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Show TRAILER GIRL By VERA BROWN rilAPTKR XXX! Continued I Lynn quieted, turned to Chuck and vcrcd. "I've lost the man I fn'fd I know what that means, d I didn't nave a liule cnild ,0 Ilsidcr. There is such a thing as Tceacy, Chuck. You may not know J. but there is." AU the suffering burt of the last year shone in s white face. Chuck, looking, Suddenly felt sorry for her. I didn't know you care . . . Hat much." Her smile was pitiful. Chuck matched her for a little, curiously. Chuck spoke at last: "What do you ,ant me to do?" There was defeat U bis voice. ' Lym sat up, her hands clasped together: "Give her a chance. I don't know whether she still loves ,ou, Chuck. It has been a year, find her and Buddy. Go to her, llone. Go honestly. Ask her to eoroe back. Be honest. Don't steal Buddy from her!" Chuck was silent as he watched ber. Then he got up wearily. "I promise." His voice was dead. "Don't you love her any more, Chuck?" Lynn's voice was full of (ear. "Yes." His face colored. "I do. I suppose that's why I'm so bitter. She almost killed me, Lynn!" He turned away so that Lynn could not tee his face. Chuck held out his hand. "What name is she using Lynn?" "You'll play fair?" "I swear it!" CHAPTER XXXII "Merry Christmas!" cried two voices. It was Chuck and Helen. They came in with a rush, and Lynn was in thoir arms. Helen was crying and Chuck was swallowing hard. It was a long time before anybody was coherent enough to explain all that had happened. "Where"s Buddy?" "Home, asleep in his nursery!" Helen said. And Chuck, hearing her, kissed her. She had said "home" of Austin Manor. Said it naturally and happily. Later, just before they were to leave, Helen tried to say to Lynn some things that were in her heart. "If I can ever pay my debt to you, Lynn!" Chuck tried to make a formal speech, and Lynn was between laughter and tears. "We can't stay, darling. There's a supper party tonight, and Buddy will have us up at dawn." Helen's face suddenly sobered: "But we had to see you for a few minutes. If you could see Buddy with his father, Lynn!" She squeezed Chuck's arm. Then Helen tried to tell Lynn what had happened down South. "I was almost at the end of my rope, Lynn," she said. "Chuck got to us one night after Buddy had gone to bed. He just walked into that trailer, and I thought I would die in that moment." "I didn't think she was glad to see me at first!" Chuck interposed. "I was so stunned, I couldn't move!" "Then I did just what you told me to. I walked right up and kissed - vvnu Service bedroom a rotund Santa Claus with a long, white beard. The children yelled and screamed in their delight. Then Marty began giving out the little gifts. "I haven't had so much fun in years," he told Lynn. The bracelets and the dollar watches Terry had bought sent the crowd into mild hysteria. Of course, three of the watches were promptly broken, for the boys wound them too tightly. But it was all breathless and spontaneous. Toward evening some of the mothers came for their children and Lynn gave them sandwiches sand-wiches of tha leftover turkey. "It's the loveliest Christmas I've ever had," Lynn said as she and Marty dropped down for a moment on the couch to rest. Of course, nobody wanted to go home. It was dark now, and the lighted tree was lovelier in the dim studio. Art started some carols and soon the child voices were raised in song, a little off tune perhaps, but they loved it. Art went across the hall and got his accordion and shortly short-ly the whole building was shaking as the children danced to his tunes and the older people sat back enjoying en-joying the fun. Yes, it was a good day. Nobody heard a knock on the door. Finally Marty did, and opened it. It was a messenger boy. A cable. "From Rene, bless his heart. He wouldn't forget!" Lynn cried as she took it. The boy grinned as he watched the dancing children. Lynn pressed some candy into his hand and Marty gave him a dollar. Lynn tore open the cable casually. It was wonderful that a word of greeting could come to her so far. Marty turned to her, stopped short. Lynn's smile died. "Marty!" She was trembling. He took the cable from her hand. Only a few words. "Bouchier seriously ill, American Hospital; come." It was signed by Dr. Antonio Marelli, in Rome: Lynn held on to Marty's arm. "We mustn't spoil their party. Keep them going." She went into the bedroom bed-room and closed the door. She sat down on the narrow bed, piled high with children's coats and hats, and reread the cable. Rene must