Newspapers / The Elkin Tribune (Elkin, … / Sept. 12, 1940, edition 1 / Page 11
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FT•.». ■ : . . September 12, 1940 THUNDER mm A n T STANDS CHAPTER Vn Synopsis Len Rollins, tennis ace, dreamed of helping win the Davis Cap for America. Then he fell in love with Grace Worthington, rich and socially prominent. Grace was willing to defy her family and marry him if he would give up tennis. He did—partly because of his love for Grace, partly because of a badly injured ankle. He and Grace were married. Later his ankle improved so much ' that the doctors told him that he could play, and he gets a chance to join the Davis Cup team. He tries to persuade Grace to go to Europe with him. He took her hands in his, pleaded, "Please come across with me, Gracie. Don't you see—can't you feel—that I need you?" "Then you've decided definite ly to go even if I don't?" "But you'll go, darling." "You're evading the question, Len. Will you go even if I don't?" His expression changed sud denly. "I'm the man of this fam ily,' he said in a low tone, "not you. And you're going to do what I want, or else. I'm going to Eu rope. And I'm going to play on the United States Davis Cup team. And you're going with me. Now let's cut out all the non sense." » She asked, "What was the job | Mr. Justin spoke to you about?" 1 ■^o , WTf - -; - ; « %r . k - "•; x %s'-o •,? -;: •••• sH',: -•* ;. ?. " • „*; >;*, J" • •• > -X A * • |K|J% • % * , ;;• >| -\ • ', *..*, ■ FAIR * rAW^m^m »JpJPk ■ WINSTON-SALEM - ■R j ' I i■■ ' : | * CompUl* with pattnUd Sw*«p BUI Acti°n C°rp*l Nexzl*, H°t«, Wandi, \ «/Yjijfll mttr and Upholstery Noiili ■H4 MH HARRIS ELECTRIC COMPANY^ "Something about managing the sports department of a store in Indianapolis. It will wait, of course, until we come back." "It would mean a promotion?" "Yes. But I'm not much in terested. I want to get into the other line—selling. More money in it." She moved out of his arms, staring at him dumbly, for she knew this was the end. • • • She came toward him slowly, a bit hesitantly, to where he sat behind the wheel of Charlie Hughes' Ford roadster. He threw the side door open and she climb ed in next to him. He said: "These past two weeks have seemed like two years. I've missed you, Grace." The car, free of the Worthington grounds, headed toward the open ribbon of the smooth road. "You want to continue like this?" "You are going, then?" She kept watching the road. "Yes. But suppose I stayed home and took that job out West?" "I'd go with you if you still wanted me." "Of course I'd want you. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. I'll always be in love with you—no one else. Why isn't it possible for me to have you and still play?" "We've gone over all that be fore; let's not talk about it." "When I come back, what then?" "It will all be over if you go." THE ELKIN TRIBUNE, ELKIN, NORTH CAROLINA "Then," he said, "this is the last time?" She did not appear to hear him. He was only vaguely aware of the rapid motion, of the soft fanning wind. He was driving very fast, the accelerator pushed way down. But he did not realize it. There was a sign post with a caution to motorists informing them that the road was under re pair. But he never saw it. He was thinking: How silly! How close and yet how far away she is from me. A few feet only—yet miles, miles . . . The last time! Divorce he could return to his old life—he could be rich too—fifty thousand dollars. He'd never have to work again. He could invest it and live modestly, happily on the in come. Happily? Without Grace? The light car bumped, swerv ed, went on; his foot remained pressed to the accelerator, his hands hard on the wheel. Too late he saw the bend in the road and the man in dirty overalls wearing a red flag. Another car came around the bend. He jammed on the brakes. A huge hole yawned ahead. It was close, too close. He cut tjie wheel sharply, foot still on brakes, then he heard the sharp intake of Grace's breath as the roadster careened crazily toward the side of the road. He was conscious of a short, frightened scream at his side. And then nothing— Overalled legs rose above and around him; something wet and salty was on his mouth. He put his hand to his face and drew it away covered with blood. One of the overalled figures kneeled down beside him and began wip ing hie face and head with a cool, wet cloth. "All right, buddy?" He nodded. He felt weak, shaken. He sat up, his eyes fast ened on the laborer's lined face, looked around, then jumped to his feet, eyes wild. "Where's Grace?" "She's all right, buddy. Take it easy." He staggered, but regained his balance. There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach; the cut in his mouth burned and would not stop bleeding. "Where is she?" he demanded, his wild glance sweeping over the group. "She's all right," the man re peated. "That car that was coming around the bend when you—they took her down the road. But she's all right." "Where'd they take her?" "Down the road. There's a hospital." Len glanced at the Ford lying in the ditch torn and crumpled, then at the men. "Who'll take me?" His mouth hurt when he spoke. One of them wearing khaki said: "Okay, I'll take you." At the hospital they would not let him see her. He was her husband? Surely if he was her husband he would understand. Mrs. Rollins needed immediate attention— "l'll wait," he said. "Where's a 'phone?" The nurse nodded toward a desk. "When you've finished," she said looking at his mouth, "you'd better have that cut stitched up." But he didn't hear her. He called Easthampton and reached Mrs. Worthington. In a few words he explained what had happened. She didn't waste time condemning him but cut off with a terse, "We'll be right out." He waited in the hall. Of course, he wouldn't go to Europe now. Tomorrow he'd get in touch with Justin and accept that In dianapolis job. He and Grace would start life all over again— together. No, he couldn't leave Grace here in this hospital and ever ex pect to find peace of mind again. Why, this was his test! Grace always had claimed he loved the game more than he loved her. He'd prove now how wrong she'd always