Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 January 1941 — Page 14

PAGE 14 | Serial Story—

Conscript's Wife By BETTY WALLACE

CHAPTER ONE

THE NEIGHBORS called them, disapprovingly, “That crazy young Marshall couple.” The neighbors complained about the late parties they gave; the high laughter; the shuffle of dancing feet, the blaring raGio. They objected to Butch, the bulldog. The neighbors opened their windows and slammed them down meaningly whenever Peg, the wheezing old wreck the Marshalls called a car, sprang to groaning life at the curb outside. And the neighbors talked about Paul Elliott, who was always with them. Imagine! Everyone in town knew that Paul Elliott was the man Mrs. Marshall had been engaged to for two years. Then, all of a sudden, less than three months ago, his old: college friend, Bill Marshall blew into town. He got a job as credit manager at Throckmorton'’s Jewelry Store. And what happened? Before you could turn around, he was taking Martha out. Within a| month, she married him! And now, look! The three of| them, chummy as you please, run-|

HOLD EVERYTHING

RDING HOUSE | With Major Hoople - OUT OUR WAY . Z THAT BREAKS THE OLD] IVE TOLD HIM ABOUT STUFFING HIM= a Hm SPRINT RECORD HELD Al PW SELF WITH CHEESE : ll Ri BY THE VILLAGE FIRE 2 C3 BEFORE GOING Ul TEAM IN GETTING TOA JF hi N YQ BED! S BURNING BREWERY. gli (TS NES A 254

rr 7 CP Ga mn | J a ————

7 4

ning in and out what used to be a nice, quiet, respectable apartment house. | Oh, the neighbors sniffed, sure, sometimes there was another girl—a tall, slim blond, supposed to be Paul Elliott’s new girl. Early on the morning of Oct. 16— Registration Day — the neighbors

heard whoops of laughter from the|!

Marshall menage. They judged, correctly, that Paul Elliott was eating breakfast with the Marshalls again. “We might as well register together, Bill,” Paul had said. “After 8 hearty breakfast, the condemned men will go forth bravely. Bill, you certainly were the farsighted bird, seeing all this coming.” He- didn't say that he'd had the idea fir “Now you're married, in the exempt . class.” “So that was it, you worm!” Martha turned on Bill. “You married me for protection.” Her golden brown eyes sparkled with laughter her little white nose wrinkled adorably. “What else?” Bill ran a casual hand through her red curls. “You| didn’t think I was in love with you?” sw 8 : THEY MUNCHED their toast, in perfect bliss. To Paul, Martha said seriously, “You should rush to the license bureau with Suzanne Decker, that’s what you sheuld do.” Paul grinned. “Should I? Perhaps Suzanne - has other notions.” He and Suzanne came up frequently for dinners and bridge

COPR. 1941 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. REG. U. 8. PAY. OFF.

IH Zt a | 2B ned

WOULD BE IN HIS WAY/

“Butch is gettin’ so prosperous he only Jolds up people by \ appointment now!” i

FUNNY BUSINESS

RNIN Eo;

- and dancing to the radio. The four of them had watched football games and movies together. Yet, somehow, there'd never been- anything very serious about it. Martha couldn’t quite put her finger|: on it, but she'd sensed it. . Bill, who was stupid that way, said, “Suzanne would jump at the chance. The gal’s nuts about you.” Paul raised an eyebrow. “Pass me the eggs.” : It was true, of course. Suzanne was in love with him, all right, even if he didn't seem to be esper cially in love with her. Martha remembered how - Suzanne looked at Paul, sometimes, when she was unaware of being observed. She remembered the trembling of Suzanne's white fingers on Paul's sleeve, and the way she closed her eyes and almost held her breath when they danced. “You could do worse,” Bill was insisting, ‘idiotically. “Blonds like that don’t grow on trees. Think of the Decker dough? That's what I should ’' have done. Married money.” He took an enormous bite of his toast, shook his head sadly. “Yes, sir, if T had it to do over again, I'd insist on a wife with money.” ( “I've gotigmoney,” said Martha. “Forty dollars every Saturday. And I might get a raise.” “Well,” said Bill, “I won’t divorce you, If you're sure about that raise.” Martha worked for Air Transport, the sprawling factory on the edge of town where the great silver airliners were built. They were switching to bombers, now. She was Paul's secretary. Paul was assistant to the chief engineer. Paul gave her dictation full of words - like “propulsive efficiency” and ‘“airfoil boundary layer’.and “translational velocity.” But these days he never stopped in the middle of a sentence to say, “Your hair’s fire in

LCOPR. 1941 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. REC. U. S. PAY. (0°F.

