JULY 9. 1942
fv SYNOPSIS
Despite Leonard Borland's protests
that his bank account is
ample, though the contracting
business in New York is dead, his
pretty, opera-struck wife Doris resumes
her "career," interrupted by
her marriage at 19 3nd the birth
of two children. Borland knows
her avowed purpose, to bolster
the family income, is just another
subterfuge. Hugo Lorentz, her
teacher, always around, irritates
him. After Doris gives a Town
Hall recital, Cecil Carver, opera
singer, phones Borland. At her
hotel, Cecil says Doris has a good
voice but lacks style. Cecil is to
sing for war veterans but hasn't
the words of certain song. He
sings it and she says he has a fine
baritone voice. Cecil knows of
Doris through Lorentz, says Hugo
is hopelessly in love with Doris,
and that Doris tortures every man
she gets in her clutches. Leonard
ought to wake her up by giving
a recital, she says. "Go get yourself
a triumph. Hurt her where it
hurts.'' Cecil demands payment for
lessons?kisses. He pays but declares
he loves his wife. He
spends much time with Cecil, making
good progress. Doris tells him
Jack Leighton is getting her an
engagement in a movie palace.
Cecil, on tour, wires him, he sings
upstate recitals, makes a hit and
she gets him an engagement with
an opera company. Again he is
scared stiff but manages to hold
his own. A performance of "L.
Boheme" is on. and Parma, the
tenor, is speaking.
CHAPTER VIII
About eleven o'clock Niles came
home. He was the houseman. He
had been out taking the children to
school, he said, and buying some
stuff at a market. He said he was
glad to sec me back, and I shook
hands with him and asked for
Christine. Christine is his wife and
does the cooking, and in between
acts as maid to Doris and nurse to
the childrn. He said Christine had
gone with Mrs. Borland. He acted
like i. must know all about it and I
haled to show I didn't, so I said, oh.
ol' course.
About a quarter to twelve the
phono rang It was Lorentz: "Borland.
you'd better come down and
get your wife."
"What's the matter?"
"I'll tell you."
"Whore is she?"
"The Cathedral Theatre. Come to
the stage door. I'll meet you."
I had a glimmer, then, of what
was going on. 1 went out, grabbed
a cab and hustled down there. He
met me outside, took me in, and
showed me a dressing room. I rapped
on the door and went in. She
was crouched on the floor leaning
her head against a chair and a
theater nurse was with her, and
Christine. She was in an awful
state. She had on some kind of theatrical-looking
dress, and her face
was all twisted and her hands were
clenching and unclenching, and I
didn't need anybody to tell me she
was giving everything she had to
fight back hysteria.
I went out in the corridor with
Lorentz. "What's this about?"
"She got the bird."
There it was again, this thing that
Cecil had said if I ever heard I'd
never forget "She sang here,
then?"
"It didn't get that far. She went
out there to sing. Then they let
her have it. It was murder."
"Just didn't like her, hey?"
"She got too much of a build-up
?in the papers."
"I haven't seen the papers. I've
been away."
"Yeah, I "know . . . Socialite embraces
stage career?that kind of
stuff. It was all wrong ,and they
were ready for her. Just one of
those nice mourning crowds."
I began to get sore. "It would
seem to me you should have had
more sense than to put her on
here "
"I didn't."
"Oh, you did your part."
"I pleaded with her not to do it.
. . . Listen, Borland, I'm not kidded
about Doris, and I don't think you
are, either. She can't sing for buttons.
I tried my best to head her
off. I even went to Leighton. I
scared him. but not enough. You
try to stop Doris when she gets set
on something."
"Couldn't you tell her the truth?"
"Could you?"
That stopped me, but I was still
sore. "Maybe not. But you started
this, just the same If you knew
all this, what did you egg her on
for? You're the one that's been giving
her lessons, from 'way back,
and telling her how good she is,
and?"
"All right, Borland; granted. I'm
in love with your wife. And if egging
her on is what makes her like
me, I'm human. Yeah, I trade on
her weakness."
"I've socked guys for less than
that."
