Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 February 1941 — Page 18

PAGE 18 séfial Story—

. Conscript's Wife

~ By BETTY WALLACE

YESTERDAY—Martha discovers work is the best medicine for heartache. Paul is in New York, so the meeting with him is postponed. Then the Chief calls her, orders her to take important papers to Paul. When the plane lands, Paul is waiting to greet her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“OH, PAUL!” Martha cried, in mixed gladness and dismay. ‘You shouldn't have come!” Yet even while they walked through the busy, glassed-in passenger loading underpass to the administration building, she felt a little throb of relief that she wouldn’t have to buck this bewilderness hugeness alone. “How did you ever manage to get away from the conference.”

“What was the sense of Suivaling el i

my thumbs in the hotel?” looked down at her with undisguised joy. “It’s good to see you! When did you get back to the office?” = “Yesterday.” “I'm glad you came to your senses, Martha. One day of the office has worked wonders.” She couldn’t help dimpling. “Only the difference between my best suit and newest hat, and Helen’s printed house dress and the accompanying symphony of baby howls.” * As they entered the great round room which was the main ticket office of the administration building, Martha's breath caught. “Why —it’s, it’s lovelier than Grand Central Station!” She had a swift impression of warm, pinkish marble; of gold- - glinting brass. The rooms was spacious, modern, somehow thrilling. She looked up to the domed ceiling and saw that an enormous globe, the continents and oceans of the world in bold relief, was suspended above them. At each side of the room were the busy counters of the various airlines, and in the center, an enormous circular information desk. Martha couldn’t take all the splendor in at once, and Paul was already rushing her. In the cab, she wanted to stare out and get her fill to La Guardia Field. Paul wanted to talk. “You haven’t told me anything. Why did you come back to the office? Did the Chief tell you about the awful time we had without you?” She brought her eyes back, reluctantly. “He told me. With gestures.” Paul looked rather fit, considering that he had been in the hospital so recently. “How’s your collarbone?’ “It’s all right. I'm good as new. Look here, Martha, what happened? Did you suddenly conte back to your senses—or did Bill—” He stopped. His eyes clouded. “Bill’s still sore about what Suzanne said, I suppose?”

# ” 2

THERE WAS NO noint in evading. “Yes. He’s—he’s being very silly about it. Oh, Paul, I'm so sorry it ever happened! If you had only listened to me when I tried to tell you!” Somehow, against her will, the old regrets tore at her. She remembered Bill's sullen eyes, the hurting way that he clung to his suspicions. But she must not tell Paul about Bill's senseless rebellion, there at camp. She must not tell him that she had come back to the office because she could bear no more. She touched the briefcase that lay on the seat between them. “Hadn't you better be checking this over, making sure it’s all in order? It'll be almost 4 when we reach the hotel, and your men may be waiting.” Paul frowned, but his fingers worked the tiny brass catch. He drew the crisp papers out, and Martha gave herself again to sightseeing. They were skimming along some sort of parkway, now. Against the horizon, she could see tall gray buildings in the sunlight. The cab slowed as they left the parkway behind. Traffic snarled around them, caught them up. They went over a bridge, and then they were in the choked streets of Manhattan. The hotel was marked by a striped canopy and a huge doorman with gold on his shoulders. “Impressing the automobile men, Paul?” she smiled. “I always stay here.” Of course. She too frequently . forgot the fact that Paul was accustomed to a great deal of money— accustomed to_all the convefié€nces and luxury which money could buy. He said, “Martha, do me a favor. As long as you're here anyway, sit in and take notes of the whole proceedings, will you? Then I won't have to remember all the endless details, and there'll be less chance of slipping up on anything important. These boys don’t quite know what it’s all about yet. If I have to write them later, clarifying any points—" “I'll be glad to, Paul.” Now he was all engineer, and she was all secretary. No one, seeing them half an hour later in the rich-ly-paneled conference room which the hotel had put at Paul’s disposal, could possibly have imagined that - the stern, gray-eyed man with the strong, bony jaw and the self-pos-sessed, commanding voice, was in love: with this small, redheaded stenographer. ” ” » SHE TOOK HER notes deftly, but she couldn't: possibly have unraveled the meanings of half the terms which her boss and these other big, grave engineers were using. Certainly, Martha knew, not one of the automobile men bothered to give her more than a fleeting glance. The conference lasted until after 6. One of the men suggested, “Send out for something to eat?” But they didn’t. They rushed the discussion to a close, and shook hands all around. “See you at 9, then, Mr. Elliott. Finish up all the ends.” The long notebook she had sent “out for was almost filled. Page after page of her neat, shorthand hieroglyphics. “Paul,” she said. “I ought to transcribe these while they're reasonably fresh. You could ‘ get a typewriter from the management, couldn’t you?” “I could, but I won’t. Take it back to the office with you. Better yet, stay tonight, take the rest of the stuff in the morning. . . ‘We could fly back together.” Martha stirred uneasily. “You _won’t really need me in the mornx ”

will. God only knows what

HOLD EVERYTHING

FUNNY BUSINESS

COPR. 1941 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. REG. U. S. PAT. OFF.

