Evening star., 1935-08-02
INSTALLMENT xxx.
A PAIR of feet on the window
~ sill, a hand that plucked aim
~ lessly at the figured covering
4 n of the chair arm, a pair of

A PAIR of feet on the window
" sill, a hand that plucked aim
~ lessly at the figured covering
n of the chair arm, a pair of
eyes from the upholstered depths,
fixed unseeingly on the traffic of Pros
pect avenue that whirled past the
corner below. A mental void that had
turned the slow minutes into hours.
Paul, of course. Back in Kansas
City. Yesterday, they had been in
Dallas-only yesterday. There was a
morbid fascination In living it over
| again.
Across the darkening room, Ray
slept on the diyan, small limbs asprawl
in the abandon Of childhood, tiny
/ fist clenched on the pillow.
Shadows in the street below length
ened. Somewhere a clock droned 6,
/ faint but distinct. And a herd of
cattle hit the stairs! Paul got up
slowly and snapped on the lights.
! Sue Train and Bur entered in their
customary rush, laughing, pushing
each other in a joyous disregard of
their ensuing dishevelment. They
bore down upon the figure by the
chair.
mo grind tonight, PAUL." cried the
grinnipg Paul. We're off Imagine!
After six years in the mines
O-W-W-w-"
The last inspired by Sue, who
pinched his arm. She put hand
over his mouth.
Throttle down. Tarzan," she COM
manded "You'll wake Ray up!"
Bud groaned and careSsed his arm,
sol;citously. Paul" he rasped, in a
stage whisper. hand to his mouth. con-
fidentially. I'VE don't work t'night.
Not till tomorrow wnight-understand
hear me all right? Amt that some
thing!"
Paul regarded the whisperer, dis
paSsionately. "Okay with me-" he
said.
Go on" prompted Sue. Tell him
the rest. But keep down to two stages
of ampliflcation-if possible. Go on"
Bud seemed suddenly reluctant. He
hesitated, glanced from the girl to
Paul, shuffled his feet.
Tell him." repeated Sue. And
don't forget to throw out your chest.
Go on, now"
The urged ones wandering gaze
settled on Paul. He became slightly
red-faced.
"Ah-Sue and /" he began. Sue
and I-we-that Is, we intend to
-uh" He seemed to grope for a
word
"Well?" interpolated Sue critically.
The struggle was resumed. Bud ran
hand through his mussed hair.
"Y'see. Paul." he stammered. "Sue'n
Its like this"
God love it," Sue assisted ma
tenally Its bashful-that's what it
is. What he means to say in the next
10 hours. Paul. is that Mr.. and Mrs.
CORVALLIS Samuels of Milwaukee an
nounce the engagement of their only
son Leland to Miss Susie Samantha
Train, your Kantsussity correspondent.
Oka-a-yy, Milwaukee,"
Paul stared moment, then a Wild
ening smile softened the dispirited
lines of his face: He gripped the
hands Of each.
I'm glad to hear it," he declared
earnestly. Neither of you could do
any better, in hundred years! When
does it come OFF,"
The betrothed ones beamed happily.
Bud, his poise regained, offered effu-
sive detail
Next Saturday." he revealed. AT
high noon. right upstairs in Papa
Trains apartment. It'll be ritZy! Sue
in one of those wells with tn long
wheelbase; me in a cutaway; kids
tossin' posies around, and all the other
trimmin's. Tom is gonna play tn
weddin' march and we want you
t'sing, oh, Puh-romise Me, soft and
sweet-get the idea"
yeah" said Paul. "I don't know
the ditty. but I'll take a whirl at It,
And say, before forget it, II GER
tainly congratulate you kids. It's
SWELL"
The wistfulness that crept into his
tone sobered them. They read the
thought uppermost in his mind and
were instantly sympathetic. Bud put
a hand on his shoulder.
Paul." he said This sort Of
bringS-things up, for you, doesn't it?
When think of big blunderin' ham
like myself, stumblin' into the breaks
that white guy like you tried to get
an couldn't, feel-sort of little and
mean. You were square with Ina,
Paul. I didn't think so, for while,
but then I didn't know how Jessie was
putin the screws on you. For long
time, Sue and have hoped that you
two would make it up. An we feel
sort of-selfish, about going ahead,
now. We want Ina to be here
so-so-we could all be together
again. Paul, don't you think-that
that there's a chance-if-if you
would"
The look in Paul's eyes stopped him
For moment he feared that he had
taken undue license in a forbidden
subject.
Paul shook his head slowly. The
spark in his eye that they had mis-
| taken for resentment proved to be
only gratefulness for their under
standing. He even smiled, albeit q
trifie ruefully.
mo" he answered. 81 thought
there might be-a chance, for while,
and I built lot Of air castles. I
wanted her back-there's no use deny
ing it. I still debut I know it's not
to be that way-I know that, now"
They were silent and he haStened to
reaSSure them. d.
Forget it." he admonished. Don't
let it worry you for a minute. My
failure is all the more reason why you
two should make go of it. And you
will. It's mighty decent of you to even
think about my troubles-and ap-
preciate it. So run along and forget
the whole thing. It's just the way the
world goes-smooth for some-hay-
wire for Others"
When they had gone, carrying Ray
with them for an evening at the
movies, Paul sat for some time in the