The Wilmington morning star., 1947-11-26

fond Of you too. But that's some
thing you don't want"
"Why should l want your lik-
ing? You are less than nothing
to me-" flashed Mrs. Kendall
spitefully.
"And you are the same to me
save that l love Bill and I
know it would please him if we
could be friends. And I'd do
anything I could to please Bill, ="
said Cathy evenly. "But sin ce
that's impossible, in this in
stance, I see no reason why this
unpleasant scene should be pro-
lcnged."
She walked toward the door,
and Mrs. Kendall did not speak.
Cathy opened the door and let
herself out. For moment she
stood on the steps, her shoulders
back, breathing deep gulps of
the scented spring air. She felt
as though she had come out of
some noisome jungle; the big,
handsome, chill drawing room
had been so inpregnated with
Mrs. Kendall's hostility that
Cathy felt as though she had
been defiled by it.
She went down the walk, her
heart heavy with the thought
II that Bill must decide between
lthe two women who meant most
to him. He couldn't have both,
and knowing his love for her,
Cathy had no doubt of his deci.
sion. He would choose her, and
his aunt and her precious mon.
ey could do whatever they liked.
But the decision would be pain
full for him, and she was bitter.
ly sorry that it had to be made.
AS she came down the drive
to the road, she saw Maggie
waiting for her. Maggie gave
her a keen look, and her grim
mouth thinned little.
"Get in," she said brusquely.
II wonder what happened to all
the hand grenades the boys
didn't get a chance to use in
the Pacific. l know swell
spot where one could do a lot
of good"
Cathy laughed shakily.
"Oh, it wasn't 50 bad" she
said huskily. "Only-well, Bills
going to get hurt"
II suppose so-though I CAM
lose much sleep over Bill" said
Maggie grimly. "What worries
me is you"
Cathy touched her arm with
a caressing hand.
"Don't you worry about me,
darling - I'm tough" she said
with determined ightness.
"Oh, sure-just about as
tough as day-old kitten" snort
ed Maggie, and sent the Betsy
Bug along at a rate that that
astonished car had not achieved
since the long-ago days of its
youth.
Cathy was in the porch swing
when Bills convertible stopped
at the curb and he came up the
walk. She and Maggie had had
supper and Maggie had gone
next door to take half q freshly
baked apple pie to a neighbo1
who was convalescing from the
birth of a fifth child.
as Bill came up the steps and
Cathy braced herself a little
bent to scoop her into his arms
and hold her close.
''Lord, if you knew what il
meant to me to have you in my
arms like this" he said huskily
his cheek hard against her own
"Just to know when 1 leave the
office that you're within reach
and not three thousand mile.
away"
There was sort of sup
pressed excitement in his voice
and Cathy waited tensely.
cts a grand night" said Bill
''Let's 60 for ride. I fair
would have words with
thee, beloved - many words,
some of them serious"
Cathy said wryly, half under
her breath, II was afraid o:
that!"
Bill, drawing her dowr
the steps with him, holding he1
hand, grinned at her warmly.
"Oh, you've nothing to be
afraid of hope!" he assured
her, and laughed.
Cathy's heart sang. Then h.
wasn't upset. He wasn't angry