“All I said to the Sarge was ‘You and who alse?”

THIS CURIOUS WORLD

By William Ferguson

GIACOMO

MEVERGER

FAMOUS COMPOSER, WAS BORN ALLO L [EEN ANN ELE ZL HE CHANGED HIS NAME TO MEVYERBEER. IN DEFERENCE TO TERAMS OF THE WILL. OF A WEALTHY RELATIVE NAMED

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EVERY. POUND OF FAT CONTAINS ABOUT AVE NLS OF BLOOD VIESSELS.

COUNTRY DOES NO

TOUCH THE PACIFI COPR. 1941 BY NEA SERVICE. IC.

ih : ANSWER—British Honad does not touch the Pacific, and Sal- :

the sun, honey.” And he never kissed her, behind - the file cases, any more either. All that was part of the past. It had ended the night he said. “Martha, this mug is my old pal from “school. He used to smoke all my cigarets, wear my shirts, spend my money.” ” n # MARTHA WAS NEVER to forget the moment she first looked up at Paul's old college chum Something happened that never happened before in all the months of wearing Paul’s ring—in all the hours of . laughing with Paul, of saying, “Quit making love to me This is office hours!” The bluest eyes in the world jooked down into her own brown ones, and a shiver coursed through her. A shiver that was cold and et somehow warm. Her smile “faded, her breath caught, her heart began g frightened pounding. The tall man with the lean brown face couldn't seem to (tear his eyes away. Then he said, “Paul, I never borrowed your girls before. But there's always a first time.” “Hey, wait a minute! We're engaged!” But in the end, when Paul saw how it was—and in two weeks, ‘even a blind man could have seen it—he was awfully decent. He stood in his office, turning the ring over and over in his fingers. “That's all” right, Martha,” he said tonelessly. it. I guess it just—just— Her cheeks were hot, and her ‘lips quivered. “Paul, I'd give anything in the world not to be doing . this to you. But Bill and I-—" It was as if all the months before had never happened. As if ghe’d never planned to marry Paul, as if the girl who'd laughed with Paul and worked with him and kissed him had heen a different girl from the Martha Bill Marshall

‘had pulled into his.arms last night.|supporting wife, and a job where youre not even useful in defense.

“1 know I can’t hold a candle to Paul,” Bill said. “I don’t make as . snuch money, never will. I haven’t "his brains, and—and he saw you t.. But, darling, I love you so. From the first moment I saw you, I knew.” : “I knew, too,” she whispered. now she told Paul steadily, and 1 are going to be mar-|

ried right away. But, ‘Paul, ¢an't —can't the three of us stil] be

guy who brought you togeller. 1Good old Paul. your kids to call me Uncle.”

wecding in the parlor of the niinister, that Saturday night they'd driven across the state line. brought them the absurd sguare dishes with the yellow daisies off which they were eating breakiast, this minute. tore around getting the gas and lights turned on in the aparfmient before they came home froni the weren't quite

helped Suzanne broil the steals for Class I.” their coming-home dinner.

maybe mich, after all. zanne quickly enough. But a the almost twice as much as I do. Ydu

blond girl explained later, "I've got along all right before we wele known Paul always. run around before he met [ybi.”

the little blue breakfast ndok and support of the! household than II the reality of the present. f diradwling, Martha, Paul and I must hasten to present ourselves, give our

cause.”

«I guess you couldn't help Ment as the part-time maid came

thunder, Jerkily. new car.”

ling,

might’ take me?” mockf alarm.

i vador has no outlet on the Atlantic, i “They won’t thke you,” Martha said. “You're a married man. - IM was just—chance—that they drew your number.” | : i Paul laughed | when he heard about it. “Hi, Géneral!” i But he didn’t think they'd tak! Bill, either. It | was only wheji Bill was ordered to report for i physical examingtion that they bes: came uneasy. “And I'm so dami healthy!” | “Weit,” Paul comforted. “Wai; till, they get a lbad of your knocl knees.” i “I'll have you understand,” Marth informed him primly, “my Bill ha; beautiful knees.” i She wished, | unhappily, the} sb beautiful when Paul [Bill returned to| tell her: “I'm if

friends?” “Yeah,” he said oddly. “Paul. the You'll teach all His lips twisted. “Sure, we can still be friends.” » n

