The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-08-04
WAR and q.
| w Q NJ A N
BY BETTY WALLACE

Continues From Page TEN
write such tiny letters
There's not much to tell. Mar
ella. He's sweet and serious and
all wrapped up In his experiments
and-and-" Her voice trailed off.
And he was devoting his life to
fight against microbes, so that men
could live longer and more useful
lives. While here, hundreds OF
men devoted their lives TO learn
ing how TO ny bombing planes so
that
She couldn't go on. What's the
matter with me ?" she asked her
self irritably. She had come here
10 be Marcia's maid Of honor at
the wedding two weeks away. She
had come because Marcia begged
her to, and because II was summer
and Daddy, freed from the class
room, had buried himself In rare
books. While George. unwilling to
halt work on his experiments.
locked himself up in the lab. She
understood both OF them. and
loved them for 1t. but she had
been just a little lonely. She had
promised herself two weeks OF
gsiety. This was hardly an suspi-
eious start.
That night. as Marcia flew ex-
citedly from her own room TO the
guest room in every imaginable
state OF undress. Linda shook off
the first chill doubling. She had
new evening dress, white and
gauzy and beautiful as q dream.
1t chung to her young curve of
bosom and beloved out at the
skirt, so that she looked like a
very young child in very old
fashioned gown. She piled her
soft, golden hair high on her head,
and tied a ribbon around the curls.
Looking into the mirror. she knew
that she was beautiful. AS
Marcia said. playfully envious.
You've always backed me right
off the map. l shouldn't have
asked you! You'll steal my we'd
ding scene, you're so lovely"
But downstairs, in the room that
was filled with white naval uni
forms and the bare shoulders Of
gay Navy girls, Linda felt out of
place. Everyone knew everyone
else. Their very talk was unin-
telligible to her. Poor kid, it was
down on the checkoff, and
he's blaming it on the instructor"
Did you see the new patrol
ship? It's q honey"
Passed over? Oh no-that's not
what happened. When he left
North Island"
Marcia and her mother were
busy receiving the guests. Marcia
hastily that Jimmy had
been held up on the station.
He'll be here later. Excuse
me
After a while, Linda drifted out
to the porch. There were great
white stars overhead, and the
warm tropical night was so beau
tiful that she put her head against
a post and stared out, dreamily,
to where a palm tree swayed
against the sky.
"Queensville was never like
this" she murmured, half aloud.
"Oh, how lovely"
"Queensville ?" asked a mascu-
line voice beside her, startlingly.
There's no naval base there, !
bet"
oh" She jumped. and turned
around quickly. A tall man in
uniform was smiling down at her.
His lean, tanned face, and the look
in his brown eyes did something
strange to her heart. For a long
moment they stared into each
others eyes. and then he was ask
ing, like man in a daze. WHO
are you? I've never seen you
before. 1--we only dreamed you
even now, haven't /? You cant be
real"
Il am real. she whispered.
TN Linda Storm. Who are you ?"
And then there was shout
behind them and Marcias voice
saying. Jimmy. Why didn't you
come straight on in, you worm ?"
ITO Be Continued)