Evening star., 1940-08-20

Wingate, 7 o'clock. Informal. Love,
Chris"
"Rolfe Suttle would no more en-
Joy a party in my honor than I
would one in his" Tom Callahan
muttered. "Why the devil couldn't
he say it was for Chris and be done
with it. Darn good excuse for me
to stay away if he had, the rat"
The blue and gray necktie was
neatly tied now and properly ad-
iusted between the starched tabs
of his white shirt. He lifted his
chin to give it the last once over,
then picked up his cigarette, took
last drag and crushed it out in the
tray. Turning, he limped across the
small room to the closet.
The old leg was improving slow
". Nearly 10 weeks now since the
crackup and Tom Callahan was
still walking with cane. He
laughed, recalling the ribbing he'd
had just that day from Jiggs out
at the airport about trying to make
lifetime proposition out of the air.
line sick benefit: but he didn't mind
the ribbing. He didn't care too
much about the sick benefit, either,
but one thing was certain: if he
had to nurse it for the rest of his
life. that leg was going to heal per-
fectly. He'd seen too many pilots
limping from one hangar to another
looking for jobs. 1t was like carry
ing a little tag around your neck,
Il Just cracked up. How'd you
like to have me fly for you?"
New Job Waiting.
Putting on the coat to his pin
striped blue suit, he remembered
the wallet in his other coat, the
one he'd worn during the day.
Transferring it. he glanced inside to
make sure everything was there
Everything was, including some sixty
odd dollars in cash, his transport IL
cense, auto drivers license, and the
letter from Bradshaw advising him
that when he was ready to go back
to work it would be as technical ad-
wiser on traffic and new routes.
A grin flashed across his bronZed
face, bringing tiny lines around the
twin rows of strong white teeth.
Fifteen thousand a year; not hard
to take. A plane of his own. a pri-
vate office, no fixed schedule TAX
Ing him out of town or away from
the home he and Chris were going
to start building within the next
few weeks
Putting the wallet in his pocket.
he took up his cane, took a last
glance around the room and walked
to the door, taking his gray felt
hat from the telephone table as he
passed. He rode down to the lobby
in the self-operated elevator. crossed
to the street door and out to the
curb to where his long maroon road
ster was parked
In the lobby of the Wingate he
found the others waiting for him
Rolfe Suttle, tall and thin and
loose jointed, with lifeless. gray
streaked hair and pallid skin, stood
between the two girls, his lips NOV
ing slowly over the smooth and
usually humorous words always at
his command.
Chris Smile Stirs Tom.
The girl at Rolfe's left Tom didn't
recognize. but her obviously phonv
blond hair and heavily mascaraed
eyes and tightly fitting gown
seemed to him symbolic of the
type Rolfe Suttle would be sure to
60 for.
But after the first glance the
only one of the three he had ewes
for was Christine Mallory, the tall
brunette beauty on Rolfe's right.
Chris waved yellow -gloved hand
at him as soon as he entered and
her cherry red lips parted in
wide smile. Hers was a smile that
always made Tom Callahan's pilot
steady heart do stunts that no plane
could ever have endured. He could
feel 1t now, three or four quick
plunges. then a smooth surge that
made him forget the pain in his
leg.
Hello, darling" Chris greeted
him, reaching out for his hand to
pull him possessively close to her
"H1o, Chris dear" Tom said.
meeting the tender and intimate
light in her deep brown eyes with
an affectionate smile. "You look
gorgeous. as always"
Chris curtsied and laughed. She
looked down at the yellow dress
and waved an encompassing hand
over her entire assemble. Il
thought a new outfit would show
Rolfe my appreciation, darling
Hello. Rolfe," Tom said, turning
To the other man for the first time.
~Pardon my not getting a new suit"
Knew Toms Father.
Chris made a pretense OF being
offended, but laughed through her
frown. Rolfe bowed extravagantly
and said it was perfectly all right
and not to worry about it another
minute. The other girl smiled and
tugged at Rolfe's arm until finally
he remembered to introduce her.
sylvia Marson was her name, and
the indifference with which Rolfe
treated her proved to Toms salts
faction that she was only brought
along to be a fourth, not because
Rolfe really wanted her there.
"Just telling Chris Rolfe said,
o. they walked toward the cocktail