Evening star., 1938-02-14
CHAPTER 1.

n Baltimore pike, the sunlight
Il got tangled in her brown hair.
4 4 turning 1t to gold. She turned.
then, and her eyes were shining as she
surveyed her dream -come-true.
She whispered ecstatically, ITS
lovelyl It's perfect"
Her eyes wandered lovingly over the
freshly painted stand. pausing for an
admiring moment on the sign: "Joyces
Market-Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Cold Drinks in vermilion letters
against a white background. She
looked at a hamper of cabbages and
sighed blissfully.
Il know I'm going to make lots OF
money" she whispered-and then she
frowned, and her eyes traversed the
white road to where it curved into
grove Of oak trees. Her frown deep
ened as faint rattling sound grew less
faint.
DR.. Bill" she sighed, but no longer
blissfully. He could come here now,
and spoil things!"
Shining brown eyes remained fixed
on that bend in the paved road until
a small blue coupe came into sight, and
charged with much roaring and rat
ting toward her.
The coupe squealed to stop in front
Of her; its driver heamed on her.
Hi, Joyce" said DR.. Bill Elliot.
Joyce regarded the young man with
gloomy eyes. She said, You have a
talent for appearing at the wrong
moment"
He grinned. He said, ITS physi-
clans duty to appear when things are
wrong" The grin disappeared. He
considered her with thoughtful eyes,
then nodded: Eyes. you are quite the
prettiest patient I have
Her voice held scorn. Il am not
your patient" she declared heatedly.
II am not sick"
mot physically, perhaps" DR.. Bill
conceded, smilingly. He tapped his
forehead suggestively. Your trouble
lies here-and here" A blunt finger
indicated that part of the chest I'M
mediately over the heart.
Joyce said coldly, Thanks for the
diagnosis, but don't let me keep you
from your patients
Dr. Bill was looking across the pike
at the new stand, and Joyce flushed
little. She recalled his jeering
words when she had told him of her
plan to make money. She shrugged,
her eyes following his. The stand was
painted green Hampers of fruits and
vegetables paraded across the front Of
hal 1o1
miscellany Of packaged goods. There
was small cash register, freshly lac
quered in white, and an iceboX for
soft drinks.
She frowned as her gaze went past
the stand to the yard. 1t was dotted
with trees in young green, cedars and
oaks and silver NAPLES. Almost hidden
In the trees was her home. built Of
brick, two stories high with steeply
sloping roof, built by her grandfather
70 years before. And back of it all
were the orchards and titled fields.
DR.. Bills eyes swung back to her
face. and Joyce tensed little. refus-
ing to meet the twinkle she knew must
be in his eyes:
Bill said softly. Il think the stand
Is nice, Joyce"
She looked as him suspiciously, but
his eyes and face were grave.
Thanks" she said She looked at
his big hands gripping the wheel,
noting the blunt surgeons fingers. Bill
Elliot was born doctor, but small
town doctor, she thought with bitter
ness. He, like her own father, would
have been unhappy in any other occu-
patton. She scowled over the thought
Doctors!
DR.. Bills lifting voice broke into her
thoughts: will you marry me, Joyce?"
Joyce looked at him resentfully.
mo, Bill. You're nice boy and IN
five or ten years you'll be making some
sort of living, but" Her eyes left
his. I've lived all my life with doc
tor, and know what it means; genteel
poverty. I don't expect to marry, but
If do 1t will be rich man"
"Joyce!" his voice was an angry pro-
test.
She shook her head determinedly.
"1t's no use, Bill. Dad devoted more
than 80 years of his life to small-town
doctoring. At the end of that time he
was broken in health and purse If
Grandfather Adair hadn't left us this"
her gesture embraced the big brick
house and surrounding lano-"we
wouldn't have roof over our heads.
We've lived on dads Spanish American
War pension" She shook her head
again, decisively. Il want to make some
money. hate poverty!"
But she couldn't explain to this easy
going young man, she reflected miser-
ably, that her hatred of poverty had
come to climax during her last year
in high school, when she had been
denied the things every girl had a
right to. How explain to him the
tragedy OF wearing made-over dress
to the graduation exercises when other
girls had lovely new frocks? How ex-
plain to him that being unable to
buy a class ring left scar on your
heart and soul?
He said, You can't make much
money out here. five miles from Bates
vile, twenty miles from Washing
ton"
But Joyce wasn't listening Another
car was sweeping around the curve.
She watched 1t with anxious eyes.
She was trembling as the car slowed
to a stop in front of the stand. Her
heart was pounding as she ran across
the pike.
A fat-jowled man sat at the wheel
OF the big car. He surveyed her with
beady. cynical eyes. They Travelled
over her, frightening little.
ne said, Gimme dozen oranges"
Bill was smiling when she came