be desDeratelv ill. or the doctor would On the second day Chuck called her at the shop in the morning and asked her to meet him at luncheon. "I'm at the Astor. Under another oame. We better eat lunch in my room. Tm leaving town and I want to see you first" When Lynn walked into Chuck's room two hours later she saw he bad not slept. He was nervous, kept looking at his watch. He motioned mo-tioned her Into a chair. "My plane leaves at 2:30 P. M. Our lunch will be along in a moment mo-ment They're near New Orleans. I just found out. My man's been working nieht and dav sincp vnn her!" He was sitting with his arm about his wife as they talked. Helen Hel-en patted his arm: "I think I cried for an hour before be-fore I could even speak. I had been so lonely and afraid. I don't know how I ever stood it!" "We'll forget all about it now, Helen." "I hope I won't forget what I learned," Helen said with a sincere note in her voice. "Neither of us will," Chuck promised. prom-ised. "We've had our lesson." "And Mr. Mortimer?" Lynn asked. "I telephoned him from New Or- leans. He was pleased. He's a nice person, Lynn." Then she added: "I want to see you soon, just you and me, so we can take our hair down and have a good talk. We're sailing for Algiers for a little vacation vaca-tion next month. Lynn." "It's to be our second honeymoon." honey-moon." Then he added: "The family's fam-ily's as pleased as anything about it all." Then Helen gave Lynn a little box. "This is for you, darling, from Chuck and me. I bought it in Mexico. Mex-ico. I hope you like it." Lynn opened the box immediately. It was a lovely silver bracelet set with turquoise, the fine carving was worn almost smooth by the many beautiful women through the ages who had owned the handsome ornament orna-ment "It's . . . beautiful!" Lynn put it on her slim wrist. When Helen kissed Lynn good-by she whispered: "I've got a plan, you'll hear about it soon. Before we go away!" CHAPTER XXXIII Lynn woke the next morning with that wonderful feeling that something some-thing exciting and unusual was going go-ing to happen. When she opened her eyes she could see through the bedroom bed-room door the glistening Christmas tree rising high to the ceiling. All morning Lynn worked hard. She peeled quantities of potatoes for her guests, fixed the squash for baking. bak-ing. It was fun. By noon she was improvising a table. Marty had promised to drop in for the party, and he came in puffing, before the children began to arrive. His arms were piled high with bundles, bun-dles, he had a Christmas stocking told me!" Just then the waiter brought their food and they were silent as he terved it. When the door closed Chuck began again immediately: "I'll do as you say. It won't work, probably. But I'll keep my side of the bargain!" Lynn's eyes filled with tears: "Chuck, of course, it won't work if you really don't want Helen and Buddy back!" She raised her hands in protest. "Please listen to me! Would you want Helen to take you back only because of Buddy?" The expression on his face was answer enough. "She'll come, if she knows you want her to!" She tried hard to make Chuck understand. un-derstand. He was making a great effort Lynn knew how bitter was his Austin pride. He must care a great deal. When she left him she said: "Good luck, and happiness!" He gave her hand a squeeze, leaned over and kissed her cheek. He could not speak for the lump in his throat. Four days before Christmas she lay in her bed trying to summon courage enough to get up when her hell rang. She jumped out of bed, threw on a robe and hurried to the door. A telegraph boy handed in a mes-age. mes-age. With trembling fingers she opened it It was short, quite un-explanatory. un-explanatory. "Merry Christmas, see you soon." It was signed, "Chuck, Helen, Buddy." Bud-dy." It was Mme. Reanoud who solved Lynn's Christmas problem for her. "Why don't you trim your tree and have some of the kids from the old apartment building next to you in for a party Christmas day?" she asked. "Thev ennlri use a Dar- not have cabled. Marty found her there a few minutes later. "I'd never forgive myself if I didn't go . . . and anything happened." hap-pened." . . . She looked up distractedly. dis-tractedly. "He can't die, Marty." "No." Marty and his Santa Claus beard awry, wiped his forehead with a trembling hand. "He can't die. He's too important to the world, Lynn. He's a great painter! It would be terrible ..." Poor Rene. Alone, ill, maybe dying. dy-ing. She forced a smile to her lips, but her eyes were bright with