The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-02-17
WAIT FOR ME-
CHATTER FOURTEEN
By KATHERINE MACY


halfway open. and. acting on IN
pulse. Jan knocked. \ girl perhaps
five years older than she opened Il
Iimpetuously. surveying her with
bright brown eyes Ike Steve's
There the resemblance ended. for
Sue was small and round where
Steve was long and lean. and her
face. piqusnt and gay. elowed with
bright smile
Don't tell me- she cred
You're Jan Macleod. I'm simply
dying with curiosity. Come on IN.
dragging Jan by the hand and
pushing her into chair. Steve Is
so darn honorable that when he
called the office TO tell me about
you he simply said that If want
ed to know anything about you.
I'd have to ask you myself. All I
know is that you're from Virginia,
that you don't know anyone IN
New York. and that Steve thinks
you're swell And that. may say.
is something from that brother Of
mine He's hopeless as far as girls
are concerned"
She ratified on, and when she
stopped Jan said sh,ly. There
/ II no mystery. | met steve at
Hollymount."
'Hollymount on =" Sues
widening eyes meant that she half
understood and would have gone
on. but the telephone in the hall
was ringing. scuse. Maybe its
Bill"
While Jan was wondering who
Bill might be, Sue called, For you.
Jan. It's Steve" handing her the
Receiver.
Steve was delighted to hear that
she was settled. that she had met
Sue. that everything was fine. His
voice over the wire radated salts
faction with his own cleverness in
settling things. and with something
else that Jan could not identify.
Then he lowered it, and she sud-
denly knew. Can you have dinner
with me, this first night ?" he was
asking. You know. your ming
back has thrown me off base. Jan.
I want to make sure you're real.
the way I've been thinking about
you. l can't tell you over the tele-
phone When can l meet you >"
Her heart turned over. This
was what she had not expect
ed, what she had no right 10
expect. Before her eyes burn
ed the words on that telegram,
Mrs. Peter Van Nliet."
Whether steve knew it or not,
II would not he kind to him to let
him have any illusions about her,
or about her freedom tn encourage
him or any other man but Peter.
I'm so sorry" she said huskily.
But I'm tired tonight"
Tired" he protested. Then.
after dull silence. I see"
mo, you don't" she began des-
perately. IF 1 could only ex-
plain :"
you don't owe me any ex-
PLANTATION, now or ever" he
said CURLY. "Good night. I'll
drop in sometime"
Jan put down the receiver and
felt tears of evaporation. hurt and
Illustration. rise to her eyes. She
turned her head so that Sue. stand
ing in her doorway, could not see,
but the other girl was not easily
fooled.
II must get ready for din
ner," said Jan. But her voice
caught, and Sue took her nv
the shoulders, looking at her
with frown.
Seems 10 me. she said candid
1 ~, that you have something on
your mind and you ought to get 1t
off. It's none Of my business. but
I can listen and can keep a secret.
Now. what's all this about ,"
Confession may be good for the
soul, thought Jan after she had
told for the first time the whole
sorry story of her elopement with
Peter. his immediate desertion of
her. her fathers death. and her
reason for coming TO New York;
but il is firing business.
She was utterly exhausted
when she had finished, and
leaned back YEARLY in the
chair in Sues room.
But she still had strength
enough to tell Sue urgently, And
please. please, don't tell Steve any
thing. You see. Peter may have
had perfectly good reason for do
ing as he did He hasn't written
TO me yet shadow passed over
her face, but perhaps ne will.
soon.
Your faith is touching" said
Sue drily. but scarcely practical.
I'm going to be blunt. for II is time
someone put some starch in your
backbone. or course 7 won't tell
Steve II you don't want me to. But
well. under the circumstances.
l suggest that you forget Peter.
and just be natural with my broth
er and any other man. You have
been as the lawyers say. abandon
ed. for whatever reason.
You could get an snnulment'
glancing at Jan. who shook her
head violently. Il don't think you
would. though why you want to
stay tied up TO that selfish young