Show r THE TI-fE FICTION CORNER i SQUALLS r t i i By MAUD McCURDY WELCH 1 V I qi t. t Grammas Gramma's experience in squalls with her seafaring husband prepared pre pre- 1 pared her admirably for the role she was called upon to play when j r wv Nedra and John called off their marriage 1 EDRA had been crying Sitting NEDRA tj in her chair by the big window j i d in the living room Gramma went wenton l' l on knitting In one quick glance shed she'd seen that the girl had tried to hide the tear tearstains tear stains by an inexpert inexpert inexpert inex inex- pert dabbing of powder around her ber to pretty blue eyes After Alter a minute Gramma said casually casually cas cas- casI I John left early I I And not a minute too soon I H S N Nedra returned quickly sinking I deeper into the fireside chair and turning her face away Ho so you two had a quarrel Gramma knitted a little faster taster than before No uNo a conflagration an explosion explosion sion don a dissolution a parting of the ways Nedra's voice was both angry and vehement and a little tearful too A As bad as that Gramma inquired in 1 mildly I gave him his ring Its It's all allover over Nedra swallowed a sob quickly Gramma made a little clucking sound but she went on plying her needles industriously At last N Nedra edra burst out v pity Well arent aren't you rou going to console me or congratulate me whichever the case may be Gramma stopped knitting for tor a I. I moment looked up You and John have quarreled before They are something like llie the squalls wedi wed we'd i 4 sometime meet up with on the Saint Lawrence when Id I'd made a trip with your grandfather on his steam steam- er He was a sea sea captain captain you know Well there'd be a terrible lot of noise and wind and then the most beautiful calm you ever saw Its It's natural for people in love like you and John to quarrel once in a awhile while Nedra sat up Darling youre you're an incurable sentimentalist John and I are sensible and modern and analytical about love as all young people are nowadays Weve We've had several bitter quarrels since we became be be- became came engaged so weve we've simply had to face the fact that were we're not compatible compatible com corn and that marriage would be bea a mistake It was sensible of course to face taco r 1 this before it was too late ate s Its uIt's the modern way Nedra I said in a small deso desolate ate voice But love is not modern modem Gramma Gram Gram- Gramma ma observed quietly Then she shei i added but of course someday V you'll meet the right man The sudden white horror of ot Nedra's Nedra's Ned Ned- ras ra's sweet face like shock L was a Therell never be another man never she exclaimed passionately passionate passionate- ly as she rose and left the room 0 Two or three days passed One d day ay at noon Nedra was lying on a J chaise longue in her room listlessly turning the pages of a magazine k i when Gramma burst in excitingly waving two important looking ticket tick tick- et ets Listen darling were we're going places Were We're shipping on a fruit fruit- boat for tor for tor she studied I. I f r the tickets for tor a moment for lor Trinidad Trin Trin- idad 1 i q j Where on earth is that Nedra asked indifferently still pretending s 's j to be interested in hi her magazine r Gramma lifted her shrewd dark brows My dear I dont don't seem to toK K have the he slightest idea but if it we stay on on the boat long enough I Iv v imagine well we'll find out w Nedra sat up Now look you absurd darling if it youre you're taking me meon r. r on a sea voyage because you think t my heart is broken that's out Girls r- r J. J these days when disappointed in hi inlove inlove love dont don't waste time languishing They go In for careers maybe politics poli poll tics or som something r Its been the desire of my life to travel on a fruit boat Gramma Gram Gram- ma said fervently Nedra stared at her for a moment moment mo mo- ment then yielded In that case casewell case casewell well we'll go So it happened that In a very few more days Gramma and Nedra found themselves on a fruit-boat fruit bound for tor the intriguing destination of Trinidad And on their very first morning on deck they both saw a atall atall tall dark young man standing at atthe atthe atthe the rail gazing moodily out to sea Nedra's heart almost stopped She clutched Grammas Gramma's arm and anddrew anddrew anddrew drew her around to the other side so quickly that she almost lost her to bring these two stubborn kids to together together to- to gether cether would come to nothing at all It looked plain enough that John and Nedra had no Intention whatever whatever what what- ever of making up their quarrel Next morning Mother Nature hersel herself herself her her- self sel decided to take a hand They awakened to find the ship tossing in a sudden gale thunder roaring in demoniac fury lightning flashing ashing with every split second the waves tearing at the ship as if it possessed of the fury of a thousand devils Nedra dressed hurriedly went into Grammas Gramma's room room Jo to o find her also dressed as early as it wasIs wasIs was Is it a hurricane Nedra asked shakily I dont don't know dear I think Ill I'll just go and try to find out Dont stay long Im I'm beginning to be frightened Nedra pleaded Ill be back in a jiffy Theres There's nothing to worry about At least I think not Shed She'd hardly disappeared before there was a l loud knock on the door and John came In Nedra Nedra darling I had to find lind you I had to tell you OU in in case anything happened that I still love you and andI I always will I f I s sIrL IrL ir fit 1 l D c w. w 7 4 4 5 i We were silly to think we could Nedra agreed softly breath Hey what goes Gramma Gram Gram- ma asked in Nedra's own jargon That was John Nedra exclaimed exclaimed exclaimed ex ex- ex- ex claimed breathlessly Gramma straightened her neat black toque and got herself hersel better I organized Then Nedra's voice came suddenly accusingly And you knew it all the time You did this on purpose She whirled around angrily Im going to my cabin and Im I'm going to stay there Nedra kept her word She stayed in all day even though after shed she'd had her dinner Grat Gramma una reminded her that there was nothing on earth more beautiful than a moonlit evening evening evening eve eve- ning at sea What do I care about a silly old moon Nedra retorted in a voice that shook with tears IT T SEEMED a stalemate so Gram Gram- Gramma ma went on deck alone and soon found John his boyish face looking tired and drawn even in the semi- semi light Gramma slipped into the chair beside him and he said un tin Look here Gramma a aman aman aman man cant can't go a thousand miles away more or less to forget a girl and stay on the same b boat at atwith with her all the way Why Vb dont don't you two youngsters make up We decided that l if 11 we quarreled before marriage wed we'd do the same sameI I thing afterward Were We're trying to be logical and modern but his voice trailed away sadly Well someday you'll meet another another another an an- other girl Gramma said lightly never happen never Dont Don't even mention a thing like that Johns John's voice was hoarse with pain But just the same it looked more and more as if ti Grammas Gramma's plotting The next moment he had her in his arms And I still love you John The moment I knew the thc ship was in danger I thought of ot you Nedra's voice was a happy whisper He bent his head and tilted her chin Which only goes to prove dearest that love is something that escapes all logic and reason and analysis We cant can't argue ourselves out of ot it just on the pretense of ot being realistic We were silly to think we could Nedra agreed softly The only reason we quarreled John went on was because of ot my absurd jealousy because I love you so very much No Nedra contradicted adoringly adoringly adoringly ador ador- it was my bad temper John shook his head quickly You have the temper of ot an angel and well we'll never ne never quarrel again in hi the future jf f there is a future left to us he finished brave brave- ly Neither of them was aware that the wind had ceased its wild roar and the deceitful sea had suddenly become as calm and benign as a summer day Still holding each other In a close embrace they hardly heard Gramma Gram Gram- ma when she came back and saw them together Just a squall she murmured softly as she went into her own stateroom a happy smile wreathing itse itself around her lips |