tears. Shortly, the party began to break up. It was a long process. Hats and coats had to be rescued, rubbers rub-bers and galoshes straightened out. Marty, watching Lynn's face, was glad she had this distraction. They finally departed, a disheveled, happy, hap-py, noisy crowd. Then quiet settled over the apartment like a pall. Marty Mar-ty went out to buy a newspaper and Lynn was alone. Mechanically she tried to bring a little order out of the chaos in the apartment. Marty was not gone long, but when he came back he had everything planned. "There's a sailing tomorrow, but no use to take it It's a slow boat Better wait for the Normandie. She sails Thursday." "That's two days!" "It can't be helped." "I'll get you a tourist class ticket. You can go straight from Havre to Rome." "It will be over a week, Marty." "Yes." "I hope I'm in time." "You will be. He'll probably be all right by the time you get there." "If I only knew how serious it is!" "Shall I telephone the hospital?" "Will it cost a lot?" ty, from the way they look. Better give them meat and potatoes instead in-stead of ice cream though. They seem to need it." Lynn was enthusiastic over the idea, "I'll do it! I'll invite them tonight." "You better start shopping, young woman! That's more important!" It turned out that Terry was a harbor of refuge when Lynn came to the shopping problem. He drove her to the stores, here and there. When Terry and Lynn came back tato the living room, he took her hand: "Can I give you your ring, Lynn? Fw Christmas?" Her eyes were black as she spoke: "I wish I could say yes, Terry, but 1 can't" "It's the last time I'm going to Jsk. I have it here in my pocket." He took out a gorgeous yellow diamond dia-mond which had been in his family 'r years. "Empress Josephine once wore that, young woman, and it isn't good enough for you." "You're sweet, Terry." Lynn Woked at the gorgeous stone laying ln his hand. She shook her head a"d smiled up at him. Lynn determined not to think of J tree which Wild had trimmed Ior her a year ago. She turned restlessly. Somebody was coming awn the hall. There was a knock on her door. She got up to open it. for every guest, fined witn oranges, candy and toys. And he had a gift for Lynn. It was a pretty compact. "Merry Christmas, Kid!" Marty said, dropping the bundles onto the couch. They just had time to put the stockings under the tree when the first guest arrived. Myrtle Price, an artist who lived above Lynn came in to help, and soon the studio was turned into a gay turmoil of wild youngsters having the time of their lives. Marty was a genius with the children chil-dren He got them over their first shyness. He directed their games while Lynn and Myrtle worked in the kitchen to finish the dinner. They were having a grand time. Myrtle borrowed chairs from everybody every-body up and down the hall. Two boys across the way stopped in to see the fun. stayed on to watch that the youngsters got their dinner. Gradually the apartment and its tumult became the center of life of the big ramshackle studio building. Everybody left in the place had to poke his head into the door to see The fun. The children ate and ate until Lynn was afraid they d be iU The uninvited guests helped clear the tables, push the tables back against the walls and then every-body every-body sat down on the floor Marty had disappeared. Shortly there ,w a wild shout. He came out of the "Not too much, Lynn. I'll try." Later they both went out to the corner drug store, and in an hour Marty had the call through. He got an Italian clerk who worked in the store to speak with the hospital in Rome. It was a short conversation. "He's got pneumonia," the boy informed in-formed the two who waited. He told the hospital that Lynn was sailing on the Normandie. "How is he?" Lynn demanded. "They say he's pretty sick." That was all. Marty and Lynn went back to her apartment, and Lynn got out her suit cases. "I'll go to the bank tomorrow morning, Marty as soon as it opens and get the money." "Don't worry about that I'll get a ticket, there won't be any trouble this time of year. Reservations are light. I'U have the boss see about your passport. You'll have to get a picture. Do that first thir.g. We'll have to pull strings to get it in time." "I haven't any idea how long I 11 be gone. What shall I do about my apartment?" Lynn was distraught "Better get it in order, pack everything, ev-erything, and leave it When you see how things are, write and I'll have your stuff sent on to storage. That is. i' you stay," he added. (TO BE COMTiy L ED) |