been. Yes, this was his Meat opportunity—the crisis in their lives—and he would not nil her. He would never, never fAil her! "A tall, slight man wearing a white tunic approached. "You're the husband of the young lady who was just brought in here? Will you come this way, please." Len followed the doctor down a, hall. "She's not—she's all right, isn't she?" he asked shakily. ' >ii "She asked for you." Was the doctor's evasion de liberate? Good God, if anything •erious had happened! They turned off the hall into a large room and then into a imaller one. There were three beds. Two of them were empty. NOrace, covered by a white sheet, [Jay upon the other, pale and wan, flier head and one arm in band jkges. She smiled weakly up at siim as he entered. He crossed the small room rapidly and fell to ■his knees beside the bed. "Gracie darling, I'm sorry. So terribly, terribly sorry! How do you feel? Are you badly hurt? His voice was hoarse, a whisper; his wet eyes pleaded forgiveness. She said softly, "A cut head, but not a big cut, Len. And this arm they tell me is bruised, and there is perhaps a slight internal injury. Nothing to worry about, though, really. In a couple of days I'll be up and around again, good as new." He kept searching her face. Was she telling him the tnith? Was she really hurt no worse than she claimed? "I telephoned your mother." She nodded. "I suppose she'd have to know." "Yes, I thought so. They'll be here soon, I imagine." She smiled tremulously, placed her unbandaged hand over his. "Don't let them frighten you, Len. It might have happened no matter who was at the wheel." "It was my fault." How diffi cult it was to talk, breathe even, when your throat contracted like this and the backs of your eye balls stung. "I was thinking—of something else." "I know," she said. "So was I. I was thinking," she murmured, "how beautiful those two years were." "Other years will be as beau tiful." "It's too late now." "I'm seeing Justin tomorrow." "It's no use, Len. You must go abroad. If you stayed now it would be from remorse, not be cause you wanted to." "That isn't true. Honestly it's not!" "You go to Europe. You must go, now. When you return we'll—" "Yes?" "I don't know what we'll do, Len. Perhaps—" "Maybe if we both have time to think it over some solution will present itself. You still love me, Gracie, don't you?" "Very much, Len. And you?" He raised her hand to his bruised lips, kissed it gently. There were voices behind them. Mr. and Mrs. Worthington dis regarded him, stood looking down upon their only child. Len with drew to a far corner of the room. He would not go to Europe, of course, even though she had not been seriously injured. His mind was made up. ♦ * * He remained overnight at a nearby tourist house and spent practically all of the next day ALWAYS A your Best COMFORTABLE H Form Natural, True to Life SOUND Entertainment TODAY AND FRIDAY— IWT I TWT 1 ■PSG NELSON EDDY .NEXT WEEK UDONALD NEW THRILLS T0 COMPARE - Thrilling WITH TRACY'S GREATEST! _ __ _ to Jilt Tom Edison from wlil^lllC '"IHt™ j|Jyj^j|F t IST" ISBSSSSEV b ° nd of *»'•«-'ind i,. fl News - Short Admission 10c-30c r WEDNESDAY— TUT "YOU ARE NOT SO TOUGH" Serial - Shorts Admission 10c-15c WILLIAM RAYn COMING SEPT. 23-24 Serial - Selected Shorts Adm. 10c-30c WATERLOO BRIDGE" LYRIC THEATRE BOSSES with Grace. At last it was time for him to leave for New York. The boat was sailing at midnight and he would have to go to the apartment first to get his clothes. Some of the color had return ed to Grace's face and this en couraged him somewhat. But at the last minute he protested that he did not want to go, that the team could go to blazes, that France could keep the cup for all he cared. But she insisted that he should not change his plans. "You can't do anything for me here," she told him, "and I prob ably wouldn't be allowed to go out to Indianapolis for a while anyway, after this. Besides, I'll not be pitied." They were alone when he said good-bye, and for the first time since she had left him the cool ness that had become so strong a barrier between them was gone. There was something frightened, desperate even, in the way she wished him "bon voyage. It startled and puzzled him a little. With her one good arm she clung to him, held his head close to her, pressed her lips against his with abandon. Her face was wet against his. But when he drew away to look at her she smiled. He kissed her again lingeringly, passionately. And then he was walking down the short hall and out into the street, experiencing a sudden wave of self-disgust that was new to him. It remained, disturbing, condemning, while an inner voice kept crying over and over again, "cad, cad, cad." He did not once look back to ward the hospital, but continued swiftly and surely toward the train that would take him to New York and the boat that was sailing at midnight for Havre. * * ♦ The ocean did not seem blue, the cool salt air was lacking in the sweet and invigorating qual- ities he had been told it possess ed, the stars at night were dim. In the deck chair beside him reclined not Grace, but Don Clark. . . and so you go out and bust up Charlie's best Rolls Rough," Don was saying. "Why, you mug, suppose you were in that hospital with your wife. Then what? Our chances for the cup'd go blooey." Dave Swanstrom joined them. "Any word from your wife, Rol lins?" the non-playing captain asked. "How she's getting along or anything?'" Len shook his head. "I imagine she's all light, though, or H. P. Graham, Distributor, Elkin, N. C. Say Holsum I would have heard. Thanks." Swanstrom sat down on the edge of Clark's chair. Staring out into the ocean he said: "One of you two guys has f o upset the apple cart over there, if either of you can manage to beat Le fevre I think we'll bring back the cup." (Continued Next Week) The Pirauha, a fish with teeth which infests the South Ameri can rivers in the Amazon valley is only a few inches long. It at tacks man and animals in large numbers and is very dangerous.
The Elkin Tribune (Elkin, N.C.)
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Sept. 12, 1940, edition 1
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