Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-05-24
CHAPTER III

inpWard to dream moment, anu CIiSH
numbered heavily toward his chair.
"Young man." he added, with hand
wave of dismissal. 81 have offered you
the solution of your dilemma. If you
are bright enough to conduct class,
YOU should be bright enough to act
upon it. I bid you good evening"
Bob, listening, with his hat in his
hand, in a sort of unhappy daze, was
thrown further off balance by this
abrupt termination of the interview
"Well-" he said idiotically; and
then: ''I think I see what you mean"
He didn't see at all. "Good night"
he said, and turned into the hall which
continued toward the kitchen. He Won
dered if he had control enough to
beard Annabelle in her undergraduate
strewn den. He thought not; but An
nabelle at that moment saved him the
effort.
The kitchen door opened, and she
came out in a kind of clinch, at a
ight-hearted lope, with two young
men. Bob noticed first the entirely
prevalent fact that she wore a frall
tight dress, and that she had a blue
bowed band over her incredible hair.
She was two-legged glow, ne thought
and she was an explosion OF excru-
ciating light. Then he discovered, IN
the dim hall. that she had paused
with her companions and that she had
an arm twined about the waist of each
of them, a familiarity which they in
turn reciprocated. They were laugh
ing. They hadn't seen him yet. An
nabelle. at low suggestion, turned
and briefly kissed each boy. And then,
still smiling, she discovered Bob.
He stood silent, his head down, look
ing at her from the bottoms Of his
eyes. His heart was a SNOWFALL, but
it wasn't hot. When thin, momen-
tary scent of corn whiskey whipped
his nostrils from the direction Of the
trio. anger rode down his will like a
troop of icy horsemen.
"I'm sorry" he said crisply. go
on with your necking party. haven't
any jealousy now to cheaper you. l
don't think any is needed"
'Bob!" Annabelle exclaimed, half
in horror, half in frightened reproach.
One of the boys clinched his fists
belligerently and began, "Hey, you'll"
But Annabelle wheeled on him.
go on home, Will. And you too,
Sandy. Bob's either tight or play
ing a joke. Run on, now"
Bob made movement, to precede
them out the front door, but Annabelle
called to him.
"You stay right here, Bob Starr.
I've got some things I want to say
to you. Do you hear?"
He hesitated. Beyond the incident,
a threatening black cloud, he could
sense loss and despair. He was dis
gusted with himself and with the cpl
sode-but he stayed. Will and
Sandy, hatless, their shirts open at the
throat, sidled past him with curious
quick glances. AS they repaired thru
the door behind him, one of them whis
tied in soft amazement.
Annabelle was small and rather
grim in the dusk of the hall. Her
hands were on her hips as she con-
templated him for a silent moment
as if deciding something. He dis
o0x,oroI hot hn of n.
CRY and very much in love with her.
AS they faced each other in min
of laughter, Bob heard Professors
in anything, including the hysteris
of laughter, Bob heard Professor
measured progress from the parlol
across the hall tiward the stair to bed
his "Good night, children" that was
like a sigh, and his deliberate clump
clump in the steps.
Briskly then, Annabelle said: "Come
in here" She walked tensely by hin
into the parlor, and he followed. HI
was angrier now, and more possessed
But he held his tongue awhile.
"Undoubtedly," he remarked finally
with Annabelle seated on the lumpy
divan, her gaze fixed on his shoes
undoubtedly owe you an apology
She looked up at that, and for ;
moment. he thought she was going t.
smile. He wondered if the irony il
his tone hadn't been sufficiently stress
ed.
She shook her head slowly. "BoI
Starr, you are the biggest fool know
Pm going to tell you something" A
pause. Her voice was a nostalgia
drawl, a hearse-rolling over his low
on golden wheels. 81 was kissin' Viii