The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-27
H. =. H4 Az! ~. K E!!;;{
~. ar nn EH~N n~s Ny Z N/H JANE ARRnTT

VI 49, i u > Sllldi.Sl
ana even more exclusive circle of
friends. Teas and calls, and more
teas and afternoon bridge-Diane
made a little face at the prospect
it offered.
She called Page. She had made
a sandwich and had sat down at
the kitchenette table to eat it
when suddenly she was too alone.
And there was only Page 10 seek
out. She'd ask Page to join ner
somewhere for lunch. Back in her
mind had lurked. ever since the
evening of Mrs. Arden's dinner a
desire to square herself with Page
for the witless thing she had said
about Rufus at the table. She
doubted it had disturbed Page,
any more than it had Bill, but
bringing it into the open, admit
ting it was silly and that there was
nothing to it, would wipe it off the
slate.
Dialing Pages number she felt
a real nostalgia for The time when
their friendship had been strong
and untroubled. In school and the
first winter after she had come to
Grandharbor. "Grandharbor," she
had cried when her father had told
her. page Winston lives tnere!'
And she had t~elegraphed prompt
ly to Page. Page had come to the
hotel the day after she arrived
and, for a part OF almost every
day after that, they had been TO-
gether. Then less often, when she
met Lois and Danny and the
others and they rushed her into
their gay activities. And then
she'd met Bill.
But the Winston maid told her
that Miss Page was away with
her father and mother on q motor
trip. .
She went back and finished her
sandwich. She read a little while,
stretched on the davenport. bored.
Indifferent to the story. She re-
membered an errand downtown.
went down and out to her car The
errand finished, she wandered
through other departments in Bel
der's, let sales-clerks who greeted
her with eager Difference persuade
her to look at new models that
had Just come in, in Sports wear,
in evening wear. This is your
type, Mrs. Arden" said n of a
foamy creation of white tissue
with scarlet velvet peoples s.lap-
ing its scant bodice. you wear
startling models like this 50 we'll,
and there won't be another II
like it in town! Our buyer made
very sure of that"
Diane admired it, but shook her
She saw disappointment
come into the clerks face ana a
little lessening of difference in her
manner. The clerk had expected
a quick sale, Diane realized, and
too, that a few months back she'd
have made it, the instant she
brought out the alluring gown.
Walking on, Diane felt a tug Of
y~earning, not so much for the
dress, as for the old excitement of
buying anything she fancied, re-
CARELESS Of price, for the little
furry of service it created, other
clerks standing in a h~alf-circle,
admiring. the buyer of the depart
ment coming up to approve.
She thought, a little startled:
"Heavens, maybe it's like drink,
and gets you without your know
ing it! I'd better 60 home" Though
she shrank from the recurrence
of that feeling which had driven
her out of the apartment.
When, on the street, she saw
Rufus striding toward her, she
called his name in a glad voice
pushing a stout woman aside with
out apology, to reach him.
He was bareheaded, coatless,
evidently in a hurry. But he
stopped, kept her hand in his
clasp a moment, grinning down at
her. stranger. What's happened
to show? I've been waiting to
be called to a rehearsal
..Oh. that's all off. Thad had to
On away and Wilma and Vicky-
Can't we go somewhere and talk!
|
seems ages
81 can take five mlnutes!
ssLet's go in here.
It was a candy shop, with a
fountain and the usual tables
the back, some long cushioned
built in the wall. Diane went
tn n of these, motioned to RUFUS
IN sit down beside her.
Cooke" she said briskly to the
waitress who came up.
"Another," added Rufus.
They had only five minutes,
which vas not long enough for
her to unburden herself Of all that
tormented her. Funny, the way |
feel I can say anything to Rufus
and he'd understand" She re-
garded him with a warm: frank
fondneSs.
CTo Be Continually