Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1940-12-12
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
WRITTEN FuR AND RELEASED BY
CENTRAL. II:ESS ASSOCIATION

over hit. Her ready wit had de-
serted her. They slipped their coffee
without talking. Then Vance said,
This is the last night out. you
know"
Il Know" she said, her voice
low.
There's 4 ships concert and all
sorts Of goings on. You'd better
get ready"
You mean that you'll take me
up"
IF you like"
I'll get my bag" she saia.
But when she came back, she
said, Il don't want to go to the
concert. Vance. 1t isn't wise. Some
one might recognize u.s."
What if they do?"
She laughed grimly. Our names
would be mud, Vance. Don't you
suppose . that everybody on this
ship knows that man and woman
are occupying A-163? 1t would
make a scandal of some proper
tons if our identity were to be-
come known"
Il hadn't thought Of that" he
answered. Maybe you're right.
Well, we can go up and look at
the moon from IT, hurricane
deck"
That would be a good place."
she said. I'll have to talk to you
tonight, Vance"
All day she'd known what she
w:,s doing to have tc say to him.
But the words stuck in her throat
when she tried to say them.
I'm sorry. Vance. Terribly, ter
ribly sorry" That vas the way
she began.
Sorry for what, honey?"
If she had not ben so intent on
what she was going to say next,
she would have heard the gentle
ness in his voice.
For doing what have done to
you. For embarrassing you and
making you uncomfortable - for
being such an idiot! l was so sure |
of myself. But l was wrong. l
guess l was pretty unbalanced |
about the whole thing. I thought |
because I've been IN love with you |
ever since l was sixteen that may |
be the kind of love l had was big
enough to attract yours. l guess I
believed in the old line about any |
girl being able to get the man she |
wants if she goes after him hard |
enough. l know better now. From |
now OH I'll believe that it's love at |
first sight for two, or not at ALL"
She was such a crazy little kid. |
Vance cleared his throat because a |
bunch of words got mixed up there.
Kit was going on:
Il told you I'd be good loser
will be. ! only ask one thing of
YOU. I haven't any right to ask it,
but l guess now you know any
way. It's 2bou. you Not the man
who ran away. but the man who
won't ever ruin aWav again. from |
CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT
"IN FIVE minutes we'll star
our show" Vance went on. I'm
going to call on one OF our be
loved savants. Dr. Hartpencc, {
noted authority on intcrnatiOna
politics. On Ken Speed to do hi;
radio routine for US On Miss Clio
ria lie Brlm, known to you as one
Of our greatest screen tragedi
ennes. I'm going to give away 6
secret. Miss lie Brun is a mimic
whose delightful performances arc
tops in" he fumbled-"in drGi'
lery. Will you do it, Gloria? .
Thanks. And now, Dr. Hart,
pence, we'd like to hear your views
on the European situation today.
The professor stepped to the
platform.
The hands of the clock pointed
to twenty minutes of eleven
Gloria lie Brm, the English wit
the radio comedian, all had done
their turns. Vance was beginning
to feel anxiety. He thought he had
caught the acrid odor of smoke
family.
He said, Folks, l think I ought
to explain why we are standing
still. One of our engines broke
down. The repair work is being
speeded up and we should be un-
der way shortly" Wyncoop had
forbidden him to tell them that the
Georgian vas coming to them. (.If
they know we've radioed for her to
intercept us, they'll not believe
anything you'd say. Better wait
until they can see for them
selves.") Meanwhile our show
will go on"
There wasn't much to go on
with. There was a rising neWSpa-
per columnist, named Jonas, in the
crowd. His stuff, which was pretty
funny, was known to Vance. He
called on him.
AS he had hoped, Jonas was
amusing, but Vance knew that the
dreaded moment was getting close
there was an ominous movement
in the crowd, twisting of necks,
a shutting of feet. an hysterical
note in the laughter.
Jonas was running down. Vance
thanked him with a bright speech,
his voice steeled against anxiety,
his eyes seeking Wyncoop in the
companionWay.
Suddenly his false smile sick
ened.
Kit, her head lifted, was coming
through that door. Coming directly
to the stage
To Jonas he pleaded in whis-
per, Zone more yarn-quick!"
He lowered himself from the
platform.