The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-11-17

key with an ever-so-slightly sur
prised clerk, she stood at the res
taurant's door.
GAS is becoming usual" Marcia
said to herself, IL am looking for
an explanation of my own actions.
That must be the reason | am out
alone in a practically strange city
at this hour. | certainly can't walk
unattended at midnight into a res
taurant where people are dane
ing. Even if | could, what would
it accomplish? John saw Frank
working here at noon. 1t isn't
likely ne would be at work after
midnight, too. And if he were,
what would | do?
at seems that I've been think
ing forever about this - and it
needs stiil more thinking. I'll
need a clearer head for that. I'll
walk to the Boulevard and back
and let some of this delicious po-
lar cap wind from the Lake blow
the cobwebs out of my mind"
But the importunate thoughts
of so many days persisted as she
walked eastward along the empty
ing street. What had led to
Franks thefts? Why had he re-
sorted to flight instead of repara-
ton, which would have been in
character with the Frank Ken
drick everybody knew? How could
he be returned to the life ne had
known, and there re-establish
himself?
What had happened to the pro-
ceeds of his entertainments, that
he was now reduced to the wage
of a busboy? Marcia did not
doubt that his employment was a
matter of sheer necessity, not
means of hiding; there were a
thousand easier ways of avoiding
people than taking job out of
line with ones accustomed sta
ton. What sort of future did
Frank look for, if he looked at
all?
At the corner of the Boulevard
she stopped for a moment before
turning back toward her hotel. A
taxi drove past, and as street
lamp lighted the interior for a
fraction of a second she had q
glimpse of a girl and a man look
ing into each others eyes. In that
brief moment, perhaps by expires,
sion as the tableau flashed and
vanished, or perhaps by that
telepathy which makes all the
world aware of young lovers, they
gave to Marcia a sense of the
thrill that was theirs.
She turned abruptly toward the
hotel. -,
"Did ever feel about Franz
as that girl feels about the boy
with herr" she asked herself. can
swer honestly q. . No, think not
Did Frank ever feel about me as
that boy feels about the girl ?
Again, | think not. What was
there between us, if we didnt
have that? Just our years OF
friendship, of being used to each
other, suppose. We drifted into
that engagement-at rather bad
time.
Being friends with me didn't
keep Frank from running away
from his trouble. Being my fairly
! new fiance did no more. Then
can / do anything for him, oil
with him, now that our status has
been altered?
at all remains to be seen. The
cobwebs haven't been blown
away"
In the hotel lobby, sight of the
entrance to the coffee shop re
minded her that she had had lit
tie appetite for her lonely dinner
and she went inside and ordered
chocolate and rolls. The waiter
gave her the midnight edition OF
a morning newspaper and she
read the unfamiliar headlines, bu'
was too tired to be interested. Sht
drank the hot chocolate grateful
ly, for she had been chilled by
her walk. Finished. she opened
her bag and took out her cigaret
case. She was an infrequent
smoker, but she felt the need OF
] solace now.