“I'm going on kitchen police Monday—what do you suppose they want me te do, arrest -the cook?”

S254

Pe 24 COPR. 1941 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. REG. U. S. PAT. “Friends, this weather bureau report of the oncoming tornado is com-

ing to you through the courtesy

THIS CURIOUS WORLD

PLGARNUM

ONCE ALARMED THE CITIZENS OF ENGLAND BY ATTEMPTING TO BUY THE BIRTHPLACE OF WILLIAAA SHAKESPEARE, WITH THE INTENTION OF MOVING IT TO HIS | ANUS ECIAA IN NEW YORK.

HICH OF THE FOLLOWING HAVE WINGS P CHICKAREE , TITMOUSE, FLYING FOX, SEA

bat, have wings. respectively, do not.

roBIN | \ A T. M. REG. U. S. PAT. OFF. J

ANSWER—The titmouse, which is a bird, and the flying fox, a The chickaree and sea robin, a squirrel and a fish,

enV

of the Build-Well' Lumber Co.”

By William ‘Ferguson

P —

8 ON 1S ESTIMATED TO HAVE ABOUT 60 PER CENT OF THE WORLD'S COAL RESERVES, AND ABOUT

50 PER CENT OF THE Dl RESERVES.

Hermit Leaves

To Help Defense Program

BOISE, Ida., Feb. 4 (U. B).—A hermit in coonskin cap and a buckskin suit, a-powder horn and handfashioned flintlock riflle slung over his shoulder and his dog, Hector, at his heels, came out of the hills today en route to Wichita, Kas.. and, perhaps, a job in an aircraft factory. He was Sylvan Ambrose Hart, 34, former resident of Wichita, student of engineering and holder of a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Idaho. For nine years he has lived in a cabin on Five Mile Creek in the primitive area north of here, ‘The district is populated mostly by deer, antelope, mountain sheep and a few other hermits. “Civilization has feached me,” he

Idaho Hills

said. with the folks in Wichita.” The “civilization” consisted, he said, of a mine which had been opened near his cabin. A road had been huilt to it and the traffic had ruined his hermitage. Mr. Hart said he would apply his engineering knowledge to learning about aircraft construction and probably seek a job.in a Wichita factory to do his part in national defense. When the emergency is over, he said, he will return to his mountains and the hermitage which costs him only $50 a year to maintain. He has made his own clothes and living necessities, including the flintlock rifle and a pistol.

may pop into their heads. I tell you, they're foggy. Building plane parts isn’t like fabricating auto parts. They're experts in their line. But this is my line and—” “I don’t think the Chief meant for me to stay.” “I'll phone him. When he hears how it’s been going, he’ll-want you to stay.” She felt dazed, bewildered. This morning, when she woke up in Mrs. Larkin’s boarding house, she hadn’t had the faintest notion that tonight she'd be in New York witk Paul. With Paul. An ominous little doubt shook her. Bill, there at camp—out of the guardhouse by now—had already discovered her note, telling him that she had left Helens. Although they had. quarreled, although she was not sure of what would come now, her spine crawled at the thought of Bills ever finding out about this. Never in the world’ would he believe the simple truth! Not after all the things they’d said to each other, not after his bitter, “Back! Back to Faull!” - can't stay, Paul,” she told

v 2 8 HIS EYES WERE suddenly very

direct. “Don’t be a fool, Martha! I'll drive you to a well-known woman’s clubhouse just a block from here!” She gathered up her pencils, the notebook, her handbag. Her face was hot. “I simply can’t stay Paul. Surely after all we've been through already, you should understand that!” So he took her back to the airport, in a taxi, his pipe between his teeth and his eyes hard. He bought her a ticket for the 9:20, and they ate almost in silence in the beautiful Airport Terrace. Twinkling lights on the field below the hum of airplane motors, the sound of wings in the darkness above them, did nothing to lighten their mood. “I rcan’t help it, Paul!” she tore out once. “I love Bill and he—he’s crazy enough, already.” But she never dreamed, in that moment, exactly how crazy Bill was to be. She never guessed, either then in the restaurant, or later, after midnight, when her cab pulled up in front of Mrs. Larkin’s boarding house, how appalling was the situation that awaited her. (To Be Continued)

OUR BOARDING HOUSE

HEY; LEANDER! IF UNCLE AMOS FINDS OUT YOU CUT A HOLE IN HIS FIDDLE HELL BUST A BLOOD VESSEL! wir T DON'T WANT ANY PART OF, THAT STUNT!

