The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-17
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told me I'd get into trouble, and
1 dld-the very first time"
II wasn't thinking about that
What we're" .
Hold still" H e moistened his
handkerchief again. ct don't I'm.
derstand how people can get tears
oehlnd their ears, but you've man
aged" He gave a last dab at her
face, then sat back and SURVEYED
her. That's fine" He stuffed the
handkerchief in his pocket. "You
KNOW he went on, 81 often used
to wonder what you would be like
1t you ever took off your VEIL"
"Veil?"
"Yes-dared be yourself. LET
yourself 60. Just as you did today.
mat Vaquero surprised you into
beng human" Cliff was smiling.
put his voice was serious. There
was something sublime about the
way you cracked down on the two
bit bully. I saw flames in your
eyes that matched your hair"
Don't make fun of me, Cliff"
I'm not" He laid both hands
on her shoulders. .Look at me-"
Wonderingly, she obeyed.
"Al I'm trying to say is-don't
crawl into your shell again. You've
built a wall between US that
don't want because it hides a very
real person from me. Don't be
afraid of your emotions. It's only
when your blood starts singing
that you fully live"
MY blood was singing in anger.
Is that what you want?"
mo. Anger isn't the only thing
that makes the blood sing"
The launch had stopped, the bow
resting against the bank, while
with both hands on her shoulders
ne waited, feeling without quite
knowing why that they had
reached a crossroads, that the next
moment might have the power to
decide whether she would lay aside
that self-protective veil and accept
him as a friend, Or withdraw be.
yond his reach forever.
And as if Janet too felt the de.
cisive quality of that moment. she
became absolutely still, Their
slowly her hand moved to he1
throat in the old gesture of un.
certainty. The sleeve. Of he1
blouse slipped back, revealing the
mark of the vaquero's hand on he1
arm, and against her skins white.
ness the bruise stood out blue ano
angry. For the first time Cliff re.
allied she must be in pain.
"You poor kidd" Swept by q
sudden impulse f commiseratior
too instructive for thought, he
stopped and touched the mark with
his lips. She gave a sudden intake
of breath, and raising her arm.
gazed for a second at the place
where his lips had been. Then her
dark eyes lifted to his face, hold.
ing his eyes with her own, search.
ing them as if they would plumb
the very depths of him. Once
again, in a long, tremulous inhala-
ton, her breasts rose, she swayed,
and now his arms were about her,
and through on e binding second
his lips covered hers. Her body
had gone limp, then so swift he
could not be sure, her own lips
softened to his, her arms reached
toward him, but in the next in
slant she shrank back out of his
arms. Eyes clouded with fear, she
steadied herself.
"Please" - he could scarcely
hear her voice-''don't ever dc
that again. Not ever"
"Janet-' He stopped. She
walked slowly to the bow of the
launch, and when she turned he
knew that once again she hac
Withdrawn into herself.
I'm sorry" he said.
Lets not talk about it."
Angry at himself, he started the
motor. 1t would be his own faul
if she were more remote thar
ever. And yet-there had been tina
brief instant of response, tina
second when she gave him hel
lips. Or had it never happened:
All he could be sure of was tina
he had been unbelievably clumsy
Night had fallen when they
reached camp. A Light burned in
side the office, and as they en-
tered Cliff saw Madison standing
by the window. A frown darkenee
the little mans face, and ignoring
Cliff, he looked angrily at Janet
"Your're late. I thought We had {
date for dinner up in New Dixie.
Sorry" she answered hstlessly
ssI'm terribly tired