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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1943-09-02, Page 7
Vf Very quietly site swung her legs ever the side pf the bed and, stoop ing, found her shoes and put them on. She slid into her skirt, shirt and tunic and found her big coat and cap- Very Quietly she opened the door. She slipped out and sped swiftly across toward the officers’ quarters, uncertain how she would set about finding Tips, but deter mined that in some way she would let him know she was there and wanting to see him, There were cars outside the offi cers’ mess, She fiould see men moving about in the comfortably furnished room. She walked up and down wondering what to do next, scared that at any moment one oi the Waaf officers might see her and ask what she was doing. Then the door of the officers’ mess opened, In the light shed from within she saw Iris Stanton and Tips come down the steps and walk toward hex* car which was standing. Instinctively she drew back into the shadows, sharp tears sting ing her eyes and a dreadful feeling of desolation filling her heart. They passed quite close to her, Sli© heard Tips say, “What about Guy? Shouldn’t we wait for him?” Iris gave a light rejoinder to this. “(He can’t come yet. He’s working this evening. Come on, Tips. Get in.” And a little reproachfully, “Darling, you didn’t used to take quite such a lot of persuading.” It seemed he didn’t take a great deal now. Tie got into the car ana a moment later Jane heard the purr of the engine. She watched them drive with increasing speed down the long asphalt road leading from the main buildings. Then she turned and would have moved swiftly away, but she stopped short. a man was standing a few paces from her. His eyes were on the retreating car, his brows were drawn together. In a flash she recognized Guy Stanton, the hus band who, Hunter suggested, was so absorbed in his work that he was oblivious to what his wife was up to. Iris Stanton sipped her orange juice and recalled the time when she’d breakfasted gluttonously: Now she knew better. Orange juice and dry toast was her early morning diet. Lunch was a skimpy meal, too. It was only at dinner that she dared let herself eat anything. Even then she had to be careful. Tips had said last night, jokingly of course: “You know, Iris, it you don’t look out you’ll be getting fat. Better not do that. I don’t like fat women.” She'd laughed and told him he needn’t worry. “I'm the skinny kind, Tips. I always have been.” But she felt a little uneasy. She looked across the table at her husband, who was forty-five and iu her opinion looked nearer fifty. Their eyes met at that moment and lie said irritably: “Why the blazes don’t you eat something?" “You know I loathe breakfast.” Guy grunted. “You used not to.” She glancecd at the clock and then at her husband. “Aren’t you going to be late?” she asked mildly. Guy Stanton’s, eyes narrowed, “Anxious to get rid of me ” “Not particularly.” Guy glared at her. He wished from the bottom of his heart he wasn’t still in love with her. Quite dispassionately he knew she wasn't worth it. He pushed back his chair angrily and, turning, reached -for his pipe and tobacco pouch from the mantelpiece behind, him. “About Tips,” he began aggres sively, filling the bowl of his pipe as he spoke. “You know, Iris, I’ve stood fpr a good deal, but I’m not going to have you always around with .that fellow. People will begin to talk again as they talked before. And that's no good to you, to Tips or to me." Iris laughed shortly. “That’s ab surd. Who’s talking about me any way?” “A great many people soon will b© if you take to inviting Tips here when you’re alone, I tell you I won’t stand for it.” Iris rocked gently backward and forward on her heels and her toes. She was deciding that perhaps It would be foolish to have a real row’ with Guy over Tips, at any rate while she was so uncertain of him. She said gently, rather like a moth er speaking to a refractory child, “You know you’re being awfully stupid, Guy.” He came round the table and stood close to her, looking down at hex1. He wished he could be sure she was speaking the truth, He said, “I’m only jealous because I’m so much in love with you.” Iris braced herself, Didn’t he know that all she wanted was to be left alone? AU the same, as sudden ly he held her close, she remainded in his arms for a moment though the’longing to drag herself fiercely away was almost too much for her. Only when he bent his head and tried to kiss her did she laughingly protest. “No, Guy, pleasel” His arms fell away from her. “Sometimes I wonder jf you care a darn about me.” She didn’t answer. If she were so much as to open her mouth she knew she'd tell him the truth. *“Or if you’d mind in the least if I went off on one of these stunts and never returned,” he went on. “I hadn’t meant to tell you, but since you’re my wife I suppose I may as well, though you must keep jt to yourself. There’s a big show coming on, far bigger than any thing we’ve undertaken before. And if it means anything to you I doubt very much* whether any of us will return—either I or Tips Poel-San- ders for that .matter," Tie turned on his heel and strode from the room, banging the front door behind him. There had been a letter from Stella this morning that lutd decid ed Jane, since she had a few hours off duty, to make a flying visit to London, She wouldn't have very long, but at least she’d find out if Stella were really as worried as her letter had sounded. Jane took a bus to Piccadilly, assuring herself that it was good 'to be in London again, even though it was a wartime London, The door-man at Duke Street gave