The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-29

oAie 1lo"neo. Wnat about 1t?
He isn't here"
But you heard her send a rider
to bring him in. You must know
someone who will get word TO
Madison that you're down at
Wade's."
He couldn't possibly arrive be-
fore the plane leaves"
Its worth a chance, isn't it?
What have we got to lose?" He
half pushed her toward the door.
Try it. And if the old steam-roller
comes back, I'll delay things"
Hope-even the faint hope that
lay in his words brought a touch
of color to Janet's checks. She ran
from the room, and Cliff watched
her hurry down the path. Long
odds, but he was used to long odds.
A few minutes later Claribe4
stamped in. you still here?' she
snapped.
Still here. darling"
They eyed each other as two
fencers might. There was a direct
hes and vitality about her that,
in spite OF his anger. gave Cliff a
sense of kinship with the high
handed old matriarch. At least he
could understand her; she wasn't
Withdrawn and unpredictable like
Janet Norman. She was a dragon,
but she was consistent, and he
could easily have liked her if
things had been different.
Cliff decided to make one last
effort. when I rode up to this
house yesterday" his slow voice
drawled, the first thing l saw was
the American flag. That gave me a
big thrill. I had a feeling that Who
ever flew that flag would be glad
to help the U. S. A."
Still, talking about rubber, are
you?" Claribel began gathering up
the papers on her desk.
Il am. So is the whole world.
Just now, rubber is almost as i'm
portant as food, especially the
high-grade stuff on your New
Dixie plantations. l wonder if you
know the Importance of the thing
you're blocking. Back in Washing
ton there are men who want to
make this continent self sufficient
in rubber so that no other nation
can ever put the squeeze on us
and bring us to u knees as they
did during the war. l came here
to help them do that. 1t was my
chance to do something really big
for my country. And when l saw
that flag outside your house, l
thought l could count on your
help"
Claribel lifted a stubby hand.
Before we all join in singing the
National Anthem. let me remind
you that I'm responsible for what
happens here-not you. Under 9th
er circumstances | would have let
you take all the rubber you want
ed, but today the Blacklanders
have a leader who has already
done away with some of my
Vaqueros. and I'll take no chances
of starting a general feud with
them"
"Then why don't you haul down
that American flag and hoist a
white one? You make me ashamed
an American woman bluffed by
a handful of bandits"
He expected the blue eyes to
glisten, but instead she gave a
throaty chuckle. "You wouldn't be
trying to rile an old lady into
changing her mind, would you, Bo-
gard? It's your kind that stirs Up
most of the worlds troubles"
"I'd hate to spend my life dodg-
ing trouble"
From all I've heard, you spend
it looking for trouble-and l must
say you're in good company"
"You mean Miss Norman?"
"Who else? That girls a men
ace"
Cliff laughed. 'she's a rabbit L
l ever saw one
This time Claribel's blue eyes
snapped. las a judge of human
nature, you're not better than most
men. Janet Norman is. a thorough
ly old-blooded, calculating mink
just the kind you men go off the
deep end for. Madison's been per-
fectly ridiculous about her for
years-and she encourages him.
When she went back to the States.
she got him to follow her, and
when l told her I'd cut him off