Evening star., 1940-03-14
CHAPTER 28.

CHAPTER %.
Proposed to yesterday and married
today. Elaine could hardly bring
| herself to realization that before
the day was over she would be
MELVIN Stuart's wife and would
leave hurriedly with him for China.
Were it not for the fact that every
day of her life since the fateful
automobile crash had been filled
with one surprise after another she
knew she would have been COM
pletely dumbfounded by this rapid
succession of events. AS it was,
she had been terribly confused.
It was peculiar, the effect telegram
could have upon a persons life.
Yesterday evening the messenger
boy had called at the home with
a telegram for Melvyn. He was in
the apartment when the messenger
arrived. He tore open the envelope
and read the brief words, and then
turned quietly to her and asked:
elaine. will you marry me to-
morrow? The hospital is in urgent
need of surgeon and they've asked
me to sail for China at once"
She remembered she had looked
at him for a moment, not trusting
! herself to speak, conscious only that
she was standing at the crossroads
of her life; that her answer. if in
! the affirmative, would bind her to
him forever. After silence during
which there was this single thought
she had said yes. That was ALL
There had been no exchange of
sweet nothings as tradition decreed,
there had been no kiss, nothing
except her yes and Melvyn's pre-
occupied Very Well"
Tomorrow she would be in Cali
forina, tomorrow night she would
be aboard steamer en- route to
China. To the captain and the
passengers on board she would be
known as Mrs. Melvyn Stuart, the
pretty young wife of an up-and-
coming young surgeon. And to-
morrow. and for the rest of the days
Of her life she would be known by
that name. Mrs. Melvyn Stuart.
When, in her heart she had been
and always would be Mrs. Eric
Reardon!
Fears Boat Crash.
But no. She mustn't think Of
things like that. She had promised
to make Melvyn a good wife; she
must put all thoughts of Eric COM
pletely out of her mind. Melvyn
hadn't forced her to consent to
marry him. She had reasoned
everything out very carefully be-
fore she told him she would. And
there hadn't been much reasoning
to do. Eric had not wanted her.
MELVIN had: Eric had not needed
her, Melvyn had. 1t was as simple
as that, and if she began to mourn
over the What might have been"
she-she gasped as the ferryboat
glided slowly toward a row cf piles
and planks which jutted out from
the pier. Her eyes grew round
with fright and her body tensed
for a crash as the nose of the boat
swung directly toward it. They
they were going to crash.
A stout, heavily tanned, partially
bald man who stood beside her at
the rail grinned as the boat struck
against the water-greened wall.
rs this your first trip on ferry
boat?" he asked amiably.
Elaine nodded her head, relieved
to see the wall sag far to one side
as the boat struck up against it.
THE boat must hit it," the fat
man told her in friendly way.
"You see, those walls on either side
serve first to break the current and
form patch of smooth water, and
secondly, by inching along the wall
the boat is brought into a perfect
position to tie up to the pier"
With q cheerful little nod he
walked off the boat and onto the
pier and as Elaine watched him
Waddle away she became suddenly
aware that the ride across the bay
to Staten Island had worked won-
ders with her. BY the time she was
back In Manhattan she felt calm,
not quite so moody, not quite as
nervous; not eager, of course, but
entirely willing to keep her promise
to Melvyn.
Operation Delays Melvyn.
Jane did not attempt to conceal
her excitement and worry when
Elaine strolled nonchalantly into the
apartment. who ever heard of
such thing!" she exclaimed Here
you are going to be married today,
you have thousand and one things
to do and-and you go-where did
you go, anyway"
Elaine took off her hat and threw
it carelessly upon the table. Il went
for ferryboat ride" she told Jane
coolly. She eyed her roommate and
smiled. Gracious, you'd think I
committed a crime or something.
I only felt a little nervous and I
wanted to be alone for a while.
Besides, have plenty of time"
"And howl" Clara chimed in.
"Your bridegroom is going to be
late. He has an operation to per-
form over at the hospital"
Betty was quite disguised and
made no effort to conceal this.
Cha fYJr IN fooo