The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-31
CHAPTER
WRITTEN FOR AND RELEASED BY
TArpkf pprSc ASSOCIATION

me whatsoever. Since it is toe
late to put you off the ship, IL
see that you are put up some
where. After that, I will not be
responsible for you"
Kit listened to him attentlvely
When he had finished she SAID pa
tiently, "You don't seem to DC
listening to me. I told you l mao
q plan"
"Plan!" Every hair on his head
stood up in futile fury.
Kit had got up from the lounge
She came over and stood be1ore
him. drawing every inch OF her,
self up. The top of her e a q
reached his shoulder, but her eyes
seemed to be on a level with his
Quietly she said, Il know that
I'm doing something most people
would think pretty crazy. But !
know what I'm doing. This is nc
prank, my dear, and I'm not being
cute. I'm a woman stalking a man
and you're IT."
A muscle twitched in his cheek.
.'You and I have been closer
than you think, Vance. There
hasn't been any element OF pro
pinouity in our relationship, but
it has been close. I've thought
that all out. You see, I know you
better than you know yourself. !
know why you're running away
like a silly romantic schoolboy.
Only you're not a schoolboy any
more mad you need somebody to
to tell you what you are-and te
save you from yourselw. I'm going
to save you from yourself-and Il
the odds arewith me-for myself.
If they're not, and I lose-wel,
a take it."
"You lose," he said frigidly.
Sand you leave this minute"
mo, I don't" she answered
evenly. DO I look as if I coulo
be .old what to do?"
She didn't, he observed unhap
PLY. He looked around and foune
the bell.
1.-The minute you put your hane
on the stewards bell, I'll open VI
with a scene. Before I left, Vanc'
Healey, I did something for you.
saved your job for you" Sh
didn't tell him she had thrown he
w away. "But I'll blow up you
whole future if you touch tina
bell"
His finger fingered above it.
"Iu say that you brought me o.
this boat and kept me here agains
my will"
"You wouldn't dare"
"Wouldn't I? Try it. I can b
that ruthless. I can do that be
cause-because I'm doing it TO
both you and me-"
Inside, Kit tetl that she wa
crumbling to dust because Vanc
looked at her the way he did. Ou1
wardly, her eyes were calm an
courageous and purpose was writ
ten on her face.
After a moment he moved ava.
from the bell. He said, "Perhap
you'll let me in on your plan.
In time, yes. But first I wan
to tell you something. You RAJ
away, not because your heart wa
broken, but because your foolis]
vanity was nipped. You don't low
that girl. You've got a social con-
pick. You always wanted to be
lieve that your own kind of peopl
the people who worked with you
were only a bunch of shallow hang
erson. You wouldn't admit tina
they were real people, the kim
that are real and human.
Nevertheless, you had so mucl
respect for their opinion that yo'
couldn't face them when an out
slider Tilted you! You know S
little about them that you wer'
afraid they'd laugh at you becaus'
a debutante took you for a sleigl
ride! You thought it would max
a difference to people who knew
you because a cheap girl threw
you down. You didn't give then
any credit for knowing you am
liking you. You never saw Vanc,
Healey as a generous, lovable guy
You only say a schoolboy tryin,
to climb out of his class and land
ing where-so you ran away"
Kits long speech was done, bu
Vance had nothing to say.
In a very small voice she said
"Vance, suppose the newspaper
were to announce that you and
had eloped and were married OF
board ship?"
'Sorry," he said stiffly.
"Okay. 1t was only a suggestion
I'll try again the day we land. M,
charm may have overwhelmed yo1
by that time"
3'That's what you think" h
said. Then, desperately, Woman
you can't stay here!"
Kit opened her pocketbook an,
turned it upside down. The con
tents that tumbled out included
lace handkerchief, a fairly com
plete makeup kit and several hur
dred dollars in cash.
This is where the plan come
in," she said, picking up the rol
of bills. "Take this money dow
to the purser and tell him tina
your sister-that will be me-i
with you. You can ad lib what
ever you like about her having
heart condition, or a mental con