The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-02-26
WAIT FOR NE

By KATHERINE MACY


smarted him. See mere. d. you
fb.rk there could have heen any
thins phony shout thai wedding
What do you mean? she
asked. astonished and indignant.
''of course mol"
DO you remember singing any,
thing ."
Yes, 4 proper form. too. for
Was 8 witness a. wedding once.
The man who married rs was
justice Of the peace I think l
don't believe ne was 3 minister
somehow There were two Wit
nesses How could II have been
phony' -
Been Done
Its been done. said Steve
wryly. But little as / think Of
young Van VIet. ] don't think
he would have played trick on
YOU. Yet I cant figure out Whist
this fellow is driving at If things
were on the level
Perhaps he just means he'll
give the story of the marriage
Ia the newspapers" said Jan
obi il hasn't leaked out be-
fore, but I suppose the name Of
Van Nlet didn't mean much down
there. Or Peter may have creased
some palms to see that il didn't
get any publicity. Well. I'd advise
you to let it slide Don't start pay
ing any blsckmail whatever yon
do. Sooner or later the papers are
going to get hold OF il. you may
as we'll face the fact"
What if they do? Jan said de-
+ family.
You're asking me- Your hus-
band is the guy to answer that.
Looks, 50 far as if he wanted 10
keep it in the dark. Mind if I
keep this letter 90
Jan gave it to him hesitantlv.
If you promise not to get mixed
up in anything Steve
/ 1t bothers me Mite.
1T would be dynamite if any
one IN my office saw this letter,
that's the only harm il could do
me I'm supposed to have the
Van Nhet family tied up in a
bag. though I don't divulee my
news sources I tremhle to think
what Saunders would say If he
knew what I was holding out on
him"
News From Paris
From Paris a dav or two later
came news that Peter and Jim
We're on their way to Genoa 10
embark for the United States on
/ the Manhattan Jan reading the
story. was moved to call Robert
Van Nliet but was daunted by
the thought of Fania: Peters
stepmother alres v suspected
more than she should about the
relationship between Peter and
Jan. the girl knew.
why Fania did not openly
ask If she were married to
Peter, Jan could not fathom.
/ The older woman went about
her affairs In devious WAY,
with sort Of subtlety that was
beyond Jan.
No doubt the secrecy she was
preserving was her idea of amuse-
ment
SO Jan did not telephone Like
any other newspaper reader. she
followed the story Of Peters
homecoming: the delay of the
boat ut Gibraltar, while the Brit
lsh searched it thoroughly. before
it reached Genoa; its landing at
Genoa. where Peter and Jim
somehow eluded the American
consul and the boat had to be
held an hour until they were To-
Gated; then the seven or eight
days of comparative quiet while
the ship steamed across the At
lantic.
Reads Calmly
Jan found she could read about
this calmly She had burned out
ner emotions in those uncertain
DAYS when Peter and Jim were
lost. She didn't know now what
would happen when she met Peter
face to face. whether the old rush
Of affection would come back
again.
Untfl she met him. She could
wait To find out, with consid-
era bic plscidity.
Il was Jerry who heard or the
radio that the MAMMA ttan vas
landing from her Today voyage.
Steve called her shortly sfterward.
4 have to meet the boat anyway"
he told her. She's docking at
10 tomorrow. Hap and will stop
for you about nine Don't you want
TO see the would-be heroes vel
coined back TO our shores by the
citizens Of this metropolis ,"
But not with me" he fin
ished for her. I'm going TO take
YOU anyway"
That wasn't what ! was go
ing 10 say said Jan stiffly I
was Just gong 10 remark that
would ne excess baggage L YOU
will be working on the story"
Part n story
Excess baggage Ny dear gi-l.
you don't Get the point You're
part Of he story. The rest Of New
York will turn out 70 sec Peter
Van Nliet -. and perhaps JIM
Brownell &C.. return from the wars,
or a noble attempt to get into the
wars I'm poi-c ofo-r -, 80, -