The Wilmington morning star., 1947-12-06
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Don't be frightened, Oar
ling" Mark said gently. "I've
no intention of making love to
you. l remember, Cathy, that
there was a fellow back here in
Cypressville who had a sort OF
priority on your heart and your
mind. You talked about him a
lot. Well, when the urge to see
you hit me so hard that there
; was no resisting it, I stood my
self in a corner and said stern
ly, Now, see here, you! Cathy's
already married to her beloved
and they'll probably invite you
to dinner-maybe not. So why
don't you use what few brains
you have and stay away?' But
well, there l was on the plane,
and there I was taking a train
in Atlanta. And the first thing
III asked Mrs. Westbrook, when
I'd tracked you down, was, Tell
me, is she married?' And when
Mrs. Westbrook said, NO -
well, remember that morning
when we stumbled into camp?
That's a little the way I felt
only better!"
"Mark-you mustn't"
"That's where you're wrong
Darling," said Mark. "I must
because the more l try to figh-
loving you, the more I fall in!
But I thought if I came anc
saw you, I'D find you weren'
half as pretty as I remembered
you; and maybe you had {
mean, spiteful disposition, ane
maybe you were even a bit o.
a beetle "
Cathy blinked, halfway be
tween tears and laughter.
"a a beetle?" she repeated
dazedly.
"That's a girl who sort of gets
in your hair-and your pocket
book, and messes things up fo1
you but good! You wouldn'
know how to be a beetle. I see
now I was just kidding mysel
in thinking that I could knocl
myself out of being in love will
/ you by exposing myself to you
presence"
sMark - please!" she sait
] huskily. "You mustn't, because
i I'm not-not free to listen"
"But Mrs. Westbrook said yo,
weren't married." he protested
] and then added quickly, in a diff
ferent tone, "Sorry - I've NJ
right to ask questions. Forget it
: Only maybe it would help if
told you that I'm here to try
to convince myself that I'm mo-
in love with you--that I have nc
intention of trying to WOO you
I'm a lone wolf, and come from
a long line of bachelors. Marri
age is fine, except that nine
times out of ten, among my
friends, it winds up in an un
holy mess of pickering anc
fighting, and the divorce court
So I promised myself. when
was so big - mo marriage fo1
you, son!' You're the only cir,
that's ever tempted me to for.
get that pledge. so what more
natural than that I should come
here. see you, and find out yol
were not, after all, a little tir
: goddess on wheels - which i:
what I seem to believe"
/ Cathy managed a shaky littls
laugh.
"Oh, but you won't have any
J difficulty not believing that
j she assured him.
! "1 hope not" As she lookei
! at him. startled. he smiled. 81
J mean that. I'd a darned sight
rather not clutter up my life
! with being in love. It makes a
guy so darned vu1nerab1e'
don't like putting myself into
anyone's hands 10 be noade mis-.
cradle; and from what I have
! seen, the gal you're in love with
can make things plenty hot for
you. Sometimes even when she
doesn't want to-"
Cathy's laugh was slightly
more steady.
1 "You're fast man with a
swift line, Major, but this is
probably the darnedest wooing
any girl ever encountered.
81 sort of had it figured out
! that way. If I'd dropped on one
knee, with my hand over my
heart and dec1aimed dramati-
cally, Miss Layne-Miss Cathy
| may I call you Cathy? will
you do me the honor to become
my bride, with all the rights
and privileges there-unto' -
you'd have brushed me away
like an insect and said stern
ly, BE yourself, pal!' But when
Il point out that while I'm at
tracted to you, you're going to
have a job on your hands land
ing me in a matrimonial net
we'll, that's a challenge - and
what woman can refuse to pick
up a challenger"
''Sounds like good thinking, -
Cathy admitted.
''Sure - I've devoted a long
and busy life to thoughts about
the not so gentle and often very
unfair sex," he told her cheer
fully.
Maggie came to announce
that supper was ready, and as
they settled at the table, she
looked swiftly at Cathy's face
! and then at Marks and smoth-
cred little sigh of relief.
! Cathy didn't look so haggard or
so heartsick, Maggie told her