"Go ahead, if it does you any
good. I've about got to the point
where a sock would be just one
00 Can ?
James M. Cain
wmore
thing. If you think being chu
lackey to Dons is a little bit <
heaven you try it?or maybe vc
have tried it . . . This finishes rr
with her, if that interests you. N<
because I started it. Not because
egged her on. No?but I saw it.
was there, and saw them nail her 1
the cross, and rip her clothes of
and throw rotten eggs at her, an
ask her how the vinegar tastedand
all the rest of it That's unfo
givable."
He walked off and left me.
found a pay phone, put in a call f(
a private ambulance. When it can
1 went in the dressing room agaii
Doris was up ar. 1 Christine w:
helping her into her coat. She w:
over the hysteria, but she looke
like something broken and shrunl
en. I carried her to the atnbulane
put hor in it, made her lie dowi
Christine got in. We started off.
At home, I carried her upstair
undressed her, and put her to be.
and called a doctor. Undressir
Doris is like pulling the petals o
a flower, and a catch kept coming i
my throat over how soft she w;
and how beautiful she was, and ho
she wilted into the bed. When tl
doctor came, he said she had to I
absolutely quiet, and gave her sorr
sleeping pills. He left, and I close
the door and sat down beside tl
bed. She put her hand in min
"Leonard " ,
"Yes?"
"I'm no good."
"How do you know? They didn
even give you a chance to find out
"I'm no good."
"A morning show in a pictui
house?"
"A picture house, a vaudevi)
house, an opera house?it's all tl
same. They're out there ,and it
up to you. I'm just a punk who
been a headache to everybody si
knows and who's got wise to he
self at last. I've got voice, figur
looks?everything but what it take
Isn't that funny?"
"For me, you've got everything
takes."
"You knew, didn't you?"
"How would I know?"
"You knew. You knew all tl
time I've been just rotten to yoi
Leonard, ah because you oppose
my so-called career."
1 didn't oppose it."
"No, but you didn't believe in i
. That was what made me so furioi
You were willing to let me do wha
ever I wanted to do, hut you woul
not believe I could sing. I hated yc
for it "
"Only for that?"
"Only for that . . . Oh, you niea
Hugo and Leighton and all my otl
er official hand-kissers? Don't t
silly. I had to tease you a littli
didn't I? But that only showed
cared whether you cared."
"Then you do care?"
"What do you think?"
Doris took my head in her hand
and kissed my eyes and my bro
and cheeks, as though I were somi
thing too holy for her to be worth
to touch, and 1 was so happy
couldn't even talk. I sat there
long time, my head against her
while she held my hand against h<
cheek, and now and then kissed i
"... The pills are working."
"You want to sleep?"
"No, I don't want to. I could sta
this way forever. But X can't hel
it "
"I'll leave you."
"Kiss me."
I kised her, and she put her am
around me, and sighed a sleepy li
tie sigh. Then she smiled, and
tiptoed out.
I had a bite to eat, went down t
the office, and had a look at wht
man mere was. men 1 sal aown i
the desk, hooked my heels on th
top, and tried to keep my head fror
swimming till it would be time t
go back to Doris. I was so excite
I wanted to laugh all the time, be
a cold feeling began to creep up in
back, and pretty soon I couldn
fight it off any more. It was abou
Cecil. I had to see her, I know tha
I had to put it on the line how
felt about Doris and how she fel
about me, and there could be bu
one answer to that. Cecil and I, w
would have to break. I tried to tel
myself she wouldn't expect to se
me for a day or so, that if I just lc
things go along she would make th
move anyway. It was no good,
had to see her, and I couldn't stal
I walked around to her hotel
She had the same suite, the sam
piano, the same piles of music ly
ing around. She had left the doo
from the lobby, and when I went ii
she was lying on the sofa, staring a
the wall, and didn't even sjy hellc
I sat down and asked her how sh
felt after the trip. She said a]
right. I asked her when her re
hearsals started. She said tomov
row. I said that was swell.
"What is it, Leonard?" Her voic
sounded dry, and mine was shak;
when I answered: "Something hap
pened."
