The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-02
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

When Karen stopped her road
srer before Martyrs trailer, and
she told him bluntly that she lad
come to see him and to tell him
something since he would n I
come to see he, he had a ready
answer, as usual.
Il was coming to see you-be'
fore l went away" he said, lean
ing his elbows on the door OF the
car. grinning down on her. HIS
blond hair was all rumply in the
soft warm breeze, his lean lace,
now coppery from the sun, was
almost handsome with its stern
Jaw and humorous mouth n d
eyes so incredibly blue; he did
mot need brass buttons or gold
braid. his khaki-colored, casual
clothes became him.
Before you went away. Karen
repeated. her heart turning over.
! She had known ne must. but yet
she had hoped against hope that
! it would not have to be.
! He nodded. Il go wherever I'm
sent you know. milady. some
times to the far corners OF the
earth. This job is finished, but
there'u be plenty of others
| "You did a good job, Marty. >
She wanted him to know she was
proud of him. Imagine your be-
| ing such a good detective! Now
know why you claimed to know
all about me. and 1 suspect you
simply cultivated my friendship in
order to obtain more information. "
What other reason could I have
had?" His tone was hooking, his
eyes teasing. las for the detec-
i've part. that was easy. l knew
as soon as l found that fresh sup
/ ply of matches in the tower room
that night that my suspicious were
justified. l knew. too. that old
Jan was not obeying Your orders
about locking the tunnel. Of course
he was only obeying orders under
threat of death. o. worse. for his
relatives in Germany. 1t was the
others we really were after. and
! 7 suspected they were using your
tunnel for a meeting place. which
was why it was not a safe place
fol you to be. Kay
Il see it wasn't now" Karen
said. 1T will be kept locked from
now on. l promise YOU.
Things will be different from
now on" Marty told her. Our
ships will sail only in large con-
voys. The beaches will be patroll-
ed by the Coast Guard. Ipmigra-
ton officers will be on guard al
every bridge to demand Identified
ton from everyone VINO crosses
them. All these things take time
and patience. but they will be
worked out. Just as it will take
time to win this war. but we will
win il
Thanks to the unknown soldiers
like yourself. Karen said. Il know
what you meant about every man S
not being able TO wear uniform.
I Your part is just as important.
Just as big: it starts long before
ones country is actually in the
fight and goes on long afterWard. ,
It's every mans war Marty
greed And every Woman's and
every child's. But l want to thank
YOU. Kay. for believing in me be-
fore you knew all these things. .
! How could I help believing in
your" Her eyes looked into his.
Surely he could see all that was
written in them.
1t would have been just as easy
for you to have thought the worst
of me- His eyes smiled back
into hers, but only for a brief
moment. He removed his elbows
from the top of the door. straight
ened up. II should ask you to
come in. to play the part Of a
good host and to show my graft
tude But the place is in a mess,
much too untidy to entertain a
lady in, because I'm packing up
when will you learn that I'm
not such grand lady as you try
to make out? You told me once
when / visited your trailer that
you knew you had been wrong
about that. You even told me
was quite human and ordinary.
It's too silly. Marty, the way you
try to pretend that we belong to
different worlds, you and l."
You belong not only i'll diff
ferent world. but to another man."
he reminded. His tone no longer
held its mocking note; his blue
eyes were serious.
In answer to that, Karen held
out her hand. the hand on which
that magnificent ring no longer
glittered.
What does that mean-you' re
not wearing your ring? Remena-
Der l told you you ought never
be without it,
Il shan't wear it ever again.
I'm not engaged to Paul. We are.
MT going to be married." Now
Marty would know she was free.
Would her freedom mean anything