Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-04-01
WRITTEN FOR AND RELEASED
BY CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCIATION
CHAPTER FORTY


doctor assented when she urged
that Jim be allowed to leave the
hospital before the next week was
up. She carefully explained her
supposed plan to take him to his
mothers home in st. Louis to re-
cuperate, and he nodded his head.
"Best thing for him." he told her.
"He's not very cheerful. Seems to
be doing well, but something's
worrying him. Doesn't like hospital
life, I suppose. don't blame him
for that"
"Then you think can make ar
rangements Saturday 2" Iona
asked, almost afraid to believe that
it was to be so easy.
''No reason not to. He'll be as fit
as a fiddle by then. He's improving
miraculously now that the crisis is
passed. In a couple Of weeks he'll
be as good as ever"
! "Oh, you don't know how glad /
amp Iona told him, wondering
what he would say if he guessed
the real meaning behind her words.
Jim frowned when she broke the
news to him.
"We'Il have Clark Martin drive
us to the station" she told him.
''By luck the Camdon train makes
connections for st. Louis. We can
go openly, tell everybody goodby,
and nobody will know"
Saturday, you say? But Clark
can't help us on Saturday. He's set
his test for Saturday at four
o'clock. He'll be busy" His voice
showed more interest in the ap-
proachalg test than in their own
problem. IT'D give a lot not to have
to run like this" He sighed, and
Iona frowned.
"Has Clark got man to make
the jump 2" she asked, and he shook
his head.
'Not yet. You see, everybody's
afraid-after what happened in my
case. Clark may have to do it him
self. That will be bad. He ought to
be down below. Somebody might
bungle."
Hes trying to make you do it,
Jim! Can't you see? He's deliber-
ately trying to get you into it. That
write-up in the paper, and setting
this test for just the time when
you should be leaving. He thinks
you'll fall for it. But you can't,
Jim! You mustn't even think of it.
You promised, you know"
! He nodded again. Eyes, I prom
ised," he told her, the little sigh
still in his voice. Then he bright
el1ed, and his old smile flashed out
at her.
Do you suppose my - ah -
mother in st. Louis will be glad to
see us?" he asked, and she laughed
in spite of herself.
Don't joke about it, please.
jim, /" she begged. 'It's too serious"
"Cllin up, girl" He reached for
her suddenly from the bed. sDon't
let It get you down."
H She choked back a sudden sob
and managed to smile as he stroked
her hair with gentle hand.
! "a Q = y
Dinah was dismayed when she
broke the news that she and Jim
were leaving for st. Louis. 'You
mean you're not bringing Jim home
from the hospital at all, then ?" she
asked. "And you're going awav.
both of you ?" Her voice was sharp
and Lona's heart went out to her
suddenly.
j "Just for a few weeks" she told
her, and hated herself for the lie.
What. would the girl think when
they simply dropped out of her
world, she wondered. She was
tempted to take her into her con-
fidence, tell her all about their
plans, but she repressed the desire
sternly.
'Tve got used to having YOU
here" Dinah said, wistfuliv. s'It
will be terribly lonesom without
you. I don't see how ever got
along before you came. used to
just sit and think, and--pity nv
self. It's been like living again, hay-
ing somebody to share things with.
IWish you were bringing jim home
here, instead of taking him away.
wish so too," Iona echoed. ].
and knew she meant it. Meant it