The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-04-06
CHAPTER NNlN

close IL INl d. u Nv ''"N
in his arms. -,
She bad promised to ride with
UiIda that afternoon. \ $ she got
into her riding clothes, she won
dcrcd what she could say to the
other Girl to hC!p Dcrck. For
after nil. Drrrk WAS only what
circumstances had made him. tie
had so little security within HIM
self that Won could not blame h'm
for rraspinw at what seemed to
him to be security from without.
And to Dcrck, security meant
what Hildcgardr Thorvald repre-
scented.
Constance went to find Hilda
-along the upper gallery and
down the outside stairway that
descended to the first floor. The
stairs made the descent in three
turns, with Il grown landing
ut each turn. On the lower land
inc Constance halted abruptly
with one foot poised, clinging t"
the iron railing to steady herself.
Two people were standing on
the gallery below her.
In that suspended moment Con-
stance realized, with Il tearing
sense of bereavement, how much
she had really been hoping that
some time, in another brief inter
val when he was not too hurried
or too silk, Mark Rogers was go
inc to tell her what she so much
wanted to hear from him.
Clinging to the lapcIS Of DR..
Rogers coat, her eyes bright with
tears. but laughing up into his
face as only very happy girl
can laugh. stood liildcgardc Thor
valid. As Constance poised there,
unable foI a moment to stir, Mark
put his arms about the tall glow
inc Girl and kissed her gently; and
HiIda said with pulse in her lazy
d voice that Constance had never
heard there before:
."Tm not good at waiting, Mark,
and I'm not going To wait amy
longer. Now that it's sure, I'm
going to have Dad announce it
tomorrow"
"And what about Dcrck?' he
! asked.
"Dcrck?" Hildcgardc laughed
in soft amusement. "No one need
worry about Dcrek. He will al
ways know how to get what he
wants out Of life. What he really
wants now
But can't stand here listening,
Constance remembered.
/ Perhaps she moved; for they
both glanced up and saw her
rooted there, white and stricken.
Hilda drew herself quickly from
Marks arms and called, "Connir,
come down. There's something |
4 can't wait to tell you.'
I Please God, not now! Constance
prayed. Not with both of them
to see me. Oh. what Il fool
I've been,
She turned to run back up the
stairway. Perhaps her eyes blur
red with the tears she could not
check; or perhaps the clumsy rid
ing boots trickcd her
The next thing she knew she
I was huddlcd on something hard
and cold--numb, and blindingly,
Sickeningly giddy.
Somewhere near her Hilda'S
voice was saying, well, Mark
Rogers, you complete fool --- do
you believe me now? Think how
we must have looked to her, as if
4 oh, Mark, you don't suppose
She's"
Then floating in space above
her, Marks voice, "For Gods
sd re, Hilda, don't you go hyStcri-
cal on me. . Help me cut this
fool shirt Of hers off. . Thank
heaven it isn't her colarbonc,
anyhow. =. Wait Il minutc--hcrc
it is! Now, we'll Just get this
over with before She"
Wrenching pain in her shoulder
someone screaming sharply
brief oblivion. Then she was. sit
ting up, her check resting against
Il rough, warm surface that smell
ed family Of tobacco.
For an instant Marks face
swan in a cloud above her. white
and absurdly distorted as it said.
GIVE me the wide tape from my
bag, Hilda."
Constance gigglcd, and made to
her what at that moment was the
most reasonable and interesting
observation in the world: Oar
ling, you do look so funny upside
down. Ouch" and shut her
eyes, feeling faint, because some
ono was doing something to her
shoulder again, and it hurt.
Marks voice said with laugh
that was not quite steady, She's
reacting quite normally. At least
she can still see how funny my
face is"
"You've no idea how funny he
IS any way you take him, Connie
dean" Hilda'S voice said again.
But he's lamb; and if | weren't
gong to marry a flying fool of a
scientist next week before he
tears off again and loses himself
III Tibet or other parts unknown,
you'd never get chance at him.
-. That's what | was telling
Mark about when you dropped in.
-. You'd better thank God Mark
just cuts people up for a living
instead of hunting cosmic rays.
At least, you may see him at
breakfast once in a while"
i = !
The agony in her wrenched
shoulder had subsidized into dull
ache, and Hilda's face swan into
focus out of the cloud above
Whnrn Mnrl,'c fnnn bod Lnn,,