Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-03-15
CHAPTER 2

PETER WAS gone when Bar
bara entered the newspaper ONCE,
following the wedding. His assist
ant was reading the wire releases.
He looked up laZily.
1.-THE flower show layout you
wanted for Sunday-the one you
sent into the city for retouching-
is coming down on the 7:15. l told
Pike to pick it up but he's out on
a lob for the boss. Going in that
direction? The conductor has the
stuff"
'I'll get it, Barney"
It would be something to do.
The rest of the town would be
making merry at the wedding for
a long time yet She wished there
was someone to whom she could
talk. It was odd how the last two
years had taken her away from the
group who were dancing at
Marie's wedding. If Natalie were
around
But Natalie Kendall, sparkling,
wise, sophisticated, older by half a
dozen years, was in New York.
She was a fashion columnist on a
smart Manhattan magazine. She
had come from Martinsville and it
was to Barbara whom she turned
during her infrequent visits home.
Maybe Peter would come in,
Barbara unused. She could say
anything to him and know that he
understood. He might not agree.
Especially on this marriage ques-
ton. He thought that it would be
nice if she would marry him some
day. He didn't set a time. Just
any off day. 1t was too bad you
couldn't love someone whom you
liked as well as she liked Peter.
At seven o'clock she climbed
into the rickety old roadster which
she had bought with a couple of
checks earned by stories written
for a child's magazine. She left
her hat in the office. She needed
the wind in her hair tonight.
The train was on time, the pic
lures were delivered, and she was
watching the last car swing around
the bend, when she saw the usher
whom she had met in the Office
running down the platform.
Il missed it," he said, and put
down his Sag. Then his eyes
frightened. Hello! Did you miss
it, too, and why didn't you stay
for the supper?"
She let one answer take care Of
both questions. 81 had to meet the
train for a picture layout
! Then maybe it was luck-my
missing it," He smiled and the
dusty platform became bright and
clean. "When does the next train
go east tonight?"
There aren't any more tonight,
unless you go to the Junction and
catch the 1921"
Good! How far is the Junction,
and how do I get there ?"
Its an hours ride. Now hadn't
you better be getting back to fin
ish celebrating ?"
She didn't want him to go. He
reminded her of college proms.
football games, campus strolls-so
many things that were no longer
on her calendar. Now she recorded
births and the annual garden show
and somebody's niece who was
spending two weeks in Martins
vile.
Then, because she was so honest.
she admitted that it suddenly was
important that She saw more of |
this man. It was absurd, of |
course. You couldn't look at a |
man for the third time in your life
and all on the same day at that |
and think: ''I'll never be busy
again if you need me-" You
couldn't-but you did.
Are you free ?" the man was
asking, with that same eager grin.
She nodded, not quite believing.
Good! Then why don't you and |
l get something to eat? I'd better
introduce myself. I'm Garry
Page"
Garry Page! OF course she
knew that name. He was a spe-
cial writer and columnist on a New
York newspaper and sometimes
his work was syndicated. Occa-
sionally the Post carried it. Her
eyes were puzzled, just now.
I'VE didn't know you were COM
ingw
He threw back his head and
laughed.
She went. your name wasn't
with the ushers. I've copied the
list IL times-maybe so ;. Now
l see why you dropped in at the