The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-12-30
||q V6nkpe c}9nO777u
Ek1llS&,hr 81 LoRENA CARLETON ~
LEASED BYcErRA ASoaAn

GO get the ticke., Prism, and
stop being a worry-wart!"
The thought of standing in line
made the temperamental prima
donna a bit sick. There were 45
minutes to stand before the bus
was even supposed to leave. These
inconvenience, so often encounter
ed on this trip, made Mallory Won
der if it were worth while to try
to infuriate Tod Patrick. Still, she
corrected, she va; going also be-
cause her heart was broken over
David. The only angle to that was,
she had to keep reminding herself
to think of MIN. And suppose Tod
wasn't en- angry as she hoped he
was? He might not have kept up
the same splendid rampage that
he started in her apartment.
"Prism,' she hurried to inquire,
when the colored woman came
back holding her ticket, did you
see Mr.. Patrick before you left
New York;"
'Oh, yes'm," she said, in a voice
that held a wary note.
"And what did he say"
'If you mean what did he yell,
Miss Mallory, he yelled plenty He
didn't SAY anything. but he sure
screamed a lot" TIL e memory
brought a silent smoker to her fat
face, but instantly her face was
as wary as her voice had been.
You'd better start giving out,
Prism. or I'll do little screaming
myself. I'll make more of racket
in this awful place than there is
already" After a long moment of
continued silence from Prism, the
girl said. Nov listen, do I get a
word-by-word account or are you
going to keep stalling?"
Prism leaned against the wall
and began weary recitation.
well, first. Miss Mallory, he
wouldn't believe you'd really gone.
Then when he knew I was tellin'
the truth he banged the top of
your piano so hard I thought the
lamp was going to fall off. Then
was when he began tc yell. He said
you were unerateful and mean and
ignorant and depreciative-"
"Unapprec:ative, probably" the
girl amended. A srlile cleaned on
her amber-red mouth.
"All right, then. unappreciative.
Prism was bending low, a feat
that was surprising because of her
bulk. busying herself with the suit
cases and cardboard boxes. That's
about everything except he said
you was crazy. Then he went into
the kitchen and poured great big
drink of whiskey anc drank it right
down like it was orange juice.
Honest, l thought he was goin' to
bust out in flames" She jerked
her head, in its fantastic feather
trimmed hat, toward the barred
door. Get over toward h e,
Miss Mallory, and I'll help you
get standin' place"
And then what did he do?"
persisted Mallory.
Then he went in and hit the
top of the piano again and that
was about all. He sort of sim.
mered down and began playin' the
phonograph "
What records did he play?"
Mallory Baker let Prism herd her
into as advantageous a spot as was
left in the crowd about the barred
exit.
Prism didn't answer just then.
She reverted to the problem of
gnaWing at her mind. Its Just
plum silly, YOU cavortin' off all
alone. | know you re grownup
woman and you think you're even
smarter than you are, but in lots
of ways, you amt rothin' but a
little kid
Next thing, you'll be telling me
I'm crazy like Tod Patrick did.
Now look here. Prism, I'm tired
OF being treated like a mental
pygmy, so let me alone!"
Prism did not answer. She was