Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1940-08-20
~APTER F'ORTY-SIX

"W{IOM DID you come to s>e"
Eillie Arre had asked Linda as
thev SID. tv the cool, dark l-Ver-
si1s, watching u gray dawn come
across tue hills.
lust a freud" Linda answered,
sud- nj realizing that she mad no
ris..i to be there at all. Robert mad
said ne 10 a her. but she had
withdrawn i.:o Rorald'S a. .tlons.
and now. when she Wa Iree, ne
had other vows.
MOI such l.,,y VOWS, eth O., she
r,,nindrd hers /. fer billie -tHne
was an old fiji nj.
He must :. some friend to bring
Won ont on a night like this. L
wnuldn't have come. but the WiiuI"
family thought I'd better. Roberts
sisters won't ny. Scared to death OF
It So IS his fa,aer. So it seemed UP
70 me to do a ,rosS-country mara
thon and bring the family SYM
pat. They ell thought owed II
to h;r, or something"
at was good of you to come"
Linda answered. GOOD of her 10
come? Why, any woman would
come wlngirg through all clouds
when tie man she loved was IN
trouble or danger.)
ril,;a Anne answered comfort
49,, . thought so, too. OF course,
in my position I guess there wasn't
ANYTHING to dc. but I'd had hectic
dav YESTERDAY. They say there isn't
any real dsnger. They'll tunnel the
men out all tight in a few more
ho,. 8. Let's get some coffee"
Thev sat SID by side on stools at
the .mrrovised coffee shop where
IT, workers oIl the bridge had come
Gailv for hage sandwiches and
hunks of pie. There was a mirror IN
front of them and Linda watched
her face, curiously white and
strained, with green smudgeS Where
her wide ovs, were. and red lips
that broke the mask. Die AooAeu'
too. at Billie Anne.
The other glrl was g2y and radl-
ant, dark ilair ard eyes SHINING
She had worn a tweed sports coat
and q brown beret So the storm had
not upset her costume.
When they finished the coffee
and returned to the group of watch
ers. Billie Anne asked SOMEONE
about the time.
They'll be conf g out any
minute now-that is. maybe in ar
hour or less the informer said
It's .rer mere on the other side
of lie river. Some folk are going
over. Red Cross is waiting to give
aid"
Water looks awful" Billie Anne
said. What kind of boats Lave
you?"
Just row boats. I'll take vol
over if it's important" H. mo-
toned to MS boat, a flirnsy affair
The water in the river was rough
and rising. Billie Anne SHOOK mel
head. I'll wait here"
But maybe Robert will be sicl
and neea you" Linda said. Ever
now she couldn't talk about death
That Couldn't, couldn't happen
Let Robert marry Billie Anne. LIE
he. Linda Avery. have just
ha.dful of words to keep. Sh
would know, {: .ccst, that SOM
place a tall man with Drowned fac
and steady hands and eyes tina
knew laugh, cr worked on mour ali
tops or sranned wide rivers.
Billie Anne weighed Linda
wor.:. You're right. He might ap
preciate a little devotion. I'll TAX
the Eoa. and go over"
Its the last boat to make tn
trip" the boatman said. "a lot o
people are going to want it 70
just got it in tine"
Ma I go along?" Linda asiie'
can you tane Two passengers {!
She cpes I'd her pocketNook.
The boatmIl shook his head
Sorry, sister. One: all We ca
t;.ke in tnis water. I'll come BAG
for you Mayo, if I'm not commar
deered into service"
Come back for her! 1T why
Robert would have his Yirl. Win
-