The Wilmington morning star., 1947-06-24

d AdAlt encouragement. Must she
reason that it had acted to hide
fa1lure to the last possible mo-
rlent, because Bill hated failure?
Must she take his reproaches
meekly? She had felt his arms
around her again, his lips on hers,
the surge OF ms passion in their
touch, but she haa not reached
him!
1t was very unfair in you to
think I'd take any part in that
l against your GATHER" he con-
tlLueo In the same tone of re-
strained rebuke. He could not see
aer face and, when she said moth
ing, ne aaoeo: AS " that, Deans
oeen in conference with your ia
theirs lawyers and he's convinced
that the plaintiff hasn't any case"
You mean there won't be a
trial, with everyone against
Dad?".
That's what I'm saying.
Weren't you llstening?"
The man with a gun,' Diane
repeated, with a little smile.
Bill had expected a more def
mite expression of relief.
Whats that, DIP"
Something Rufus said about
Dad She drew suddenly away
from him, drew her hand from
his. Bill, you must know Ii was
Rufus who brought me here. He
saw me at the station that night
end he-he wouldn't let me take
the train. wolidn': Jet HIM take
me back to the apartment. So w
came here"
She averted her face and wait
eG, afraid again Of What he wou!c
say, of what she would answer
when he said it.
He laughed with some scorn
Rufus, the great humani-
tartan! What role will he play
next?" His tone eased. Pm not
asking you again how YOU feel to-
ward Rufus-you told me and |
believe you-but l wonder if he
hasn't more than brotherly inter-
est in you? 1t doesn't matter,
though, for he's going away again.
l. was in the Post yesterday, with
a column lauding him to the skies.
To Spain this time"
"Oh, no." cried Diane, unbeliev-
ing. He didn't tell me! l saw
him just this morning."
Bill was regarding her stricken
eace. He said, too evenly: DO
you care so much, DIP"
Now he waited while Diane con-
sidered the answer she would
make. Her glance was lowered
ard the dark fringe of her lashes
hid from him any sign of what
she was thinking; her lips, for a
moment before they Strengthened,
were very tender and the tender
ness was for Rufus, he knew.
Tim she lifted ne1 head. Il am
very, very fond o. Rufus she
said slowly. Il shall always be,
ever if l never see him again. l
shall miss him terribly. But"
Her eyes darkened with a desper-
ate earnestness and her breath
caught audibly. "But it will not
be like, oh, not anything like the
feeling of these last months, the
awful feeling, Bill, that you were
RICH. with me yet so far away
that l couldn't find you! And then
that I'd lost yOu-"
"Di, Dr." Bill groaned. "What
was the matter with us? l felt
that way about you, too. What
were we doing?"
eyes. WHAT"
They stared at each other in
shocked realization; instinctively
their hands gripped.
1T was my fault, Di. My pride
and my self-assertiveness. When l
read that note you left and knew
you believed l cared more for that
lswsuit-that. maybe, I'd given
you good reason to believe it
and you'd gone ard I thought l
wasn't going to have a chance to
make you see that that ism so,
that l love you mora than any
thing"
Diane pulled MS head down tc
her. She did not want him TO say
more; she had no claim to tri
umph. She said quickly, in a low,
shaken tone: bill, We both made
mistakes. We may again. We Il
probably quarrel and say things
to each other that hurt, but if we
remember what you said, that
each loves the othe" more than
anything" her arm tig1tened
about him, I've won't get
lost!"
He lifted his head, after a long
moment. with an apologize laugh
Irrelevant, wholly, but, Di, II
hungry as a wolf. l don't think
l We eaten anything this week.
Diane released him. my poor
Bill! I'll fix something at once"
Here? No, let's drive in."
"BiI, please! We a eat under
the trees. Oh, don't let's hurry
back"
"As you like, darling"
She was touched by this instant
yielding. Assembling what the
cupboards offered, putting coffee
On, taking down plates and cups,
she kept thinking of it. "But
mustn't let it be all on his side!"
Bill was exploring the sheds and
the old barns. He came to the
door as she vas putting their food
OF a tray.
"You know, Di, this place has
possibilities"
ut has, hasn't it," And then
she said: Here, tote this out"
He looked down at the tray and
exclaimed in pleased anticipation:
Stuffed eggs! You're a wonder,
Di."
Everything you like, Bill"
(The End)
The state of Washington has
66, 1886 square miles of land area
- --J-- 1oal