The Wilmington morning star., 1947-11-25

not SO mucn as the line maze
by chair set in place.
Cathy had time to scrutinize
the room thoroughly before she
heard the sound of footsteps and
Mrs. Kendall's voice in the hall.
Then that lady came rustling in;
a big woman, rigidly corseted,
clad in a steel-gray frock that
was severely cut in the hope OF
minimizing her weight. Her hair
was steel-gray, too, swept up
from her face in a fashionable,
but unbecoming coiffure in
which there were blush lights
denoting a very recent "blueing
rinse"
"Good afternoon, Miss
Layne,', she greeted Cathy for.
mally. $50 nice to see you" She
waved Cathy to a seat and set.
tied herself in a straight-backed
chair that had something Of the
appearance of throne. Oh
viously the only kind of chair
that, with her long, tight corsets,
she could hope to occupy.
81 must confess,' she said
with a light, artificial laugh,
that when Bill told me you
were back, and seemed so ex-
cited, I had some little difficulty
in placing you! Dear Bill-he's
so popular - the girls simply
pursue him. It's really embar.
RAISING. But now that I see you
again, do seem to remember
You and Bill were quite good
friends during your childhood, !
believe" +"
"Quite good," said Cathy
briefly, and Mrs. Kendall's
china-blue eyes flashed ever sc
little.
"He tells me YOU have been
away for some time," said Mrs
Kendall politely, but her eyes
were cold and watchful.
'I've been overseas - the Pa
cific," said Cathy.
"Oh-you were a Wac?"
81 was-and am - an army
nurse" q
"Oh, then you haven't been
released?"
"No," answered Cathy, and
was quite certain that Mrs. Ken
dali looked relieved. 81 am on
leave"
"I'm sure you are enjoying it
renewing old friendships, see
ing your home town. I daresay
it looks quite changed since you
went away; there are so many
new industries, new people. Cy-
pressville is becoming quite i'm
portant, said Mrs. Kendall
chattily. 81 feel that the Kendall
estate has good reason to be
proud of having done so much
for Cypressville.
"And then. of course, Cypress
vile has done a great deal for
the Kendall estate" said Cathy
Mrs. Kendall's eyes flashed
again, but whatever she had
meant to say was interrupted by
the appearance of the maid,
bearing with the exaggerated
care that told she was unfamil-
lar with it, a handsome silver
tea service which she placed on
a low table beside Mrs. Kendall.
When the maid had gone, Mrs.
Kendall poured tea and passed
tiny thin sandwiches. When the
amenities h a d been dis
pensed with, she said lightly;
"Don't you think Bill is look
ing very well, Miss Layne? He's
been doing a wonderful job for
the war effort Of course, tn e
dear lad wanted terribly to 60
off and carry a gun and all that,
but I managed to persuade him
that he was really of much
greater service here carrying on
his job. Imagine Bill carrying
a gun-too absurd, isn't it,"
"BiI would have made a fine
pilot, Mrs. Kendall-or an equal
ly fine infantryman,'' said Cathy
quietly. CATER all, it was his
fight, too, you know. If all the
able-bodied young men like Bill
had stayed at home and carried
on their jobs"
Mrs. Kendall was white with
anger behind her carefully ap-
piled makeup.
81 trust you did not follow this
idiotic line in talking to Bill,
Miss Layne," she said icily "He
has not been too happy about
staying at home, even though l
managed to convince him it was
his duty. He seems to think
rather good deal of you, and
it would hit him hard to know
you think he's been Stacker. "
Cathy put down her teacup
and looked straight at Mrs. Ken
DALI
sT don't think Bill has been a