The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-27

o1Ao N41SS WILL
stead within her call and drove
into the little town and stopped
in Sans office. Alison met his
small staff and waited while he
made several telephone calls.
A little office with a stove in
the middle of the floor, an army
cot, dust play ag in the sun
beams and S,m in a brown
sweater the color of his
Not only happiness, she
thought, but a wild excitement
nj her that was like pagan mu-
sic.
Sam smiled at her teasingly.
"And now you shall be re-
warded for being quiet. Actu-
ally a girl who can keep quiet
while man talks on
the phone"
Rewards l feel so reward
ed already. Seeing Suzy this
morning with the chickens and
turkeys and ducks. 1t was Won
derful. Her world is bigger now
than the toys in her room and
a walk in the afternoon"
Good-humoredly he said,
eyes, all for Suzy. But if you'll
get in the car I'll take you to
a place that's always broadened
my horizons"
It mattered so little where
they were going. Sam was
enough. Just to be with him
with the cool wind blowing
across their faces, to hear him
say, "I'm taking you to the riv-
er. Well walk up the beach a
little way to a creek that emp
ties into the river. I used to
catch crabs in that little creek
when I was a kid. No one
starves here. Theirs too much
to eat that Ii vsein the water"
The broad road stopped at the
beach. They got out and walked
up the beach, her hair blowing
back, the salty mist in her face.
They were two people against
the horizon. They might have
been the only two people in a
world of sand and water and
sky and pines. When they came
to the creek and stopped there
no sound anywhere except
the sound of the tide coming in.
She was standing directly be-
fore him so she didn't see him
when he said, "Some people
give you their lakes and noun
tains. I give you this, Alison"
cts the loveliest intangible
gift I've ever had, Sam. But
then the loveliest gifts are usu-
ally intangible, aren't they?"
The gift of myself, Sam. I want
to give the 81 ffmotfs. I've. .eebes
to give the gift of myself :.
"Maybe intangibles are bet
ter because they're the only i'm
perishables." He chuckled.
Heres your life as it is Take
it or leave it, but you can't
change it."
"I'll take it."
"I'm going to build a cabin
down here one of these days
and get away from time" His
voice trailed. Then he said,
GIVE never seen a girl fit into
a landscape better. You're real,
Alison. Almost the realest per-
son l know"
There's no hurry, she
thought. I can wait, Sam. You'll
want to be sure it's more than
a mating the next time.
When she turned about he
smiled at her and took her hand
and they walked up the beach
together. Happiness again :.
Just walking up the beach with
her hand tightly in Sans. Just
a man and a girl. Yet in them
was life and life's best.
They arrived at the farm with
a glow about them and hurried
inside to warmth. But Winnie
came down and met them in
the hall.
"Oh, I'm so glad you've
come, Mr.. Tarrant! Suzy has a
temperature. I thought she was
over her cold. What will Mrs.
Tarrant Think
Lets see what the doctor
htinks first" Sam said. "I'll
call him"
When he left, Winnie turned
appealingly to Alison.
Il always promised Mrs. Tar
rant if she were away and Suzy
took sick to call her. I promized
her"
IF it's serious, I'll call her.
Don't worry. Let's hope it
isn't"
"And she was having such a
good time, the poor little thing.
The best time she's ever had.
Oh, why did this have to hap
pen now?"
Alison felt heavy and
burdened as she moved toward
the stairs. Why does it have to
happen now, she wondered.
Why does it have to happen to
bring the three of us under this
roof together?
Teresa flew from Miami to