'Yes, I heard."
"It?broke her up."
"It generally does."
"It's made her feel differentabout
a lot of things. About?quit
a few things."
"Go on, Leonard. What did yoi
come here to tell me? Say it "
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT?EVEF
5 ozggscaczsaEa
:f "She wants me back."
)f "And you?"
u "I want her back, too."
le "All right."
it She closed her eyes. There was
I no more to say and I knew it. 1
I ought to have walked out of there
to j then. I couldn't do it. I at least
f, wanted her to know how I felt about
d her, how much she meant to me. I
? went over, sat down beside her, took
r- her hand. "Cecil, there's a lot of
things I'd like to say."
I "Yes, I know."
>r 'Abet how swell you've been.
ie [ about how much 1-?"
n. i ' Gocd-by, Leonard."
is "There's only one thing a man
is ever lias to tell a woman. You
d can't tell me that: I know you can't
t- tell me that; we've been ail over it
e. ?don't orfer me consolaton prizes."
i. "All right, then Good-bv."
I bent over and kised her.
s She didn't open her eyes, didn't!
move. "There is only one thing I j
i ask, Leonard."
fI "The an :\ver is yes, whatever it |
n 'S-"
J5 "Don t come back."
w "What?"
,e "Don't come back . . . You're go,e
ing now. You're going with all my j
10 best wishes and there's no bitter- '
ness. 1 give you my word on that. I
lc You've beer, decent to me and I've
e | no complaints. You haven't lied to
me, and if it hasn't turned out as I
thought it would that's not my fault,
not yours. But?don't come back.
t Whcp you go out of that door, you
" go out of my life You'll be a
memory, nothing more. A sweet.
e lovely, terrible memory, perhaps?
but I'll do my own grieving. Only
[e ?don't come back."
ie "I had sort of hoped?"
s "Ah!"
3 "What's the matter?"
lp "You had sort of hoped that after
r_ this little honeymoon blows up?
c> say, in another week?you could
>s give me a ring, and come on over
and start up again just as if nothing
it had happened."
"Mn I 1-1 1
1. W'J V.UU1U l?C i
friends."
"That's what you think you hoped.
le You know in your heart it was
u something else. All right, you're
>(j going back to her. She's had a bad
morning and been hurt, and you feel
sorry for her, and she's wislled at
I you and you're running back. Hut
ls remember what I say, Leonard: You
t_ are going back on her terms, not
g yours. You're still her little whirnpIU
ering lapdog. and if you think she's
j not going to dump you down on the
' floor or sell you to the gypsies just
n as soon as this blows over, you're
mistaken. That woman is not lickIL,
ea until you've licked her, and if
you think this is licking her it's
j more than T do."
"No. You're wrong Doris has
had her lesson,"
"All right, I'm wrong. For your
s sake, I hope so. But?don't come
back. Don't, come running to me
again. I'll not be a hot towel?for
y you or anybody."
j "Then friendship's out?"
a "It is. I'm sorry."
3 "All right."
"Come here."
t She pulled me down and kissed
me, and turned away quick, and
motioned me out . . .
v (Continued Next Week)
P NAZIS REPORT 337.342
DEAD IN RUSSIA
ls Berlin.?Germany's dead and
t missing in the first full year of the
I war on the Russian front were
Dlaced bv the hieh command tnitau
at 337,342, an increase of 147,704
" over Adolf Hitler's figures of last
December 11.
1 Nothing was said about wounded,
c which on the basis of the Decemn
ber 11 tabulation, totaled 571,767.
0 '
^ Most experts agree that tires
should be criss-crossed, for maxir,
mum wear, about every 4,000 to 5,.
000 miles.
t- ~~
1
I' WUdi hfou /iutf. faJitU
WAR BONDS
e *
t
0 Aside from the sixty-mile an hour
1 Mosquito. Torpedo Boats, the Sub
1. Chasers are the speedsters of our
Navy. Light and fast, they are the
p eyes of the Fleet on the water. They
displace approximately 1,500 tons
r and cost about $2,400,000 each.
