters
and an address book and a foun,
tain pen. She laid these with the
other things. That left a narrow
pink check lying face down on top
Of the dresser
Ann picked it up and looked at
It. Not really interested in it; not
really seeing it.