Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-07-21
CHAPTER THREE

LdC6T, DIS CdCil uoy SOOn eAAOAA1 1e@A
Their and further apart, Mike tried in
creasingly hard to hide his real feel
ings. Linda thought that if he hadn't
tried SO obviously to be a good sport
she could have forgiven him more
easily.
But if Linda's love for Mike was
to die, it was that first shock, that
emotional trauma, which rendered
that love hopelessly crippled, never
to recover as long as Mike lived.
Mike Morton, the perfect lover, was
woefully miscast as Mike Morton, pros
pective papa. He just didn't click in
the part. !
It was funny about Junior" They
had been very grown up and paren-
tally concerned about their "child",
when that offspring was a building
of steel and stone and not their own
flesh and blood.
Junior, of course, was what they
called Titan Tower. She and Mike
had watched it's birth, had watched
it grow and develop and mature; had
wondered about the life which was to
go on within the confines of its tower
ing walls. They had known Titan
Tower before it had that name. From
their birds-eye point of vantage in the
air, as Trip flew over the site daily,
they had watched it grow from debris
of real old buildings, to huge ex-
cavation, through it's skeleton stages
to become a towering thing of beauty
and utility. And they had been proud
of it.
"Junior looks very well today"
Mike used to comment when they set
down at Portland. "Much taller and
filling out rapidly"
Mike was proud of that baby, all
right-a mighty infant Graded in
concrete. But this was different.
It was strange, too, Linda thought,
that it was in this same building that
she first met Janice Marberry, her
dearest friend. And Mike Morton
was indirectly the cause of that meet
ing. The day when Linda walked
through the massive, severely beauti-
full portals of Titan Tower, was
whisked up to the nineteenth floor
and opened the insurance company
door to see Janice's sweet, sympath-
etc face with friendly greeting al
most voiced in her smile, was the first
time that Linda had ever set foot in
the building.
She and Mike had never been there
together. They were too busy having
q gay, carefree time-Mike's way.
And then, suddenly one thick foggy
night, much like the night they had
sat by the fire and had seen their
lives fall apart, it was too late.
The swirling steam from the hot
cup of tea, which Mrs. Blauer had
forced into Linda's istless hand, ed
died upward like that same fog.
And, through it, Linda seemed tt
see not the face of Mike Morton
who had crushed love, although try
ing not to, but that of a young doctor
who had stirred it's ashes.
Bill Blaine's work, like Mikes, tool
him to the skies. And "Junior" hae
introduced them. She lapsed into &
fitful sleep and dreamt she was being
pushed into a fog-filled pit -.
If Linda had to die that way, she
would die fighting. Somebody with
powerful, prehensile hands was push
ing, tugging, dragging her from hel
perch on beam, high above fog
filled pit. Linda fought with every
ounce of strenth, fought desperately
to fend off horrible fate.
She was falling, falling >. falling
when a firm, strong hand reached Out
and caught her, pulled her to breath
less safety.
Linda opened her eyes to look into
Mrs. Blazers pleasant motherly face
framed in neatly combed gray hair
to see Mrs. Blazers capable hand cup
per under. Linda's elbow and to heal
the friendly neighbor say:
"Good heavens, child! What did yor
think was happening? Person would
think was trying to kill you instead
of wake you up"
Linda smiled wanly and looked
down to Mrs. Blazers side, where
Mickey, solemn and staring, stood.
did you fight Mrs. Blauer? You hi
her."
Mother had bad dream, darling,
Linda explained. "Whew!" she ex
claimed, glancing at the watch on hel
wrist. Mother has to get going il
we're going to have any dinner. Yor
run along now an dget Dopey anc
wash his face and yours, to be ready
for dinner