5 /Olr-,
;
We need many of these powerful,
e fast little boats to cope with the
y treacherous submarine type of nar
val warfare fostered by our 'enemies.
Everybody can help pay for
more Sub Chasers by putting at
least ten percent of his income into
War Bonds. Buy Bonds or Stamps
- every pay day. Buy them from
e your bank, your post office, or from
your office or factory through the
Payroll Savings Plan.
U. 5. Treasury Department
;Y THURSDAY?BOONE, N. C.
TODAY and !
TOMORROW
By DON ROBINSON
JOKES by Hitler
Did you hear that joke about the
Englishman, Dutchman, Frenchman
and Greek who were flying toward
England in a crippled plane?
It was a story that got wide circulation
in this country a few
months ago. It went something like
this:
It seems that the load needed to
be lightened to save the crippled
plane. The pilot said some of the
occupants would have to jump. Immediately
the Frenchman and the
Dutchman dove out of the door crying.
"For our countries!" The plane
still faltered, so the Englishman
slowly arose. "For England," he
shouted?pushing the Greek overboard.
An amusing story, isn't it? At
least it is until you are made, aware
of the insidious purpose liehind it?
that the story was created, along
with dozens of other simitar ones,
by Hitler's agents. It was part of
a carefully planned campaign to
create contempt for England in this
country.
...... raids
When the English sent that gigantic
fleet of bombers over Cologne,
Essen and other German cities, they
not only destroyed quantities of Hitler's
munitions, but. they also struck
a terrific blow at his propaganda
machine by practically wiping out
all of the underhand work he had
done to make Americans lose their
respect for the English.
Over a year ago, when England so
gallantly withstood the destruction
of their own cities by German
bombs, we should have realized that
our ally has just as much courage
and valor as we believe our own
people have?but somehow, probably
because of the stories Hitler passed
around the United States, many
of us weren't convicted.
But now. with the English carrying
on the greatest aerial invasions
in the history of mankind, all doubt
on this score has vanished.
The English and the American
people have different habits and
characteristics. We may "moidcr de
King's English" and they are apt to
"old chap" you to death and clamor
for cups of lea, but such differences
are so petty that they are not worth
a second thought compared with our
great common purpose of preserving
the free way of life throughout the
world.
Hitler will continue to try to divide
us, for he knows that is one of
his chief remaining hopes for victory,
but there is little he can do
now that can dim our admiration
lor the amazing job the RAF is accomplishing.
t iivrxivmuL/n ..... Qdl I ICS
With Hitler's hope ot creating distrust
of one another between English
and Americans having been
blasted, he is probably now setting
some new pattern for winning the
war with propaganda.
Already he has attacked on countless
propaganda fronts, for he found
in France, Norway and other countries
that "talk" often proved even
more effective than bombs, tanks
or planes.
But his propaganda machine has
been losing a lot of major battles
here lately. It has lost the battle
aimed at dividing England and the
United States. It has lost the battle
to make us fear that our democratic
form of government is incapable of
waging his kind of total war. It has
lost the battle to make us think in
terms of defense rather than offense.
It has lost the battle to keep us from
aiding our allies. It has lost the battle
to make our civilians shy away
from the sacrifices which war en5ki3i
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Your watch needs the very
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you the dependable service
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Drop by our store, and let us
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We use only the best
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tails. And, as our respect for and!
co-operation with the Russians .in- 1
crease, it is rapidly losing the battle
to make us fear that we will have
any difficulties getting along with ]
Stalin.
LIES Germany:
About the only place Hitler's prop-;.
aganda lies are really working these :,
days is in Germany itself?and even
there they are not nearly as effec-!,
tive as they used to be.
In our country and in England, !
where the press is owned by free,
men, it is a comparatively easy matter
to spike false propaganda be- i
fore it becomes dangerous. But in;
Germany the people hear only what:
Hitler wants to tell them?and they
arc therefore fed on propaganda i
alone.
When a thousand English planes!
dropped millions of pounds of i
bombs on Essen, the Berlin newspapers
didn't even mention it. What i
the German people really think after
yeats of lies and covering up of;
lies, no one really knows, but it
seems only common sense to believe
that the German people realize the
news they get is in no sense honest j
news.
