The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-09-23
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| "That's very generous of you.
But I was barging along much too
fast" He smiled suddenly. ITO
be honest I was in the devil of a
temper. I was trying to walk it
off"
She smiled too. did you man.
age it,"
I'm not sure. 1 say, are you
quite sure you're not hurt?"
Quite"
well, at least you must feel a
little bit shaken. You must let me
get taxi and drop you wherever
it is you're going"
Jane looked at him. She re-
membered that this was her last
night of freedom and that Stella
had often said she was far too
shy and retiring. She smiled.
'"That's very kind of you, but you
see I just don't happen to be 60
ing anywhere"
He laughed. I'm that case -
Hook, shall I tell you? You were
just on your way to meet me. And
I was hurrying to meet you and
we were going to dine at Kett-
ner's. I've already booked a ia
BILE" He stopped passing taxi
as he spoke and held open the
door for her. Hop in! We're 60
ing to Black Velvet after"
Ten minutes later she was seat
ed opposite him and the waiter
was taking their order. A table
had certainly been booked for
him. The maitre d'hotel clearly
knew him. He had bowed them
through the restaurant, removed
the little card with Reserved" on
it as they sat down and asked
what he could get for them.
1.-TWO champagne cocktails,
please, and make them snappy.
Or would you rather have some
thing else?"
Jane took off her gloves, laid
them beside her handbag on the
table and said a champagne cock
tail would be lovely. She hoped
that he wouldn't think she was in
the habit of dining with strang-
ers. He hadn't consulted her with
regard to what she would eat or
drink beyond one or two crisp in
quiries, but the dinner he'd chos-
en- seemed somehow to comprise
all her favorite dishes.
She heard herself saying out of
ia blue sky, "Why did she let you
doWn?'
His eyes darkened. "Some 9TH
er fellow, I imagine. She said
she had a cold"
Il see. One mans meat :"
She smiled and remembered that
Tony had always told her that her
smile could charm any man. I'm
enjoying my position.
He said swiftly, Il am too.
Gosh Pm glad l ran into you,
though it was a bit unfortunate
for your
She laughed softly. II could
find it in my heart to wish we'd
met some other way. We could
have been introduced. for in
stance"
He shook his head. '"That would
have spoiled it all. But we can
introduce ourselves now"
She made a quick dissenting
gesture. mo, let's just dine to-
gether, and go to a theater to-
gether and then I'll say, Good
night and thank you very much
and that will be all there is to
it,"
She glanced up to find his eyes
fixed on her intently. They were
the bluest eyes she had ever seen.
why do you say that?"
She gave a little shrug of her
slender shoulders. docs that
matter?"
Eyes. If we're not going to
meet again, we may as we'll be
frank with each other. Well have
to get enough for a lifetime into
a very little while" He paused.
Then he said gently, ''Please tell
me. I don't believe it's just a
whim."
She hesitated. She made little
patterns on the tablecloth with
her fork. She said slowly,
There's little saying, a burnt
child -
you're very honest"
II was very badly burnt"
$50 was I, once. This evening.
The girl who let me down
that was nothing" He laughed.
1T merely put me in bad temp
er, but if 1 were to see very much
of YOU"
She cbooL bor boaS sEVo11'ro