The Wilmington morning star., 1940-10-11

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
'eWhom did you come to see?"
Billie Anne had asked Linda as
they stood by the cool, dark river
side. watching a gray dawn come
across the hills.
"Just a friend" Linda answered,
suddenly. realizing that she had nc
right to be there at all. Robert mad
said he loved her, but IN mao
Withdrawn into Ronald's affections.
And now, when she was free, ne
had other VOWS.
: Not such new VOWS, either, she
. reminded herself, for Billie Anne
was an old friend.
"He must be some friend to BRING
: YOU out on a night like this. 1
wouldn't have come, but the whole
family thought I'd better. Roberts
sisters won't fly. Scared to death OF
/, it. So is his father. So it seemed up
to me to do a cross-country mara
thon and bring the family SYM
pathy. They all thought I owed it
to him or something"
1T was good of you to come"
Linda answered. Good of her to
come? Why, any woman would
come winging through all clouds
when the man she loved was IN
trouble or danger.)
Billie Anne answered comfort
ably. 81 thought so, too. OF course,
in my position I guess there wasn't
anything to do, but I'd had a hectic
day yesterday. They say there isn't
any real danger. They'll tunnel the
men out all right in a few more
hours. Let's get some coffee.
They sat side by side on stools at
the improvised coffee shop where
the workers on the bridge had
come daily for huge sandwiches
and hunks of pie. There was a
mirror in front of them and Linda
watched her face, curious@y white
and strained, with green smudges
where her wide eyes were, and
red lips that broke the mask. She
looked, too, at Billie Anne.
The other girl was gay and radi-
ant, dark hair and eyes shining.
She had worn a tweed sports coat
and a 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 coming out any
minute now-that is, maybe in an
hour or less" the informer said.
'It's over there on the other side
of the river. Some folk are going
over. Red Cross is waiting to give
aid"
Water looks awful" Billie Anna
said. "What kind of boats have
your"
"Just row boats. I'll take you
over if it's important" He mo-
toned to his boat, a flimsy affair.
The water in the river was rough
and rising, Billie Anne shook her
head. "I'l wait here"
But maybe Robert will be sick
and need you," Linda said. Even
now she couldn't talk about death.
That couldn't, couldn't happen.
Let Robert marry Billie Anne. Let
her, Linda Avery, have just a hand
full of words to keep. She would
know, at least, that some place a
tall man with Drowned face and
steady hands and eyes that knew
laughter worked on mountain tops
or spanned wide rivers.
Billie Anne weighed Linda's
words. you're right. He might ap-
preciate a little devotion. I'll take
the boat and 60 over"
'It's the last boat to make the
trip" the boatman said. "a lot of
people r going to want it. You
just got it in time"
MAY I go along?" Linda asked.
"Can you take two passengers?"
She opened her pocketbook.
The boatman shook his head
Sorry, sister. Ones all we can
take in this water. I'll come back
for you maybe, if I'm not COM
Wandered into SERVICE"
Come back for her! But why?
Robert would have his girl. Why
should he care that she was there?
Never mind" she answered. Il
will wait over here. You'll bring