[TITS

\_AND LI'L ABNER

Y-YO" KIN TAP OUT Li AGES””-AH _<%

PIGS WERE AS SMART AS THET!

“T might just as well be back |] -%

(All events, names and characters in this story are fictitious.)

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GN Yoo rut EN N. AH TRIED THIS y TA PPL N —

NERVE TO SING & A SOLO IN PUBLIC, §

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BOY! + THIS IS") THE ROUGHEST DAY. I'VE EVER. YSEEN!.

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WASHINGTON TUBBS II

WASHING" : TON, D.C .

GOT YOUR REPORT ON THE DRINKWATER AFFAIR. SPLENDID! SPLENDID! KNEW 1 COULD DEPEND ON YOU. USED YOUR HEADS. GOT TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGS. YES, S\REE!

[ AfEAH, DODO ----SHE'S BeauTIFuL L .1'GAVE HER ; YOU TOLD "ME TO DO! TAKE MY’ WORD FOR. [T, SHE'S OKAY!

“THE FLOWERS , AS

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ESE E OFF TW RANCH BY HER LONG LOST BROMER /,

1 FEEL SORRY - FOR POOR NANCY AND SLUGGO --

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UT OUR WAY Jis FILL TH wooD BOX, DON'T YOU, JESS? WE GOT TO STOP FER DEL AT TH' LIVERY STABLE YET--I HOPE HE'S GOT THEM ELEVEN HORSES FED--NO WONDER WE GET SO MANY REQUESTS TO PLAY TURKEY IN TH STRAW.

I'M A LITTLE MILK BUCKET AN' YOU GO IN | AN' BE GETTIN READVY-~ AN GET THAT MANDOLIN AN’ LETS GET

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T. M. REC. U. 8. PAT. OFF. SOON . :

BORN THIRTY YEARS TOO COPR. 1981 BY NEA SERVICE. INC.

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BL > = JRwiLL "5, uJ

—By Al Capp

EFT G-O7 ROUND

-D-DAC AH WS, BE KIDNAPPED GOTH BE BEWEEN YO! AN MEL PROMSSLY

BUT S

AH PROMISES!

ITS ALL WORSLEL- THIS 2 AMOOZIN,

o CONFOOZIN

WHY DIDN'T YUH SHOOT IH BULL- | NECKED COYOTE ?

1 WANTED 10 FIND OUT FROM YOL WHATS BEEN GOIN’ ON WHILE T'VE BEEN AWAY?

THEY'RE NOT USED To THIS SORT OF STUFF!

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ONLYONE THING WORRIES ME...

THE LEADER GOT AWAY!

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WERE FAIRLY FAMILIAR WITH THE WAY HE

OKAY, SIX WEEKS.) GET THAT GUY DEAD OR ALIVE ! r—

(TIME AND AGAIN HE'S ELUDED THE BEST AGENTS WE HAVE. SLY AS A FOX, THAT FELLOW... THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA! NO TELLING WHAT VICIOUS FORM OF DESTRUCTION HE'LL ATTEMPT NEXT, OR WHEN OR. WHERE,

HONORABLE}

HARD AT BEING | JUNE IS

' » a [1 | Hl [AND ID SURE HATE © yl it IF Ycu'D Told HAVE ANYTHING HAPPEN TO DODO SHE WAS Ss FUNNY = LOOKING, HE | ed [Maca E HER ! NOW YOU DON'T KNOW WHATLL HAPPEN !

ANYTHING AS A You ‘are l !

3 a NYA A A T y py

WRICOPR. 1941 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. REG. U. S. PAT: OFF. _

AW, BOOTS w. GEE WHW\ZZ!'% 1 COCOLON'T LEV YA GO OFF AN LEAVE Mg! YA ARENT SORE , ARE AT

"PL PULL INTO CRABTREE | CORNERS UNANNOUNCED BUT LOOKIN’ LIKE A MILLION DOL* + LARS AN’ WITH A WALLET , FULL O'MONEY!

an aaa

TA VEILED WOMAN ENTERS-SHE DARTS A QUICK LOOK ARCUND-AND THEN SITS DOWN.

LL HANNE TORN RIGHT AROLND. AND TAKE YOU WOME !

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—By Martin

BUT HOW ABOUT RE. , NOUR SCHQOL ? «IN FACT, \T M\GHT Bt dust THRE TH\WNGE TO

WEEP YOU OOS OF MISCH\EF Too!

SOMETHIN’ ABOUT THE ATMOSPHERE IN THIS CAR REMINDS ME OF A SNAKE-PIT | WAS ONCE TOSSED INTO-IN INDO-CHINA

["A MAN ENTERS HE LOOKS LONG AND HARD AT THE VEILED WOMAN == YES, THIS OUR CAR’ % & & _ FOLLOW PLEASE =

~—By Blosser

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