The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-07-04

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the train gate. Lens heart thum.
ped against his chest. People
were filing out. He scanned each
individual eagerly, his height
making it possible fdr him to
peer far down the runway.
And then he saw her! She was
dressed in chartreuse, a shade
particularly becoming to her un-
usual coloring. Over one arm she
carried a light coat. A porter fol-
lowed her, a bag in each hand.
Then shessaw him! She hesitats
ed for the fraction of an instant
as if realizing that her next STEP
was the most mometous of her
live, then came quickly forward
He held both her hands in his
q ooh, Len!" There were tears in
her eyes.
"Grace, honey!" His voice was
husky.
They walked, automatically
across the rotunda toward the
taxi-stand her hand tucked under
his arm. Strangely silent, each
wanted to speak, but, embarras-
sed, did not know how to begin.
"When I first saw you," he said
in the taxi, 81 thought you look
ed trifle pale, but I guess it was
just my imagination. You look
marvellous, sweetheart"
She laughed, but her voice was
serious, you'd be a trifle pale,
too, I suppose, if you were run
ming away from home to get mar
ried."
$50 it's like that?"
She nodded. eyes, like that.
They were furious. Threatened
to cut me off without a penny
and all that sort Of thing. ]
told them it didn't matter the
least bit. And here I am. With
two bags of clothes. But I'm not
at all afraid, Len. Funny, isn't
it?"
He held her close to him. ''You
will never regret it, Oracle
Never"
From his coat pocket he shyly
extracted a little box, took the
ring from it, boyishly demanding
that she close her eyes. Fumbl-
ing, he slipped the tiny solitaire
on her finger; allowed her to
open her eyes.
They decided that the next day
they would look for an apart
ment. Until something that was
both comfortable and within
their means was found Grace
would stay at the st. Andrew.
Len saw her settled in a room
two floors above his and then
explained that because this was
Saturday he had to be back on
the job at seven. She insisted on
having tea and a sandwich with
him in the drug store at the
corner.
They sat on high stools at the
counter and made plans for the
immediate future. During Lens
Monday lunch.hour they would
dash down to the Municipal
Building and get the license.
They would go to the church not
far from the hotel and arrange
with the minister to be married
sometime during the week. He
kissed her and strobe off toward
Fifth Avenue and Talbot's whist
ling merrily as he walked.
How good it was to have some
one to kiss before going off to
work! And to know she'd there,
waiting for him, when he came
home. Something to work for.
At five minutes after ten, hav-
ing finished serving a middle
aged dowager who had beamed
a constant smile upon him, Len
took his hat from the locker and
walked hurriedly back through
the brightly illuminated New
York City streets to the ST. An
drew Hotel. Grace was waiting
for him in the lobby.
The buses were crowded, but
they finally got a top bench and
sat close together, hands inter-
locked, the touch of the small
diamond giving him a sense of
possessiveness. Shoulders touch
ing, they rode thus through the
night.
When Len returned from
lunch on Monday, Carey said:
There's someone waiting for you
I'D front. Wants Mr.. Rollins and
no one else but"
Dan Worthington rose from a
chair at Lens approach. Len
steeled himself. He would be