# PAUL WAS BEST man at| the

Paul

Paul and Suzanne

week-end honeymoon, and

| “On, Bill, no! : | Martha had thought, then, that yoy can’t be aon Ie maitief Paul hadn't minded so| “But I can. ¥ou can hardly Le He'd found Su- classed as a dependent, earning

We used To married there] was no bitternels a {in bis voice—"“4nd, I hate to aqBill's voice brought her back to mit, you contribute more to ag-

'Quit!|do.” i i “But the Army won't wait. [I couldn’t lie about it; Martha. |I had to admit the facts. You don't need me. I'm physically fit. My work is not iniportant to defense. Besides, it’s our duty — my duty, anyway.” ; i One morning, while they were still at breakfast, the telepholie|. rang. Bill answered. “The desk clerk,” he said, replacing the telzphone. “Probalily wants to: kné¢w when we're going to pay the ret. Be right back.’ i He returned before she had finished her coffee. There was a laag | -__ | white envelope in his hand. i With 's, self-|- a1] at once ithe table, the walls were swimming dizzily. Then Jill was beside her, his arms enfold ng her, tenderly. /And in his fingels— that white envelope. i “Martha,” he said tightly, “Martha, this is it! Induction orjler. I've been draf ed.” i

(To Ee Continued)

pedigree, all for the glory of the They trooped out of the apart-

To | Bill started Peg, amid the usual and they drove off “If I could just afford a

“When you're in the army, darearning $21 a month, we’ll buy a Rolls.” “Say, you don’t really think they Bill asked, in

“Sure they might!

What on earth has a credif manager to do with defense?” , 2 8» » | THEY WERE TO remember that, later, when the questionnaire came. Because Bill Marshall's serigl number had been among the first, drawn n the national lottery in Weoshing- |

* wenden Ai Ce gaastd Phy vols J!

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TO WORK he RIGHT! ) ON IT-BRONTO!! rr— 1]

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HELLO -~ ME NANCY --- HIM SLUGGO -+ WE VELLY GLAD To MEET You

TELLY US YOUR

S NEW AROUND HERE--- LET'S GIT ACQUAINTED WID HIM !

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MY NAME'S FLOY FLOYAND YOU TWERFS. CAN SKIP THAT CORNY TALK IF You DON'T MINE) -- DELIGHTED To MEET You !

CERNE BUSHAV/LLEA, oo

"PERHAPS YOU WOULD ILIKE TO SCREAM FOR

FOLLOWED: US. ] A YOU WILL TAKE | THE TRUNK AE INSIDE

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) Yi TAKE GEOMETRY, FOR. . INSTANCE «ea

A OF COURSE, FLYING ISN'T { LIKE IT USED TO BE ---- A FELLOW HAS TO KNOW DYNAMICS, PHYSICS, NAVIGATION AND STUFF | LIKE THAT/ od

THERE ARE A MILLION THINGS You HAVE TO KNOW ! YOU CANT JUST GUESS ABouT ANYTHING /

Po =n HZ XANNY

ET Us Ae) re

*THE SQUARE OF THE HYPOTENUSE OF A RIGHT TRIANGLE 1S EQUAL TO THE SUM OF THE SQUARES OF THE OPPOSITE TWO SIDES . *

EA VICE, INC.” T. M.

(WHY, HE WAS TRE OTHER. RING wn. THE ONE THAR MATCHES

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STAND! T TOLD X THRE RNG WAS PRICELESS \ Ww, FE ANNTRING SHROLLD WAPCEN TO Nw. #6

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ABOUT REAN

GCREMNY

NOY WITH, THE TWO SCOTT WWELL ay

WNGS WW OKAN, BILLY, : BUT Te vo

A HI ‘ ec ~ Y DOP) 1 [A SERVIC! n G

AND NOW TO GIVE THAT FUNNY OLD BUM A DOLLAR REWARD FOR GIVING ME THIS WILL-WHICH IS WORTH TEN MILLION TO ME. A FAIR

THERE-- REFLECTED IN THE MIRROR IS A PERFECT REPRODUCTION ON POP'S BACK: OF THE DESTROYED WiLL 2%

" ("THAT REPRODUCTION OF THE | WILL BE DESTROYE! IT WILL BE AN EASY MATTER TO i GET HIM TO TAKE A BATH--*)

THAT'S “BATHLESS’ GROGGINS YOU'RE, TALKING ABOUT, MELVIN

VILE 20%

TELEPHONE CHERRY 7183

Bia GALLON Jua!,