Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-08-22

kse0 there's
change. Then she turned to Miss Pom
! ter
Miss Pointer. will you see that the
young ones go home at once. before
dark? You and Miss Dawlish and
Mrs. James, Of course. do as you please,
but the young ones"
I'll see they catch their busses."
said Miss Pointer. capably. And I
hope you'll go straight home yourself,
Madame. and get good nights rest"
Thank you. said Miss Croy Il shall"
/ But she wasn't going home yet. She
was going back to the dead, the empty
shell of Maison Masque in Bond Street
| The hall was very dark. She felt her
way to the lift and propelled herself
up to the first floor She dared not
risk the stairs, and yet. when her life
| was over, how absurd, how fantastic,
| to take these precautions. She was
| just going to take last look round;
| there was still divan in the Quilted
showroom. she would just sit down
on it a few minutes. and mourn a
| little, watch a little. before she went
home
After all. I have only myself to
worry about" thought Miss Croy. Il
have no responsibilities. She left the
elevator and put her key in the show
room door. The next instant she had
the shock Of her life.
There was someone there already.
There were two people, boy in uni
| form and girl in tumbled hair. They
we're on the divan. AS she pushed
open the door they started up. But
| they were not alarmed. not guilty.
they were simply angry with her.
Go away" said the girl sharply
Miss Croy took a firm hold on her
self.
These are still my premises" she
said. who are you?" |
Il worked for you last year" said
the girl. You sacked me for thieving.
But I don't steal any more now. And
this is my boy, and he has to go back
tomorrow. and We had nowhere to be.
All at once Miss Croy remembered
her: A red-haired baggage of con-
siderable charm but no morals. She
stiffened.
How did you get IMP"
II had a key made from yours. She
threw it, and it tinkled at Miss Croys
feet. II shan't need it now he's go
ing. He's going to Palestine! Can't
you leave us be?"
Automatically Miss Croy stopped
picked up the key, and left them. She
felt outraged. She felt that the Nal
son Masaue had been outraged. ana
she felt suddenly too tired to do any
thing about it. There had been bit
ter passion in the girls voice that was
frightening: she had never been aole
to deal with emotion. SO she stooo
there irresolute. shut out, at loss;
and at that moment the sirens walled
over London in warning of a raid
IT must get home" thought MISS
Croy.
! The sky was full OF searchiighIs'
She halted a moment on the pave
ment, watching, and instmctlVeiy oe
gan to design an evening cioah-"
rather exaggerated, first-nlgnt aila
of black cloth slashed WIN siise.
Then she smiled wryly; not cloaks' ou'
trousers, were now the midnighI mo-
Something small and sWnt snppe
out of the darkness and ruooeo asaNis
her foot. 1t was kitten, INN So
alley-kitten, as light, when sne plckeu
| 1t I'D, as a QedO lSai.
liked cats, admiring their elegance al,u
self-sufficiency: she stroked the ciea
ture gently from ears to tail. and lev
its bones under her fingers. Inc ~
ten purred loudly. 1t soundeo raIhei
like a Spitfire. THAT would be gooo
name for you," said Miss Croy rashis,
for she did not yet know that 10 give
an animal a name is the first step "
wards adopting it. In fact, she m
tended to put Spitfire down at once;
hut at that moment the larger anu
more solid shape Of Warden diverted
her attention.
Please get inside at once" said the
Warden sharply. Don't you know
there's a raid on?"
Miss Croy stiffened. She was used
to giving. not taking orders.
Thank you," she said. Il do know.
And am just going to take taxi
home"
Where to?"
Hampstead
You can't start for Hampstead nov.
Please go to the shelter at the end
Of the street"