The Washington times., 1936-12-02
CHAPTER XXI

CHAPTER XXI
It took days to persuade Dora
thea.
But I don't want to co." she
protested. Whats the use Of
breaking your neck to deck me
out and get me off for the Orient
and a second opportunity that ]
don't even want? I'll just spoil
it. I spoil everything!"
Darling, you haven't spoiled
anything. You've just never had
a chance. It has been all my
fault, bringing you here and then
keeping you in this awful hole
where you had no chance to meet
anyone!"
IT had the chance to meet the
only man I'll ever love-"
Evelyn wanted to shake her
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie. 1t was
hard enough to imagine what
she'd seen in him in the first
place, but to NOPE and sulk and
weep and mourn for him now
after bed told her to her face
he'd never really loved her, and
had gone back to Helen!
She tried to be patient. II know
but it's over now. You've got to
face it. It's over. You can't go on
this way"
"Oh, know that. haven't been
useless all these days I've been
shut up in my room. You think I
didn't do anything but cry. But ]
have. I've been studying short
hand. I've studied and studied. I
know it will all come back to me
just as soon as 7 get myself a
little more in hand, and get so that
I don't cry so much, and my eyes
don't hurt So"
Evelyn sighed.
could get work, and help you, "
resumed her daughter. Il might
get to be one of those really i'm
portant business women. can try
anyway, I want to try. What's the
use of dressing up a broken down
wreck like me, and send it off,
just a fraud and a snare-and all
the while my heart here, with
Bennie-"
What could you do with her?
What was the use Of trying2
It was Jan who settled it, really.
She said. IF you're right, and you
and Bennie were made for each
other aS-aS some people are
why, the distance won't matter,
will it? I mean, if in time, you're to
come together again, you will
whether you stay here and wait, or
go to Manila and enjoy waiting!"
Dorathea mopped her eyes. IT
suppose so. I believe that. But just
the same I'm not going to take
the chance that you or mother
ought to have"
But mother couldn't go and
leave us? I mean she wouldn't. No
matter how much she wanted to,
she wouldn't ever do it."
"N-No. But you could go. There's
nothing to keep you here, unless
But you're such funny, cold
little thing You don't really
care for that Lowell Kramer, do
you?"
Jan looked at her. For almost
the first time there was no reserve
between them.
Dorathea said, IT didn't know
you felt that way about him. !
thought-just a couple Of kids
He'll be coming back this way
in less than a year-He might even
come in January. wouldn't like
to be away-really, I wouldn't"
Dorathea did something she
hadn't done in years. She put her
arms around Jan, brushed the
flushed, pink cheek with her lips.
And that embarrassed them both,
so she laughed and fused with her
hair and then lit cigaret.
"Well, if you really think I ought
to go >. I know I'd be a fool to
miss the chance. But don't want
MON to have any funny ideas
about my forgetting Bennie. I'm
selfish and I'm mean, but I'm
honest, and I won't go under false
pretenses. But If she'll agree to
that-Ill go!"
Evelyn was so relieved she cried.
Until they began to make in.
quiries and arrange for the ticket,
the seventeenth of November
seemed far, far away. And then
suddenly it was upon them.
Ito Be COntinued)
Copyright 1885 By King Features
MNranlan IA