Evening star., 1940-12-05
CHAPTER TX.

know where he was going nor did he
care. He merely walked on and on,
his head bent into the wind, the
cold stinging his face and eyes.
What was it she'd said? Some
thing always makes me want to
strike out at you. I guess it's be-
cause I'm afraid" What had she
meant? 1t was fantastic to think
she meant she was afraid-afraid
shed fall in love with him.
So absorbed was he in his
thoughts that he almost collided
with a woman in the park at cor
ner where a hedge obstructed the
view. He was surprised to find that
1t was Miss Mills.
Hello, Stephen" she said, smil-
ing up at him.
What are you doing walking in
the park on day like this?" he
asked, more for want of something
to say than anything else.
Its so lonely ct home" she ex-
planned rather pathetically. ANY
things better than those four walls
inclosing-nothing."
He was at loss for something
to say now. They started off to-
gether. A stinging snow had begun
to fall. almost like sleet. 1t pricked
their faces sharply.
Miss Mills Is Thrilled.
Maybe we could have dinner to-
gether," he offered impulsively. II
feel rather low myself tonight" He
laughed with a trace of self-con-
sciousness. I'VE could even take in
a movie afterWard if you'd like"
They paused under street lamp
while Stephen took out his watch
to peer at it in the gloom.
"Oh-I would" Laura Mills an
swered breathlessly.
Good. I'll go home because Eli
za's probably waiting. I'll drive
around about $50"
The evening was pleasant enough,
but he discovered that Miss Mills
wasn't much different across a din
ner table than she was in the Of
fee at the school except that she
fluttered her eyes queerly in a way
that rather embarrassed him, and
she took such pains to speak to
people she knew. Even during the
movie his mind kept wandering
back to Janet, the way she had
looked up at him, face stained with
tears.
Janet, after Stephen had gone,
stood by the window for a long mo-
ment, remembering his words, I'D
miss you frightfully."
"I don't believe I want to go
anywhere tonight, Larry" she said
as she faced him at last. This has
all been $3.50 upsetting."
Snap out of it, Janet" he said.
I'll get even with Steve sooner or
later. He can't knock me down and
get away with it."
ut isn't just what happened
few moments ago, Larry" she said.
She told him then about the teach
ers' meeting of the evening before,
about the letters.
"Why, I'll have father do some
thing about that superintendent"
Larry vowed. He can't get away
with that"
"Oh, no, Larry. I'm beginning to
see that they're right. The other
teachers don't go to places like the
Golden Parrot and-well, those
other joints. You see the youngsters
get the wrong idea. Even if there
isn't any harm in us going, it isn't
quite ethical. We know how to
keep our heads, how to do things
moderately, but teen-age youngsters
don't. They haven't any judgment
or-balance. When they see some
one like a favorite teacher going
places like that and weu-drinking,
gambling and all that, they think
it's perfectly all right for them to
do the same"
Larry stared at her in bewilder-
ment. whats come over you?"
And anyway, Larry, don't you
get wee bit tired yourself of doing
that sort of thing night after night?
Doesn't 1t ever strike you as being