Show u FICTION E STREAK OF IRISH 1 f J it ea cornec 1 I g by GARTH R SPENCER buss russ van hosen was late but feel ing good with the check from an other car sale tucked in his pocket he walked in at the back door pat was storing stirring something at the cup board she heard him but didn t glance around russ squeezed her shoulders and kissed her then waited hopefully pat didrik didn t respond after a minute russ turned away and walked on info into the living room so pat was still sore weh well one thing was tain the next peace move would have to come from her he sat down and reached for the sport page golf was opening at the wyaconda conda sunday well they ably wouldn t go now they ly ty t go anywhere lately it seemed been quarreling all the time it had begun this time as usual with a quick sizzling flash of pat s irish temper one of those brief flash fla ups which usually ended with little damage done only this one hadn haan t ended yet it was still drag ging on well let it drag dragi maybe by the time it was over pat would have learned to keep that streak of fighting lighting irish temper down pat came in from the kitchen russ van hosen she said sharply put that paper dodril all right I 1 russ knew what shat pat wanted to carry on from where they stopped last night I 1 want to know pat said tight fight ly just why you left the party with that gertie gertle hale last nighal russ law jaw grew stubborn I 1 told you I 1 went out to start her car that 3 all it certainly took you a good long time where was her husband why didn dian t she have him start it I 1 don t know he was some where around I 1 guess anyway I 1 had sold her the car yes pat said two years ago before I 1 d even met you russ ere are you getting a little tired of me russ groaned pat knew better of course all ali she wanted was a ia row maybe he had spent too much time with gertie gertle but what of it 4 what about hal kirk last week 11 pat had asked him to stop over and I 1 gee see her on his way in to chicago talk about old pals well pat insisted ms isted russ turned back to his paper I 1 ve said all I 1 have to say pat started to speak again then stopped over the paper russ saw ber her face tighten all right she eald said quietly russ watched her walk across the room and begin to climb the stairs he listened and after a mo ment he could hear her moving about in their bedroom above do tag ing what he wondered after ten minutes he went to the foot of the stairs and called pat no answer pat he called again pat was coming down the stair way she had on her hat and coat bhe she carried her bag in her hand pat russ demanded where are you going why pat answered coldly should you care russ studied her face she was bluffing of course threatening to leave well two could bluff that s right he said why should I 1 I 1 m going back to work for hal if U you want to know A little stab went through kuss russ heart simply because of gertie gertle hale not entirely buss russ we sim ply can t go on fighting all the time you know russ said evenly I 1 ive ve been thinking that same thing pats lips whitened again so that s settled ill I 1 U need some money she said russ took out his billfold it held three fives and a ten he offered her the bills without looking at them pat shook her head that s not enough she said I 1 m taking the next plane at the airport A port russ was sure now that she was stall stalling mg giving him a chance to beg L rp 0 Q 0 0 4 11 mh russ took out bis his billfold it held three fives and a ten lie he offered her the bills without looking at them fat pat shook her head her to stay if he gave in this time he d have to give in always the stubborn lines imes of his jaw hardened taking the car check from his pock et he endorsed it with his pen this is on conway company he said you can cash it anywhere in the state pat s cheeks went fiery red her voice was low but it trembled russ van hosen I 1 could murder you youl give me those bills and 1 1 me gol got 0 russ said bothi nothing he watched her back the car out otto olto the drive not until then did ra realization come over him he had held firm he had won uon a moral victory but pat was gone russ walked slowly back into the living room he was still dazed unable to believe it ten minutes passed a hall half an hour then memo nes ries began to rise and choke him a hundred memories of the swell times they d had together from that first day when they d met at the golf course they d played together and hed he d beaten her in spite of the ribbing shed she d given him over his mismatched mis matched patched up clubs he d been saving to buy a new set i but he be d bought her a ring instead it if there were only some way to get her back russ swallowed against the painful aching in his throat what a fool to think their little spats had mat as it if every couple didn dian have them during their first year maybe even now if he should call the airport the clock struck ten booming through the awful emptiness of the house russ grabbed the phone the plane left at ten feverishly he dialed the number airport 7 listen has the plane it s gone the silence of the bouse house beat against his ears he couldn coulden t stand it here he had to get out do some thing russ started for the front door then remembered it was ram ing his raincoat was in the closet off the kitchen door the closet was dark bis his search ing arm knocked down a package a long package that clinked as it fell he dragged it into the light from kirk s sport shop chicago it contained a set of perfectly matched clubs so that was it that was why she had had kirk stop there to get a present for him all these months pat had been scrimping on her clothes pinching saving what a heel WHAT A HEEL he had been A sound from behind startled him the turning of a latch he ile whirled pat stood in the doorway pat s eyes were blazing her cheeks were on fire russ van hoseal she stamped her foot and it shook two bright tears out on her cheeks russ van hosen I 1 COULD MURDER YOU honey russ gasped honey girl don t honey met me for a halt hour you ve let me sit out there in the drive in the rain waiting tor for you to come out and get me but you wouldn t oh how I 1 hate youl you instead you waited until I 1 had to give in myself humbling my pride suddenly pat s voice broke her arms went around him oh russ I 1 don dont t care what you did but say you love me that you 11 always love me met because I 1 love you sol sot russ didn dian t answer he didn dian t want to answer all ali he wanted was the assuring feel of her in his arms russ pat was sobbing even while we were quarreling I 1 loved you it if you could only forgive that streak of irish in me I 1 can russ said humbly it if you can overlook a streak of stub bom born dutch |