Evening star., 1935-05-31
ENEMY'SX2@|:aIKISS3 3z:z &zzz

II anything could have impressed
Alison with her fathers anxiety 1t
was the sight Of his crumpled trousers,
his coat which bagged, the soiled blue
collar worn with tie awry and his
unShaven chin. At all times dapper
little man, he looked now as though
he had been put through the mangle
in his clothes.
MY dear, I got your wire and've
been waiting for you all night, at the
Croft House. Marley" she stated,
kissing him warmly.
THE Croft which?"
THE Croft House, Warley, Sussex.
I'd wire from you asking me to meet
you there at II last night. My boat
got in at 3. so I hac just time to
catch the next train to Warley and
hired car and drove out there"
But I've never heard OF the
place!" Maj Rede's weathered face
grew flushed with indignation. Its
these confounded fools at the tele-
graph Office! Mustve muddled up
the telegram! Must've got two wires
mixed up. I wired to you that
couldn't meet the boat and would be
at Victoria at H."
You poor darling" Alison, in her
sympathy. forgot her own distress.
You must've been distracted"
Il was, I tell you, I've been on to
Scotland Yard half the night" He
wrinkled up his round and pleasant
face in laughter as he turned to Guy.
Only got one daughter and I can't
afford to lose her I thought she
muSt've had some awful accident.
never trust French trains"
Alison smiled at her companion.
This is Mr.. Westurn, father, who's
been a perfect lamb and helped me
through"
Maj. Rede extended Q dry. elderly
hand and graSped the young mans,
wringing it hard.
We'll. you must tell me all about
1t. You've had breakfast. of course?"
Yes" They both smiled at that
memory. Alison added, But I had
to stay the night in an empty house
and what 1 want most at the moment
is bath and a change, II you'll look
after MIR. WeSturn."
Guy intervened hastily
"Oh, Ill get home. thanks"
Stay and have a drink. Stay and
have glass of sherry?" Mai. Rede
nodded at his butler who was hover
ing in the background. Get some
sherry, Porter. Yes, yes; you must
He almost drove the young man
before him into the library. linking
his arm in Alison's and squeezing it
as though the mere sight of her safe
and sound was too precious to be lost.
Guys protests were lost in q flood
OF insistence. Alisons plea at least
to be allowed to 60 and powder her
nose was vetoed.
Powder What do you want with
powder at your age? She doesn't
need it, does she? Come on, you must
be dead, my dear. A glass Of sherryll
do you a world of good!'
The sherry, served In tall Venetian
glasses. was very good and very dry:
If neither Alison nor Guy Westurn
needed it, the elder man did. His
color began to return, his wearied
eyes to brighten. He listened in hor-
ror to Alisons very carefully pruned
account OF her adventure, which
touched only very lightly on her
fright in the bathroom, while it en-
phasized Guys part and Cafes
guardianship. and glided diplomatic
cally past the fact that Guy had
stayed there all night long.
Lucky thing you turned up," he
judged. She might've got killed. I
shall write to the telegraph Office and
complain. shall raise the devil until
find out who's responsible. Sending
a young girl off like that in the mid
die OF the night" His final snort
was quenched in dry sherry.
Tomorrow. Alison looks I'd CIV
and doesn't find him.