The Wilmington morning star., 1947-08-22

iSSaV 40 Iva ~ ~
since its worn, harassed young
mother and the two older chill
dren had climbed aboard earlier
in the day. Across the aisle a
fat, red-faced man snored heavily;
a very unattractive looking
younger man stopped ogling Gail
hopefully and retired, in disgust,
behind his magazine.
The train shrieked madly as
though this stop we're almost the
last straw that had worn it's pa
tience to the vanishing point. It
shuddered to a loud, protesting
halt with much display Of escap-
ing steam from the engine, and
Gail rose to leave it. She was
thankful to see the last Of the
stale green plush, gritty with Gin
ders and dust, and the long aisle
along which two or three children
played an obscure but absorbing
game of their own.
There was no such thing as a
porter, but the conductor and a
tobacco chewing young brakeman
helped with her luggage. She
found herself on the platform in a
sea OF smart, expensive bags
and cases, and as the conductor
flung himself back on the train
he looked beyond her, waved and
called loudly, "Hiya, Greg.
Brought you some company"
As the train screamed its anger
at being forced to 60 on again,
Gail turned in the direction the
conductor had waved, and saw an
ancient, battered station wagon
with a man behind the wheel. He
was watching her. and his eyes
did not shift even as he answered
the friendly conductors hail.
$50 I. see. Will-so l see," he
called, as the train jerked itself
together and proceeded.
For a moment Gail stood quite
still, surrounder by the luggage
that would have been perfectly at
home on any resort platform, but
that looked lonely and out Of place
here. Gail herself, in her smartly
cut soft gray suit, a matching top
coat swinging from her shoulders,
her silly little hat in her hand, the
sunlight glinting on the pale gold
Of her hair that hung straight and
cleaning to her shoulders where
it broke into soft curls, was as
out Of place there as an orchid in
field of daisies.
The station was simply a small,
ugly pillbox. A yellow sand road
wound around it and disappeared
into the distance. There was no
sign of human ~habitation, nor Of
any living thing save herself and
the man behind the wheel Of the
station wagon.
Anger rose in her. If he had
been sent to meet her, why didn't
he make some movement? And
then her wide blue eyes swept
once more over the ancient, mud
stained car, and she knew that
he couldn't possibly have been
sent to meet her. But even as the
thought came into her mind the
man climbed out of the station
wagon, swung himself to the plat
form and came toward her.
He was taller than he had look
ed behind the wheel; his head was
bare and the wind ruffled hair
that was a rusty, deep dark red;
his eyes, she saw. vel the color
of strong coffee, so dark a brown
as to seem black. He was sun
matched tan with any of the Flori-
bronzed until he could have
playmates, and he vas clad in a
pair of khaki pants and match
ing shirt, his sleeves rolled well
above his elbows, the collar open
at the throat.
Gail stiffened as he approached,
and her eyes turned colder. But
the man seemed quite unimpress-
ed by her elegance or her beauty.
In fact, the look in his eyes was
so far from admiration, from the
look she had been accustomed to
find in the eyes of young men who
looked upon her, that it startled
her. 1t was almost as though he
hated her-yet that was absurd.
She'd never set eyes on him be-
fore in her life, and you can't
hate-or be hated by - someone
you've never seen.
Hello, GAIL" he greeted her,
and his voice matched the look in
his eyes. I'm Greg Thompson.
Your father asked me to meet
you"
He looked at the small sea Of
luggage that seemed to billoW
about her, and his eyebrows rose
You're quite sure this is all?
You haven't overlooked anything:
You couldn't possibly be travelling
this light" he said mildly.
Gail flushed and her eyes
frightened beneath the sting OF
that.
81 could ha1dly come to stay
for the summer with only an over
night case" she reminded him
frostily.
"Of course not-certainly not. l
had forgotten that you were stay
ing" Greg picked up the two larg-
est cases and slowed them in the
station wagon while Gail waited.
It did rot occur to her to help
him by carrying even the small
est things. One doesn't, In the sort
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