The German people were convinced
by Hitler that the Russian
war would be over long before this. :
Now, when they hear him talk about 1
sacrifices which must be made to
strengthen the Russian front next!
winter, they realize something has
gone very wrong.
The Germans undoubtedly are!
sick of war and sick of making:
| more and more sacrifices. While j
| they believed in Hitler and his j
I piuiiusts 01 quicK victory tney uvea
on hope. But now that hope of victory
and their faith in Hitler are
rapidly dying.
It looks as though the greatest
blow to Hitler's propaganda machine
is soon to come?the blow
which will be struck when it is evident
to him that not even his own
people believe him anymore.
GAS PRICE INCREASE
COSTS N. C. DRIVERS
$12,000,000 ANNUALLY
Raleigh.?State Highway Chairman
Ben Price suggested that the
increased cost of gasoline transportation
could be distributed by a
small increase in price throughout
the nation or by direct federal subsidy
to the oil companies. Prince
made the suggestion in protesting a
recent price hike permitted by the
office of price administration.
He estimated that the two and a j
half cent a gallon increase allowed, j
on the basis of last year's consump- j
tion, would cost North Carolina mo- |
torists $12,000,000 annually and the
state itself $*150,000 a year.
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PAGE SEVEN
NOTICE OF SUMMONS
Mcrth Carolina. County of Watauga;
in the Superior Court, Before the
Clerk.
Robert Ward and wife, Eliza Ward,
vs. Robeit Harmon and others.
The defendant above named will
take notice that a summons in the
above entitled action was issued
against the defendant Robert Harmon
on the day of June, 1942, by
A- E. South, clerk of the Superior
Court of Watauga county. North
Carolina, said action having been
brought in order to partition the
land of Joseph Harmon deceased,
and the defendant. Robert Harmon,
being adjudged to be a proper party
whose interest might be effected,
and the defendant will take notice
that a petition was filed in said
cause by the plaintiffs above named
and the defendant will further take
notice that he is required to be and
appear at the office of the clerk of
the Superior Court for Watauga
county at his office in the town of
Boone, N. C., within thirty days after
the 2nd day of July, 1942. and
answer or demur to the complaint
of petition of the plaintiffs, or the
plaintiffs will apply to the court for
the relief demanded in said petition.
Tins 29th day of June, 1942.
A. E. SOUTH,
7-2-4p Clerk Superior Court.
NOTICE OF TRUSTEE S SALE OF
REAL ESTATE
North Carolina, Watauga County.
Pursuant to the power and authority
contained in that certain deed
of trust dated October 8, 1940, by
G. E. Anderson and wife, Edith G.
Anderson, to T. E. Bingham, trustee,
which said deed of trust is duly recorded
in the office of the register
of deeds for Watauga county, North
Carolina, in Book of Mortgages No.
39, at page 38, and securing a certain
note and indebtedness payable to the
Northwestern Bank,, and default
having been made in the payment
of said note as provided in said deed
of trust, and demand of foreclosure
having been made by the Northwestern
Bank, and the undersigned trustee,
having been substituted as
trustee for and in the place of said
T. E. Bingham, said substitution by
the said Northwestern Bank having
been duly recorded in the office of
the register of deeds for Watauga
county, North Carolina, in Book 55,
at page 112, will offer for sale at
public auction to the highest bidder
for cash at the courthouse door in
Watauga county, at Boone, North
Carolina, at 12:00 noon, on the 20th
day of July, 1942, the following described
real estate, to wit:
Beginning on a planted stone in
Ed Earthing's line, running south
14 cast (5 poles to a stone corner;
thence south 84 east 13% poles to a
stake in the old Boone road; thence
J. E. HOLSHOUSER,
6-25-4e Substituted Trustee.
>UR FAMILY
i member of
/ANT BURIAL
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. . BOONE, N. C.
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.10 .40 $ 50.00
.20 .30 100.00
.40 1.60 100.00
.60 2.40 100.00
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