The Wilmington morning star., 1940-10-12
cuApTER ~FoRTY.sEVEN

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
For a long time Linda sat at her
table in the diner, where she had
gone Immediately upon entering
the train to return to New York
after she knew Robert was safe.
Robert and Billie Anne rode IN
some other part of the train, she
knew, and she did not want to see
them. She did not Want to leave
her seat for fear she would have to
pass them.
Robert would guess why she had
come. He would see her bedrag-
gled, sodden, l.mpled. By this time
perhaps he knew that Ronald and
Sarah were married. He might not
understand that she had approved
that romance and aided it because
she had understood at last that her
mature love was not for Ronald.
At last, through, she had no ex-
cuse for sitting longer. She paid
her check, left a generous tip, and
started back to her chair. She
looked at the wilted black lace hat
whose brim had been so stiff and
gallant last night. 1t was limp and
lifeless now. So was she.
Her suit was wrinkled from the
rain and the last ruffle on her rose
blouse had collapsed.
But that isn't important" she
told herself, walking down tn e
aisle. Robert won't even see how
l look if 1 bump into him. He will
have eyes only for Billie Anne.
When a man loves a girl, any 9TH
er girl can throw custard pies and
he'll just wonder what she's do
ing"
She went through the first car,
the second, and the third, trying
not to scan the passengers. There
would be nothing she could say to
Robert, anyway, in Billie Anne's
presence. Her own chair was in
the fourth car and she sat down,
swung it around, so she faced the
window, and studied the passing
fields. Quite probably Robert and
Billie Anne were in one of the back
sections, she decided, and she need
not see them at all.
She was relieved that she need
not face a meeting, yet oddly dis
appointed.
She leaned back in the chair,
closed her eyes, and felt hot tears
under the lids. Defiantly she
winked them away. She had re-
solved not to cry again and she
would not.
Because she was so tired she
fell asleep. She thought she heard
a voice calling her name, but she
did not answer. She liked the cool
darkness of slumber. There was
something she must face in life
when she wakened, her subcon-
scious mind told her, and she re-
fused to awaken.
The voice persisted, though, and
she opened her eyes slowly.
Billie Anne was seated in the
chair next to hers and her dark
eyes we're genuinely friendly. She
was holding two white pills in one
hand and a paper cup of water in
the other.
81 spied you when I started down
to the diner" she said, $50 l
begged the porter for these. Take
them or you'll catch your death
OF cold. You're drenched. I tried
to find you when we had crossed
the river, but you were gone.
Linda swallowed the pills and
tried to thank this girl who was
being SO kind, yet who stood in the
way of the n person she wanted
in life.
thought you would be flying
back" she said.
Couldn't. l did something to
the fuselage, landing in the rain
and the dark. I'll have the bill sent
to Rob. It's all his fault l had to
come. Anyway, he has plenty of
money. He's his uncle's heir and
his uncle was blessed with lucre."
Linda studied the girl. This was
such a callous way to talk when
the man you loved had just been
saved from death. Or maybe Billie
Anne didn't love him., she reflect
ed. Maybe she wanted his fortune.
Robert is doing in his chair SO
I decided to roam around" Billie
Anne continued cheerfully. "Oh, by