The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-13

oA4 " I110l was
plain torment.
Val got up off the divan and
rubbed out her cigarette in an ash
tray. Her bare white feet sank
into the thick softness of the beige
rug. She went into the bedroom
and sat down at the taffeta -skirted
dressing table. Her face looked
back at her from the mirror, pale
without makeup, the lips delicate
ly pink.
Rick used TO love her mouth that
Way-nude, he called it.
Rick used to say, mix on the
lipstick till I've finished kissing
you, baby-it gets in my way"
The mirror misted before Val in
a sudden rush of tears, but her
mouth twisted mockingly.
"What a fool you are. she
thought. breaking your heart
over a dead man. Kicks gone-all
that part of your life is over. For
get forget
But it had started up again, the
whole throbbing tide of memories
from which she couldn't escape
except in the company Of others.
Val crossed her arms, hugging her
shoulders together, fingers pinch
ing into soft flesh. She set her
teeth hard to still the trembling
of her lips. And such a wave of
bitterness and resentment against
her mother washed over her that
she felt for a moment physically
sick with it.
If only she and Rick hadn't been
persuaded to wait to marry. If
only they had held out against her
advice, had gone ahead
with their plans before Rick was
sent away. Then there would have
been something besides this awful
emptiness that ached in her, this
sense of being incomplete, unful-
filled. There would have been
some tangible contamination of
their love for each other-she
might even have borne Kicks
child, so that some part of him
have gone or -.
Val ran her fingers upward
through her soft, fair hair, strain
ing it back from her temples. Civ
ing her face in the mirror a queer
distorted look. Then, with sudden
resolution, she got u p
a d started dressing, feverishly,
like one driven. She'd go down to
Susan Pyle's apartment-Susan
was usually home Saturday after
moons and there were always peo-
pie there. An attractive young d.
vorcee like Susan, with plenty of
money and a gay circle of friends,
was seldom alone. Wade Caring,
ton might wen be there. 1t was
through Susan that Val had met
Wade-and he was the best anti
dote for loneliness and haunting
memories that she had yet discov-
cred. What a thoroughly immoral
person he was, Val reflected-and
how fascinating-and how bad for
Not that it mattered-- not that
anything mattered much any
Lex Morell guided Steve's sta
ton wagon easily through tne
t~hickening Saturday evening t~af-
fic of Main Street. Even at this
early hour there were more cars,
more people about. than was cus-
tomary on any other day Of the
week. But within the space of a
few minutes, the village was left
behind. The station wagon bumped
acros the bridge and swung out
along Ridge Road in the direction
of the Jeffrey farm.
Sherry said, Lucky we hap
pened to u into each other"
The young nan beside her
nodded. Saves another trip in
or you a ride in one of those leap
ing rattletraps they call taxis."
Sherry smiled. ct h e Brundage
transportation system is a bit
rugged" She asked then, curious
ly, You haven't been working for
Steve very long have you? w e
were out in September and Jed
Porter was still with him then"
ooh, Jed's still there" Lex told
her. 'I'm extra. I've worked for
Steve two months-and I'm learn
ing a lot, too"
"Learning?" Sherry CROPPED.
isn't farming your regular line?'
cit is now. Never had a job l
liked SO WE'LL
Sherry felt EN- more curious
than before. Lex Morell didn't
seem like a farm hand. He didn't
look like one, nor talk like one.
She wondered how Steve had hap
pened to hire him.
"What did you do b%efore?" she
asked. what sort OF work." Not
that it was any Of her business.
But something about the young
man at her side aroused her in
terest. -.
81 was in the army three years,
Before that" he grinned briefly,
apparently anticipating a familiar
reaction, "I worked for a broker
age outfit in Chicago. Go on now.
say it,
"Say what?"
"Ask how on earth ! ever hap
pened to decide to go into such a
different line of work"
"Do 1 have to say that?" Sherry
asked.
Everyone else has so far"
She laughed. "Then let me be
he first to say, l don't blame you.
The brokerage business must be
very dull"
For just a moment his direct
blue glance swung from the road
ahead to Sherry's face. you're
the first, all right"
She wanted 70 ask more ques-
tons, but they were almost at the
farm o W. And something about
- , .h1 1nnDnd