The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-21

cold finger tips toward the fire.
Her mirrored f &c looked back
al her from the glas, rail- Dove
the mantel. She saw Wade 5 lace
there. too, turned toward her. the
dark eyes ardent.
She looked away rom the mir
ror and into Wade's face. Then
his arms went around her and she
felt their muscular hardness with
a kind of exultation. Her eyellds
closed as he kissed her. IN the
darkness of her mind, her
thoughts whirled in a confused
pattern. She a aware OF her
physical response to him, OF the
blood throbbing in her temples, o.
her arms going up n around
Wade's neck. feeling the crisp
short ends Of hair on the back OF
his neck under her fingers. For
getfulness was in his klss-the
emotion it aroused washed o v e r
the memory Of Rick like a tice
breaking over a stone. In time the
stone would be worn smooth. with
no sharp edges to hurt-it might
ever be gone.
After a time Wade's mouth
came away from hers, but Val
stood there, her eyes still closed,
feeling his hands gripping her
shoulders a S though h e couldn't
let her 60.
He said, his deep voice deeper
than ever with feeling, THAT'S
what I've been wanting all eve
ing"
II, too,'' Val murmured and
knew that it was so. She opened
her eyes then and her lips parted
in a little smile.
Wade smiled, too, but his eyes
were serious. more serious than
Val could eve remember seeing
them. He said, h is voice oddly
hesitant. "Val- Pm crazy about
you. You know that, of course
I've been telling you so for weeks.
And it's getting worse. l cant get
you out OF my mind-I don't even
try to any more, although I'll adj
NIT ! did at first. Frankly,
darling, l didn't want to fell in
love again-I hadn't the remotest
intention of asking another
woman to marry me. But: his
look was deep on Val's, probing,
hopeful-"I find l have fallen in
love. And l want very much to
marry you-more. I think, than l
ever wanted anything in my life
before"
So, there it was. Val didn't an
swer quickly although she had
been thinking things out for S
long before he spoke, that her de-
cision was almost formed. Pres
entity she said. her voice low, but
very steady, Il will marry y O u,
Wade. It's what I want. too"
He held her close again, his
arms more gentle this time, his
lips just touching her hair. H e
said. You're so sweet, Val-s o
lovely, so young. You make me
sorry for many things"
Val said, Don't be sorry for
anything that's gene before-doat
think about it. darling. Let's not
think Of the past at all-only each
other. Let's just go on from here.
from this moment" Her voice
deepened with sudden confidence.
Il think we car make each other
very happy"
Wade's faint smile was WY. IF
it weren't that you were a little
kid il hairbows at the time, L
might wish we'd met fifteen years
ago."
"But I was a little kid" Val
said sensibly. $50 why dwell on
it? If we'd met even five years
aso-even a year-We might not
have been attracted to each other
SO much. Because we we're diff
ferent people then-and it's now
we've fallen in love. And that's
the way l want it."
Their lips mel again in a long
kiss.
When it was over, Wade said
unsteadily, "a d now I'm going
to take you home-without even
Offering you a drink" He asked
then. h is voice almost humble,
You'll marry me soon, Va]?"
She nodded. Very soon ="