The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-03-03
WAIT FOR ME"
CHAPTER TNFNTY.SIx
BY KATHERINE MACY

Steve stroned 10 the door. raised
bis eyebrows at the sight Of Peter.
and he'd out his hand. How are
you 90 he asked.
@So-so. said Peter grsspine the
hand and dropping il quickly Then
he turned to Jan and said Urgent
", Cant you come somewhere
with me? We cant talk in this
dump"
III he seeing YOU" >aid
Steve, picking up his hat. Jan
looked from one to the other
and hesitated. But Steve and
Don't mind me-" said Steve.
We have all the time in the world
to continue our chat . . if you
want to-" he added significantly.
Jan let herself be persuaded that
Peter was more important this
time and found herself pres
emily With him in a quiet cocktail
room around the corner.
Peter ordered highball and
gulped II down with a speed
that made her blink a. she
slipped her ginger ale.
Now that l have some false
courage" he said. settling into the
seat beside her against the wall.
I'm going to make a clean breast
of everything
DO you think You must" she
asked lightly. I won't ask you TO,
you know
He looked at her sidewise.
Funny thing about you. Any other
girl l know would have asked all
the why's and wherefores long be-
fore this" He drew a long breath
and. eyes straight ahead, said, 4
suppose you think have forgotten
that We are married.
Jan dropped her hands into
her lap and sat very still. Il
wasn't sure"
NO wonder. Waiter" He lifted
finger and ordered another drink.
Jan refused one, and he resumed,
I'm going back to that night at
the Plaza, in October. You remem-
Der I had q telephone call -
From Jim Brownell."
Right. What you didn't know is
that Jim and I had planned not
long after war was declared that
we'd try to get into an air corps in
England, France. somewhere. He'd
flown in Spain, you know, and in
France in 1918. Came out of both
wars without a scratch. Wanted
to get back into the thick Of il.
He likes wars"
Peter frowned at his drink as
the waiter set it down, drank part
Of il. and went on, You don't real
lie what hero Jim has been TO
me. I've been nuts about flying
since ! was sixteen. Dad didn't
know when Jim taught me to fly
or he'd have stopped me- -.
bitterly.
Can you blame him ,"
Suppose not. Well, when
Jim said he'd take me along
this time, was wild TO go
with him, set up TO think he'd
picked me. That was i'm early
September. ] knew I'd have
10 sneak away from school 10
do IL. hut that didn't matter.
Then Jim wired me that things
hadn't turned out as he planned,
and we couldn't 90. There was all
! that business about our United
States citizenship and so on. l
was sunk, felt as If the bottom
had dropped out of everything. I'd
been living for weeks on the hope
of going with Jim, and the disap-
pointment put me in blue funk
for days. That was one reason I
skipped off to Florida
He met her eyes again. And
when / came back Ia Holly
mount. there YOU were" Jan
flushed and looked down, toy
ing with her glass.
You were so darn sweet IN me,
Jan. and 50 spurky and such
good egg altogether, thought.
Here's what's good for me
SO we were married"
Peter said Jan hurriedly. lay
ing her hand on his arm i want
to tell you something before you
go any further. Steve and ! were
talking about it tonight
"Steve Gardner? What's he
got 10 do with it," asked
Peter suspiciously.
On. nothing. of course It's no
ones business but yours and mine.
But I've got to talk about it with
you"
NO" he said stubbornly, 1t will
have TO wait I'm going to finish
: this If il kills me
Jan sat back thinking, We'll. I
tried. III listen. But ! won't let
it make any difference"
Then Jim called me" he took
up his story again. He said things
were all set. after all, for that very
night. He mad TO meet a man IN
Montreal the next morning. II We
didn't get there then. IL was too
late. The fellow didn't help US. :" ne
threw in psrenthetically but Jim
thought he could al the time.
And 7 thought Il Jim wanted
me. had TO 90 along. Il was
partly habit, for always before
when Jim said Come. 7 came. and
no questions asked. You know
didn't 90 quite willingly that night.
though. thought when 7 left YOU
that maybe I could stall him off.
until YOU and got things straight
ened out But ne wouldn't listen 10
ne