Show THE HOPE CHEST 1 Continued from page 1 1 how did you break a away way from work You dont don't look sick I Im not sick Sacked No no And nothing is is really really I wrong Bu But I couldn't wait walt for you to look me up me-up up You see I but I-but but we cant can't talk talle here j I He lIe nodded and led the way down a at i flight of steps to the b beach ach and they l dropped in the sand underneath a pier Without his his his' grotesque makeup he showed for a shaven clean-shaven man of ot the late forties with the grave lines Unes which I in the general Irony of at things tend to i i sadden the face of ot the jester Side by side with him on one readily saw j where the girl got her gray blue-gray eyes And hers too were whimsical Out It now he commanded in mock sternness Sheila tried to smile I Daddy Joe Joe Joe- she the began and ended Take your time If Its It's so serious he said reaching for her hand Her lIer look fluttered seaward and th then n came darting round to meet to-meet meet his Im married she announced His fingers closed over hers In a grip that made her wince M Married he repeated dully Did DidI I get Jet that straight t Yes she said with wih what voice she could muster Its It's true Daddy Joe I was married this morning You You my my little Sheila Then turning an angry red Who Is the damned sneak he demanded Where Is he Z She snatched her hand away You shant shan't call can my my husband names she declared He Isn't a sneak Hes He's a gentleman I wont won't let anybody run him down down anybody anybody Hes He's mv my husband hus hus- I band He blinked at her fiery champion champion- ship chamPion I If hes he's on en the level as you say why didn't h he wait walt for me to get here I He didn't know know- i I You knew I wrote you a month month I ago that I was booked here And you must have seen the ads ada ds It couldn't I have gone out of your head that I was due today No she admitted I didn't forget for for- get And yet you went straight ahead I was Vas afraid you'd try to stop me Do you call can that giving giring me a square de deal No SHe shook her head But I didn't dare take the risk I cant can't live without Tom Dont Don't you understand Of course you do You ran off oft with mother That was because her govner could not get It through his thick head that I that I-that that we we- we weHe He caught himself up and smiled You see She moved closer and snuggled th their lr reunited hands into the soft sandI sand I see see he said What Is Friend Husbands Husband's other name Ballantine Her fathers father's s mouth and eyes opened in perfect unison Which he gasped Sheila Shena frankly enjoyed the effect of her bombshell It couldn't very well weIl be the head of ot the firm she smiled Hes married already to Toms Tom's mother Quit Joshing he charged Is It your firm youre you're talking about 1 Yes Yea And Its It's Roger nager Ballantine's son eon youve you've married His Hie tone was awestruck awe awe- struck Yes He Jumped to his feet teet sw swept pt off oft his hat stared giddily into It clapped It on his head again and sinking back on I Ithe the the sand bent a look of respectful wonder on his child chUd II Ill bet that old codger cadger Is worth ten millions If hes he's worth a cent he he exclaimed That hadn't anything to do with my loving Tom said Sheila It was something I couldn't help If hed he'd been one ne of the boys at the soda fountain Id I'd have felt the same We were meant for each other Tom says we I must have loved each otner m rn a pre previous re- re s Incarnation Joe Moore betrayed mental distress I That dope Is new to me he con con- Incarnation con I I Another life perhaps life perhaps In Rome Tom thinks He knows a lot about such things Lets get back to cases cases said her herI father hastily When did you two I meet up on your presen present trip to earth arth Almost two weeks ago ago And youre you're married I guess after atter all an there must be something in that loved re pipe dream Dont begged Sheila I hoped you'd understand Im doing my best he said but Im I'm still shy ehy on facts Give me the whole story I ITo To be continued |