The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-08
CHAPTER ONE

S1l<A1 LIN oAN1
The daysWas dull and cold, with
a threat of snow in the an, and
there was already a wrinkled gray
blanket of snow and frozen slush
underfoot. A fierce wind sWooped
down Michigan Avenue between
rows of tall buildings, making pc
destrians clutch their coats about
them and bunch their heads,
turtle-wise, into upturned collars
But the girl who %alighted from
a bus at a northside corner didn't
clutch her tailored brown coat
about her, or huddle into its col
lar, either. She walked fast and
free around the corner and east
ward. quiet expectancy lighting
her young face beneath a %squarely
set brown beret. There Was wis
dom in her choice of color, since
she herself was a subtle blend OF
autumn shades. Russet-gold hair
in a long bob was wind swept now
into a riotous, yet becoming dis
order. Hazel eyes shaded from
green to golden amber under
widespaced brows. Her skin was a
warm, glowing tan.
She turned into the recessed en-
try of an impressive apartment
building, struggled with the wind
a moment for possession Of the
heavy door and entered. The lobby
was warm and spacious and the
girls heels made a brittle sound
on the marble floor as she crossed
to the elevators with the direct
ness of complete familiarity.
She addressed the wizened old
operator a shade anxiously as she
stepped into the car. 'Hello, Dan.
Is my mother home YETI"
The man shook his head. "Don'tl
believe so, Miss Sherry. But your
sister went up a while ago."
well, that's something"
Sherry Kent frowned a little as the
car lifted. "It's after two o'clock,
though. Well never make the
early train"
"Goin' to the country?" the old
man asked with inoffensive inter
est. THAT farm place you like so
welI?"
Sherry nodded. Eyes. for the
weekend"
Anticipation weIed up anew in
her. thinking OF Steve Jeffrey's
farm. All morning long, while she
trailed from one small exclusive
shop to another with Angie Penn
berton on n of Angles inter-
ninable shopping forays and af-
forwards during lunch at the But
terry, the prospect of the weekend
ahead had figured largely and
pleasantly in Sherry's thoughts.
Angie had been furious over being
hurried so. And now to get home
and find that her mother was late
Something important, Sherry
supposed, had come up at the
store to delay her Although Leda
had been confident she could get
away early this Saturday. And
Steve would be driving in to
Brundage to meet them. Sherry
bit her lip in futile annoyance.
Have a good time" Old Dams
voice penetrated her absorption as
he parted the elevator doors at her
floor.
Thanks, I will"
She gave him her wide. warm
smile and the old man basked in
Its frlendliness until she turned
away. He watched her hurry off
down the deeply carpeted hall,
noting the fluid grace in the
rhythm Of her long, lovely legs,
the easy carriage of her slim
body. He thought: "Prettiest girl
In the buildin' - yeah, an the
incest, too. Worth a dozen of that
snooty sister of her'n. Or their
mother. either-her an her airs!''
Sherry let herself into the small,
perfectly appointed foyer of the
apartment, with its fuchsia walls
and bonneville accents. There
was a bench upholstered in fuch-
sla-and-white striped satin. a
scroll framed mirror above a
matching white console.
Sherry, is that your" her sis
ter's voice called.
Sherry went through the arched
doorway into the large, light liv.
ing room, the wide picture win.
dow OF which looked eastward to.
ward the lake. It was q smart and
beautiful room, all pale woods and
subtle. colors a~ugmenting each
other in the modern manner. It's
only flaw was a certain decorator
GOODNESS that made it seem more
a tasteful furniture display in a
shop window than a background
against which people moved and
lived.
And Valerie Kent curled up
bonelessly on the divan, might
well have been a mannequin de-
signed to augment such a display.
She made an arresting picture in
a coral jersey robe that chung like
another skin. Her feet were bare.
The nails oro11ooo,oro NIL. 49,