Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 December 1939 — Page 19

THURSDAY, DEC. 28

SERIAL STORY

Blackout

By RUTH AYRES

. CAST OF CHARACTERS ! MARY CARROLL -- American fashion &xpert, in London during wartime. VINCENT GREGG-—Soldier of fortune, in love with Mary. CARLA MARCHETTA « A mysterious London socialit>. DR. GILBERT LENOX--Surgeon, serv. ing with British Army.

YESTERDAY Vincent fails to arrive for his breakfast date amd Mary goes to Southampton alome, boards the Moeravia. Tn her stateroom she finds her. cabin-mate, Anna Winters. As the time of sailing nears and Vincent does not come, Mary becomes panicky, tries to leave the boat.

CHAPTER FOUR TOO LATE! Already the gap widened between the Moravia's black hull and the dock. The third ciass gangplank had not only been lifted but was being rolled ‘away to its shelter to await another steamer, “I'm sorry, Miss. I thought you could make it.” The steward lifted his hands in a gesture of despair. Mary knew it was useless to hope | any longer. Reluctantly, she found | her way back to her cabin. “It wasn't meant to be, that's all,” she told herself. “I had a feeling all along that Vincent and my falling in love was too good to be true.” What could have happened to Vincent? Where was he? He had never failed her before. She could not believe that he filed her now. Something had detained him. That, she must believe. All love was based on trust. If she could not trust the man who was to share her life, hers was a poor kind of love. Something had happened to him, undeniably. But what? His letter had said that he was dashing off on a last minute commission. Well, if that was all the explanation she had, she would have to make the best of it. ® & & “ SHE FOUGHT TO hold back tears. But they blinded her before she found her way back to the cabin. “I'm sorry. Oh, believe me, I am sorry.” The little soft mouse of a girl who was her cabin mate was sympathetic when Mary's sobbing revealed she had not been able to get off the Moravia. “If I hadn't unpacked all your things you could have made it easily.” “It couldn't be helped, I guess.” Mary was glad to have someone to talk to and this girl's sympathy was not unwelcome. “I waited too long. I should have known that when Vincent hadn't come by the first warning he wasn't going to come at all.” “You mean your fiance?” Anna | Winters queried. Mary nodded. With an effort she winked back tears and faced the girl who was to share her quarters for an undetermined number of

days across the Atlantic. For the first time she noted the pallor of the face and the violet shadows like

dark scallops under her eyes. | §

“You'd better tell me something about yourself,” she said at length.

“If youre from Bournemouth and, }

English born, I should think you're | headed in the wrong direction. | Didn't you want to join the Wrens | or the Wats or any of .the other women's service groups?” “I did but they wouldn't take | me.” “Wouldn't? Why not?”

But Mary could have bitten her |}

tongue for the awkward question. The whiteness of the gentle little | face. and the shadows of the eyes told all too clearly why Anna Win- | ters had not signed up. | “It's my heart’ she answered quietly. “When I went up for ex-| amination I was turned down flat.”

eH 8 |

THE MORAVIA HAD steadied herself to the swells of the sea. The black-daubed porthole of the D deck cabin became darker with the wash of waves over the tarred glass. Soothed by the motion of the boat and the pound of the sea, | Mary was able to shut out for a time the ill-starred events of the last 24 hours-—the restaurant's blue black shadows, the whine of the air raid siren and the panic

that was averted only by the Kind-| |

ness of the big American doctor, But it took actual effort to keep from thinking of Vincent and his failure to appear on board. To shut out genuine grief, Mary forced herself toe pay strict attention to what Anna Winters was saying. “I'm in service in New York,” she said. “I'm a governess, This summer was my first trip home—to England. I'll probably never get home again. * Looking into the deep wells of her gray eyes, Mary thought, “You poor kid. You probably won't.” There was silence for a moment. Then unexpectedly Anna said, “Let's ring for tea. It might make us feel cheerier.” There was something in the way she said it that brought to the surface all the pent up hysteria in Mary Carroll. She rocked in mirth “The world can smash,” she choked incoherently. “Doom can be on your doorsteps. Your heart can be breaking to bits. But you have to hand it to you British. In moments of the greatest calamity you can always say, ‘Let)s ring for tea.'” But she had to admit that Anna had the right idea, to carry on normally under trying circumstances. And she felt considerably braced after a “spot” of the steaming beverage and a plate of buttered scones, 2 s »

