The Wilmington morning star., 1947-12-10
Secret H@RG{YNOON
ccpmgD nnH1Vb (1k
yKz E

~N@IS
at Cathy. "How about giving me
dance, Cathy?" He glanced
at Mark and said politely, "Do
you mind?"
Mark said, his eyes on Elaine,
"Not bit-Provided you don't
mind Miss Stovall's giving me a
dance?"
Elaine's eyes had gone over
the officer appraisingly, linger-
ing on the insignia on his shoul-
der, and now her linpid blue
eyes were warm and friendly.
81 think that would be lovely"
she said, and her voice was
warm and musical.
Mark said, "Then what are we
waiting for?" and held out his
arms.
AS Mark and Elaine moved
away, Bill looked down at Cathy
and said, "As the Major just
asked what are we waiting
for?"
Cathy looked almost piteously
at Maggie, and Maggie said
[gruffly, "For goodness sake, go
on and dance. I've reached the
age where good food that l did
not cook myself holds more
charm for me than dancing-or
companionship either.
Cathy got up Bills arms went
about her, and she set her teeth
hard. She wasn't at all sure that
she could endure the exquisite
strain of being in Bills arms,
here in public, remembering to
dance when all in the world she
wanted to do was to creep close
to him and be held there for
the rest Of her life.
Bill said when they had gone
halfway around the floor:
He's quite a guy, Cathy."
Hes - wonderful, she said
huskily.
Bills arms frightened a little.
Il don't seem to care much for
the way you say that" he said.
Miss Stoval is beautiful" :"
said Cathy huskily.
Bills jaw hardened.
"Miss Stovall is very beauti-
full and very cloying, and a men,
tai lightweight not to be taken
seriously for an instant, he said
sharply.
A little of the tightness that
was almost pain loosened in
Cathy's heart and she smiled at
him, though with tremulous lips.
Bill, looking down at her, mur-
INJURED under his breath:
"Oh, darling - darling. Don't
look at me like that-unless you
want to be kissed, right here in
public.
Il don't thing I'd mind," she
told him unsteadily.
But when there's a moon out
side, and the roses are outdoing
what the nursery promised
when it planted them, kisses are
too precious to be wasted in
public said Bill under his
breath. A moment later he had
danced her to one of the long
French doors that stood open to
the silver white beauty of the
night.
Beneath the thick darkness of
a giant live oak, his arms drew
her close and Nhard against him,
and for a long, long moment
they were silent, savoring to the
full this exquisite moment.
Darling heart" said Bill very
low, my dearest darling"
'I-love you, Bill" said Cathy
huskily.
His arms tightened. ''Soon,
sweet -. very soon, now," he
promised, and with that she was
content. There was room in her
heart only for the perfect beauty
of this moment, when Bills
arms were tight about her and
when Bills kisses on her warm
mouth were flooding her with
an ecstasy beyond anything she
had ever known or dreamed.
When they turned to 60 back
into the clubhouse, she gave a
little soft laugh and said un-
steadily, ''I'd better 60 and do
things to my face, or everybody
will read our secret the moment
we step into the room!"
Bill kissed her and said, "Is
your lipstick kiss-proof?"
s'I've never had the chance to
try it out BEFORE she answered
him gaily. 'But you look quite
all right. You look wonderful to
me, Bill
He reached for her again but
she laughed and slipped away,
going in through the main en-
trance across the lobby to the
powder room. Bill selected a
ciearet and lit it before going
back through the French door