The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-08-08

locked around, then jumped to his
feet, eyes wild. where's Grace?"
"She's all right, buddy. Take it
easy"
He staggered, but regained his
balance. There was a sick feeling
in the pit of his stomach; the cut
in his mouth burned and would
not stop bleeding.
"Where is she?" he demanded,
his wild glance sweeping over the
group.
"She's all right. the man re-
peated. "That car that was COM
ing around the bend when you
they took her down the road. But
she's all right"
"Where'd they take herr"
Down the road. There's hos
pital." , ..
Len glanced at the Ford lying
in the ditch torn and crumpled,
then at the men.
who'll take me?" His mouth
hurt when he spoke.
One of them wearing khaki
said: "Okay, I'll take you"
At the hospital they would not
let him see her. He was her hus-
band? Surely if he was her hus-
band he would understand. Mrs.
Rollins needed immediate atten-
ton
"PIl watt" he said. "Where's a
phone?"
The nurse nodded toward a
desk. "When you've finished" she
said looking at his mouth, you d
better have that cut stitched up"
But he didn't hear her.
He called Easthampton and
reached Mrs. Worthington. In a
few words he explained what had
happened. She didn't waste time
condemning him, but cut off with
; a terse, well be right out"
He waited in the hall. OF
course, he wouldn't go to Eur
ope now. Tomorrow he'd get IN
touch with Justin and accept that
indianapolis job. He and Grace
would start life all over again
together.
No he couldn't leave Grace
here in this hospital and ever ex-
! meet to find peace of mind again
Whv. this was his test! Grace al
WAYS had claimed he loved the
game more than he loved her.
He'd prove now how wrong she q
always been. Yes, this was MS
great opportunity-the crises IN I,
their 1ives-and he would not fall
her. He would never, never tall
her!
A tall, slight man wearing
white tunic approached. you're
| the husband of the young lady
who was just brought in here!
Will you come this way, please.
Len followed the doctor down
a hall. "She's not-she's all rlght'
| isn't she?" he asked shakily.
i, "She asked for you"
! Was the doctors evasion dello-
crate? Good God, if anything seri-
OILS had happened!
They turned off the hall into a
large room and then into small
Ter one. There were three beds
Two of them were empty. Grace
covered by a white sheet, lay
upon the other, pale and wan, her
head and one arm in bandages
She smiled weakly up at him as
he entered. He crossed the small
room rapidly and fell to his
knees beside the bed. "Gracle
darling, I'm sorry. So terribly
terribly sorry! How do you feel!
Are you badly hurt? His voice
was hoarse, a whisper; his wei
eyes pleaded forgiveness.
She said softly, "A cut head
but not a big cut, Len. And this
arm they tell me is bruised, anc
there is perhaps slight interna
injury. Nothing to worry about
though, really. In a couple Of
DAYS I'll be up and around again
! good as new"
He kept searching her face. Was
she telling him the truth? Was
she really hurt no worse than she
claimed?
II telephoned your mother"
She nodded. Il suppose shed
have to know"
Eyes, I thought SO. They'll be
here soon I imagine"
She smiled tremously, placed
her unbandaged hand over his
Don't let them brighten you
Len. 1t might have happened no
matter who was at the Wheel"
cit was my fault" How diff
cult it was to talk, breathe even,
when your throat contracted like
this and the backs of your eye
balls stung. II was thinking-of
something else"
'I know" she said. $50 was I.