THAT DAY AND the next passed quietly for the two. Mary felt strangely drawn toward the little English governess. For all her lack of the advantages that Mary herself had taken for granted, there was a dignity that could not fail but impress. The second night out Mary walked the deck for a breather of fresh air. Back and forth and around the deck she walked, busy with but one thought. “Vincent, Vincent, Vincent. What are you doing tonight, Vincent? Where are you? Why did you not come?” “Good evening Miss.” Mary recognized the captain's four stripes. ~ His voice 'was cheering. Mary answered pleasantly, “Good evening, captain, I thought I had the deck to myself.” The captain's Jaugh was reassuring. “Some’of the rest of us like to ‘make a practice of walking to Amerjca, too. You may find the pas-

TI CARE TAR

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1939

GRIN AND BEAR IT

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199 by Onited Peature Syndionta, 13 28 I Tt OR Al Reh rostered

“I insist you have more windows in your den, Gaylord! You Know I do a lot of sewing!”

HOLD EVERYTHING

By Clyde Lewis

COPR. 1530 BY NEA SERVISE, INC. T. WM. REC. 8. 8. PAT. BFF, 12-28 Uke.

IMO <P om»

“1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10—here I come!”

FLAPPER FANNY

By Sylvia

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Wow C-<4 Twnu>$

1= : 12-28

“Twenty dollars for that!

! Honestly, I didn’t realize what perfectly marvelous things I got for Christmas until I started exchanging them.”

THIS CURIOUS WORLD

1 pm——

A GRIZZLY BEAR, WITH ITS HEART SHATTERED

AND KILL. A MAN BEFORE DEATH OVERTAKES

ARE ABSOLUTELY DEPENDENT UPON CERTAIN INSECTS FOR POLLINATION AND TAN &SROW ONLY WHERE THESE INSECTS

* WM REC. U.S. FAT. OTR f22R

ANSWER: Yes. Although it takes each individual 17 years to mature, broods are hatching annually.

By William Ferguson

ARE |7~ VER LOCUSTS TO BE SEEN BEVERY WEAR.

ever, my own will have to be short tonight. I'm on my way back to the bridge.” With a friendly nod he walked forward and disappeared. The brief interlude had been comforting. No longer did the tar black of the windows of the glassed-in deck loom so somberly. With the captain so brisk and mater-of-fact,

gengers below deck, but the officers still believe

Mary no longer felt the isolation of

in constitutionals. How- winter seas at night. She knew the

radio was silenced and that there was no contact between ship and shore save for the patrolling war craft in this mine-infested area. Mary continued her way aft. When she reached the companionway she stopped suddenly. She was certain a figure had moved. She tried to piece the shadows. It was baffling business in the dark.

(To Be Continued)

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VAN DYKE MUST TUESGE SPURIOUS

LIKE FRANKFURTERS waa {MAGNE A WALE DOZEN OF TUEM, ALL ALIKE, EVEN THE SCARS “wn UNDE I WONDER IF TUE OWLS WOULDN'T ENJOY THESE WAGES AS ORNAMENTS FOR THE CLUBROOMS, CREATING THE ATMOSPHERE OF AN OLD GREEK TEMPLE!

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

OUR BOARDING HOUSE BY JOVE, THAT VILLAINOUS

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PAGE 19

With Major Hoople

THEY'D Make I'D TAKE VOU SWELL ONE TO MIGMT HITCHING POETS, | DECORATE | HOLLOW MAJOR vans WHY

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THE TURNING PONST SOPR. 1939 BY wa. LEWC TW Aet uv § Mar on —

LUCKY DRAKE, I'LL CALL THE SHERIFF IE YOU TRY 10 KILL WILLIE'S DOG ++ IT ONLY TRIPPED YOU WHILE

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WHY DID SHE EVER GET THAT

TSK TSKe**=-1 WISH I KNEW MORE PEOPLE © SHOW OFF MY WATCH TO.

YOUR CLOCK IS SLOW ACCORDIN® To MY WATCH! | p—’}

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IF I CALLED HILDA ! WELL,

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SHE'S COMING You TO THE PARTY, ° LARD ! You CAN FIND OUT HER , NAME YOURSELF !

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TELL. ME WHO THAT GRL 1S !

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TH POOR FELLOW CZ (I SEE. JUST A SWEET, LOVABLE Gib) OFFICER == \ NEEDED MONEY, GENTLEMEN. WELL, SUPPOSE YOU HOTA A Lg N A SOB STORY: + PE cost: WE'S ALWAYS BUY-

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ra? , 1939 BY

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TRANGE-

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RRR SRY |

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