The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-11-20

the crowd of guests, and a cheer
full log fire. III, !,
All indeed. that they could dc
|, sire. with the exception that IN
storm which had forced ther
down had also put the telephon
lire out Of commission and olock
ed the roads,
The morning papers on tn
breakfast tables Of Bobbs Nee
carried the news that a plan
from Chicago was hours overdu
and unreported. 'Awkins, the Can
field butler. read the news stor,
| over his coffee. with no great IN
tcrest until he glanced down TIT
appended list of passengers, a
announced by the air line. Mis-
Marcia Garfield of Bobbs Neck.
'Awkins was not an alarmiSt
4! He discussed with himself the
matter of sending q wire 10 Mr.
Garfield in Florida, and decided
AGAINST il. For one thing, Mr.
| Garfield would probably read the
same news in 4 Florida paper: II
nc did not, 'AwkinS disliEed the
idea of worrying him pending re-
CENT of more definite word
Therefore, he contented himself
although il did not suffice 70
allay his own anXiety-with tele-
phoning the air line i'll New YORK
and asking that any news be re-
layed 10 him Immediately.
During the day he was kept
busv answering the telephone
friends Of the Canhclds called
constantly to ask for news.
Helen WaddelPs anxiety, al
though shared by many in the VII
lage, was especially acute. She
felt that she had sent her friend
on the trip that had ended, for all
anyone knew to the contrary, IN
disaster. , .
There was n rehearsal that
night for "Half-Acre in Eden,
and Helen mechanically prepared
TO attend, disliking to do so at the
moment of possible tragedy, but
knowing she could accomplish
nothing by remaining away.
IL was a futile rehearsal. Al
though someone was found to
read the lines of the absent Mar
cia, no one could put much spirit
into the enterprise. The cast went
through its routine half-heartedly,
and Mrs. Henderson, the director,
dismissed the members earlier
than usual when she saw that the
evening was being wasted.
But this did not dispense the
players. Hoping in the face OIL
uncertainty, for the best, and
fearing the worst, they remained
in the auditorium and discussed
the possibilities.
What" asked someone, was
Marcia doing in Chicago. anyway!
She must have gone out there
very suddenly. | hadn't heard OF
her going
Dorothy Osborn had restrained
herself during the entire day
while the Village buzzed with the
news, but she could not hold back
any longer.
"As a matter of fact" she said,
al saw her leaving. 1t was at the
station day before yesterday,
when she was catching n train to
the city. -.
az hate to say it, if anything
has happened to her-although i
don't see any reason for not tell
ing the truth - but she told me
distinctly she was going to Sche-
nectady. Now, why should she lie
about it? I've been thinking it
over, and I'm willing to bet there's
more to it than meets the eye.
My guess is that it had something
to do with Frank Kendrick"
"Now, this is cosy" Bruce Nc
Dougall said to Marcia on their
second night in the farmhouse.
Everybody else trots off to bed
on the sofas and cots and shake
downs provided by our charming
hosts, but you're sporty enough
to stay up and share this delight
full fire with me. l don't feel like
sleeping anyway, and when
think of sitting here alone"
you'll sit alone very shortly"
said Marcia. "I'm beginning to get
sleepy. But would like a cigaret
before | turn in again on my
army cot in the hall"
They sat for a while in silence
enjoying the sacrifice OF great
logs in the fireplace.
"This is sort of like being or
shipboard," McDougall said, "Yor
feel you know people after only
short time. Care to hear the story
of my life?"
"How about just one chapter
] now" Marcia retorted. "a chap
| ter explaining why you go around
sketching people so persistently.'
ooh, that! Why, Pm interest
ed in types, l guess. Now, thai
sketch of you, for instance. Thai
was to be first in the file of beau
tiful women. All right, al
right! Then you tell me the story
of your life"
But Marcia declared it bedtime
Lying on her cot, counting sleep
she thought again of the confu
sion of the last two days. She
thought of the curtain rung dowr
on an episode in her life = rune
down by the author of the episode
Frank Kendrick.
She thought, for no indefnita
BILE reason, of the young couple II
love whom, she had glimpsed in {