The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-01-12
0 SERIAL STORY
BlackOut
Continued From Page 1o)
BY RUTH AYERS
Copyright. 1899. NEA Service. Inc


her destiny, and to escape his love
she could not. Nor would she ever
stop loving Vincent. And was she
being fair to Vincent? After all,
he thought her dead. Was 1t not
unjust to expect that he would
cut himself off from all the things
of life because of her memory?
Cilbert's voice brought her back
to the immediate problem.
you will want to get yourself
some gay clothes to be married
in" he was saying. He rendered
10-pound note. Some new
clothes will make you feel better.
You don't get married every day,
you know"
How exactly like him." she re-
Elected as she murmured her
thanks. Thoughtful. above all
She had not included that in the
swift catalog of his qualities.
When she spoke it was hard to
express the fullness of her graft
tude.
You are much, much too good.
You deserve the finest wife in the
world"
I'm not complaining about the
wife I'm going to get" he said
quietly. Even IL she is to be q.
wire in name only"
The next day Mary went shop
ping to nearby Selfridges, the
American department store in Ok
ford street. She was surprised to
find she could care again about
lines and materials, colors and
treatments.
Blues my best color she de-
cided. Blue it will be-" The right
shade would accentuate the color
of her eyes that the accident on
the Moravia, for all its malevo-
lence, had not been able to harm.
She was pleased with a royal blue
frock with jaunty pleats and
had a jacket that would do away
with the shroud-like black coat
Lady Ponce-Townsend had given
her. The outfit, even in winter.
seemed to promise spring.
A close-fitting toque of the same
color had a smartness that was
almost American. And its finger
tip veil would cast merciful I'M
certainty over the marred side Of
her face.
A gold clip, new gloves, hose
and oxfords of London tan gave
Mary an exhilaration she had not
felt in months.
But all the time she busted her
self with these outward details,
she battled with her conscience,
too. On the marriage records she
must give the name of Anna VIM
ters. Hitherto her masquerade had
hurt no one. Would it be wrong
to take this legal step without re-
vealing her own identity?
In the end, she had her answer.
This ceremony was to be an i'm
personal contract-not a marriage
at all. If she betrayed her real
identity now she would be sent
back to America. Some day she
would make everything clear to
Gilbert Lenox.
Saturday found DR.. Lenox and
his bride-to-be en- route to the
registry.
Cheer up. little sober sides"
Gilbert said, looking at her kindly
as the taxi bounced over the cob
bles. There isn't thing to worry
about. From now on, everything
will be all right"
In the bright winter sunlight,
Mary found herself relaxing under
the doctors thoroughly competent
| uluoiiSts t1c VI snNtu llSi lit WITH
she had been at deaths door, and
now he was determined on further
salvage of the pitiful thing he'd
saved.
Somehow, the shock of seeing
Vincent Gregg with Carla Mar
chetta no longer seemed so APP
palling. The blight of loneliness,
terrifying and chilling. seemed to
lessen when she was with Gilbert.
When the clerk in the registry
asked if she, Anna Winters, took
this man, Gilbert Lenox, for her
lawfully welded husband, she
hesitated only a second. Then her
voice, which had been so muffled,
spoke up clearly
Il do"
Ito Be Continued