Evening star., 1947-09-28

wagon, IOdAu uiS uP dHolhSi olSCP kidoe On the
mountain road in Montana.
Funny, my running into you like this"
Mr. Maxwell said. ''I've often wondered what
happened to you. How long were you stuck
down there in Natal after got out, I mean?"
Mr. McKewen gave his wife quick glance
in the small mirror over the windshield.
Il wasn't stuck as long as thought would
be-" he said. you got out two days, no, three
days after that. got off four days after you
did," Mr.. McKewen said.
That wasn't too bad" Mr. Maxwell said.
MY boy will certainly be glad to hear that"
"Your boy?" The sudden relief in his voice
must have told the man beside him what Mr..
McKewen had been afraid to ask.
Hes fine,'' Mr.. Maxwell said. by the
time got to Johns Hopkins, he'd been there
almost four days. The doctors had finished the
diagnosis and started treating him. He's doing
better than we dared hope, but school tires
him little. send him up here to Stissing
Falls for his vacations. He's been at the Noun
tain View House with his nurse since June"
Mr. Maxwell laughed suddenly. That Riley"
he said when think how felt down there
in Natal that day he sent us in on the bus and
the way feel now"
|sI'M GLAD the boy is all right" Mr.. McKewen
said Il wish could say the same about Riley,
wherever he is"
Mr.. Maxwell pulled a wallet from his coat
and took out a folded piece of paper Here's
a note he left for me-" Mr.. Maxwell said.
"After he delivered the boy to the doctors"
Mr. McKewen unfolded the piece of paper.
1t was worn by four years of life in leather
wallet, but Mr. McKewen had no trouble
making out the words.
Sorry to do this" Rileys note read, but
my dispatches have to get through fast. and
this is the only way could get them through.
Look at it this way: what difference does it
make who brought the boy to the hospital,
you or me? As long as he's here? You're
father, but I'm courier don't expect you
to understand the difference, but I'd like to
meet you some day when I'm not working and
maybe could explain it. The kids going to
be all right - r."
Mr.. McKewen refolded the piece of paper
and handed it back to Mr.. Maxwell. The tired
ness that was not really physical. the weariness
that was the result of remembered exertion
eased out of his body. He looked out at the
mountains that stretched away, up and up.
in great sweeping splashes of brown and pur-
pie and orange, but he was not seeing them.
He was seeing little redheaded man with
cocky grin, telling everybody within earshot
not to buy that lousy perfume because it was
made up specially in some crummy sewer to
gyp CTS and tourists.
Il never thought I'd hear myself saying
this" Mr. McKewen said. But I'd like to see
Riley again some day."
Mr.. Maxwell laughed.
''You will, in few minutes, he said. Hes
up here at the Mountain View House right
now, visiting my boy. He's between trips.
They've become great friends"
The station wagon swerved off the road into
a gravel driveway. MIR. McKewen found him
self laughing with Mr. Maxwell.
'You two," Mrs. McKewen said from the
front seat. What do you find so hilarious?"
We've got surprise for you." Mr..
McKewen said. you're about to meet the
man who is directly responsible for my own
ing those repulsive mosquito boots that are
e