The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-12-29

arrive from the border" A doubt
full look swept across her face.
Something made her ask in half
childish voice, 1t is safe, isn't it?''
Safe" Mingling with his as
surance was a touch of scorn for
anything except an airplane.
Safe? Indeed it is. It's safe to the
point of dullness-if you change
your mind, just telephone.
Mallory nodded and walked
swiftly away from that salesman
ship. Riding into town she realized
she felt terribly alone, but she hat
ed to admit it. Worse, she felt in
adequate. She'd decided to ignore
planes. A train reservation was as
slim as a cats whisker. And there
would be little sense in buying an
automobile before she reached the
eorder town; if she d i d, she'd
spend too many precious d y S
pleading for extra gasoline. No,
she would take the bus.
Eventually she began to feel a
little better. That was the delight
full part of being on vacation, she
speculated. Leisure tinted ever.-
thing favorably Like love. Well,
almost like love, S h e amended,
signing heavily for David. H o w
she wished he were riding along
with her, his blond head near hers.
What pair we were, she
thought without modesty. So very
attractive together, so unusual, the
twin blond heads, making an effect
more dashing than a severe con-
trast. How people had stared, Nal
lcry recalled with a tiny sugary
smile at the corner of her mouth.
Sometimes they had stared more
at David than at her. That hadn't
Teen so pleasant. The sugary smile
went away.
She had mentioned it to Tod Pat
rick once or twice. You're jeal-
cus,' he assured her placidly.
I am not! 1t S just that the
woman is the one to get the great
er part of the attention.
I'D say that depended on who
was gaWking, a man or a woman"
I'm the more important" she
had added.
Riding into the outskirts of
Iallas, Mallory could remember
the exact expression on her mana
gers face. AS if he wanted to
laugh at her and beat her over
the head, both at the same time.
However, his compromise emerg-
ed in fairly calm voice.
Mallory, for dame in love
with guy you're behaving one
degree short of blithering idiot"
That was the day he'd said, gleeful
over his discovery, SO, of course
the answer is, you don't love him.
If you did you'd let the poor dope
have a little OF the glory. You
even do that for tenors whom you
barely tolerate" Mallory could re-
member how he had roared with
laughter. I. seemed almost as il
he were right beside her. laughing
now, laughing loudly above h e
Texas gale.
"Everything's all right, NAL
iory," he had said. Just dandy.
Whether he knows it or not, David
is out on his daffodil head. And
that makes me happy. But cheer
up perhaps the persons staring at
him are agape with CONSERVATION,
not admiration.
Yes Tod had said all those hate
full things that day he first doubted
ner feeling for David. And that day
mad been only the beginning. From
then on he never ceased telling
her that David's romance was
doomed, which, in way. it was.
at any rate, the romance was
over, although there might be
some question whethr David con-
sidered himself doomed or bless
ed.
Again little feeling of loneli-
ness swept over the girl. She clos
ed her eyes and fought it, forcing