Glacier County chief., 1940-09-06


nail-heads, two or three old chairs,
a library ladder. Besides the books
on the shelves there were many
more, piled in neat heaps on the
floor.
"Sit down." Peter directed her.
He lighted dangling light. Lis
ten," he went on, 81 had to talk to
you. Listen, why didn't you ever
write me?"
"Sheila was across the shabby,
leather-topped table, her linked
hands lying before her. Her heart
softened: this was what she had ex-
pected.
Il didn't know your name"
"You heard it."
Eyes, I heard it that morning
when we met each other. But l
didn't remember it."
Il couldn't find you," he said.
"You had my address,"
eyes, but listen. That paper was
nothing but piece of pulp when I
tried to read it."
A pause.
II wouldn't want you to think that
could talk like that, and just
just be fooling," Peter said, awk-
wardly. "But then-then, you see,
I got engaged"
"Oh, that was all right" Sheila
assured him, vaguely and politely,
and they were silent again.
"You see-well, we're getting
married on Tuesday," Peter ex-
planned youthfully.
Il KNOW" It seemed to her that
all life was a long blank ahead of
her. Not that she wanted this par
t1cular man, or any man. It was
just that everything was dull.
Il had to explain it to you. I
tried to find you. couldn't"
"Oh, that was all right" she said
again, with little effort.
mo, but how's everything?" he
asked, out of silence.
Zine"
"And that girl who was with you,
how's she?"
"Rose? Rose Foley. She's fine."
Peter watched her intently, across
the table, for several long seconds.
He was handsome, in his blue suit,
with gold arabesques in his dark
blue tie. His eyes we're blue, too,
pale Irish blue, and the pink of his
clean-shaven skin in agreeable con-
trast to the silky dark wing of his
black hair.
"You see, Cert Keane has lived
in our family since we were kids"
he offered.
Sure"
"She's a-well, she's a great GIRL"
Peter said.
ITS all right. But I didn't think
either one of us were-was-were-
just fooling," she said, presently, in
her soft, plaintive voice.
Peter cleared his throat.
Il wasn't fooling," he said.
81 waited for you, that Tuesday
night" Sheila admitted, in a 81.
! lence.
He WINGED. 81 thought you would"
I'm glad" Sheila said, hesitant-
ly, that you didn't want toto
throw me down"
The homely phrase expressed her
meaning, at least. He caught at it.
Il never threw anyone down in my
life!" he said, looking at her serious
ly, across the table.
Somehow, with the suddenness of
a shock, her feeling altered. The
words, the tone in which he said
them, awakened her. He was act
ing-a little. He was enjoying this
just little. Sheila felt giddy with
a revulsion of feeling. She wanted
SO much to like him-she had
dreamed dreams about him for so
many months! Now it was as if he
were disintegrating before her eyes.
Her cheeks grew red She con-
tinued to look at Peter steadily, but
there was discomfort in her feel
ing now. She wished she had not
come to meet him so inpulsively,
this man who was to marry another
girl in less than weeks time.
Listen how it all happened" be-
gan Peter. II go off for beach pic.
mic with couple Of fellers, don't I?
And ! meet a girl-the girl"
Perhaps there was really no
change in him. But the change in
herself was so sudden and SO shock
ing that Sheila was quite unable to
do anything except gravely nod her
head.
You'll say, walked with you
to your cabin. when you changed,
after we swami" Peter, needing no
encouragement, was continuing.
Right ] did. But all those cabins
looked alike; Couldn't nnd 1t the
next day. There we're thousands Of
thoml
.An - nj =, - ] =. 4