her a brisk salute. “Nice to see you again, miss.” “Nice to see you, Evans. No bombs yet.” Evans laughed with scorn. “No, miss, We have been lucky so far.” He whisked her up in the ele vator and she rang the bell. In a moment Stella was there in the door smiling at her. “Darling, this is a lovely surprise!" “I thought it would be nice to nip up and see you.” “Come along in. I’ve got tea ready.” It was fun' to be having tea with Stella again. They had not met since the night Jane had dined with Tips. In a letter she’d said she proposed to see very little more of him. In an answering letter Stella had said, “About Tips—I suggest we just don’t 'talk about him.” So they didn’t a first. There was so much else to talk about. “Are things really sticky, Stella?” “They are. But I’ll be all right." “Haven’t you any work, darling?" Jane asked anxiously. Stella shook her head. “Not a thing. But one never knows at this game. Something may turn up as soon as tomorrow morning. That’s the best part about writing for one’s living. One never knows what’s around the corner." Jane knew that this cut both ways. Sometimes it was pleasant to be sure of one’s bread and but ter. Sha prayed that there was nothing or no one unpleasant round Stella’s particular corner. She said a little unhappily, “I feel awfully guilty at having^ left you in the lurch like this.” Stella looked at her in genuine distress, “Darling, that’s just ridic ulous. There’s no reason ’why two of us should be in a mess. Oh, don’t let’s spend our time talking about me! Let’s be cheerful. Have some more tea. Try one of these buns. Do you get cake for tea at the air drome ’’ Jane helped herself to a bun. “Yes, darling. The C,O. makes them for us twice a week. No, my pet, don’t be silly. We get the odd est things for tea, Pease pudding sometimes.” Stella shuddered. “Oh, my Lord! Thank heaven I’m not in the Air Force!” “X wish you were. It would be Do You Suffer From Headaches? It is hard to struggle Mong With a head that aches and pains-all the time. A headacho need not bo an illness in itself, but it may be a Warning symptom that there is intestinal sluggishness Within. 1 .................. To help overcome the cause of headache it is necessary to eliminate the waste matter from the system, Burdock Blood Bitters helps to remove the cause of headaches by regulating the digestive and biliary organs, neutralizing acidity, regulating the Constipated bowels and toning up the sluggish liver, and when this had been accomplished the htadhehes should disappear. Get B. B. B< at any drtig counter. Price $1.00 a bottle. ..., The T. Milburn Co., Limited, Toronto, Ont. THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE, THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 2nd, 1943 I. grand if we were together, if , . .** She stepped short suddenly- She had been going to say: “If we were both down on the station together.” But that might open up a diffi cult line of thought and might bring the conversation round to Tips. Tips! Jane thought of him sud denly from quite a different angle/ Tips had his own car and plenty of money; xnore than he knew what to do with, judging from the lavish way he spent it. And Stella was worried to death because she was badly hit,by the war and from the look; of things unable to inake any money. It struck her suddenly a§ being all wrong. Why shouldn’t Tips do something for Stella? Doubtless he’d want to if he knew she was seriously up against it. She thought of all the women divorced from their husbands who lived comforta bly on their alimony. The trouble was Stella’s stubborn pride. Jane looked at Stella and decided to take a chance. “Hit me on the head if you like for what I’m go ing to say, but I’ve got to say it. Considering that Tips seems to have far more than his fair share of mon ey, I don’t quite see why he shouldn’t be told you’re finding things difficult. Oh,” as she saw Stella change color, “I know we weren’t going to discuss him an.-l all the rest of it but, darling, please won’t you let me tell him you and I are friends?” Stella said angrily, ‘If you tell Tips one single thing about me I’ll leave this flat and never let you know where I am. I don’t want to see him again, ever!” Jane, head bent, hands in her pockets, collided with Tips a sec ond time and with almost as much1 force. He held her for a moment to steady her. Then he let her go. He said, “It’s four days since I’ve even had a glimpse of you. Darling, this is the first evening I’ve had free for a week. Would you spend it with me?” She looked at him. Then she withdrew her arm. No. No, she wouldn’t, she told herself firmly, fighting against a very real urge to fall in with this suggestion, “No, I can’t, Tips. I’m on duty at ten,” she said, as if that settled it. “That’s all right. It’s barely sev en now. I’ll get you back in plenty of time.” “No.” He gripped her arms. He shook her half playfully, half in earnest. “Listen to me. Why won’t you ever come out with me?” Jane lied convincingly: “Because I don’t want to.” “You don’t really care a darn about me?” “No.” He stood looking down at her, his eyes searching her face in the dim light. A bleak depression held Jane. She wished from the very bottom of her heart that she’d never met him. She 'wondered what was the mat ter with. her. Why hadn’t she the courage to do what she wanted and spend the evening with him? Why hang back? Why bother about Iris Stanton? But she was bothering, so much that she said, a sharp edge to her voice and a gleam in her eyes: “If I won’t dine with you,I take it you won’t necessarily spend a lonely evening?” He drew a long whistle. His face cleared. “So that’s it, is it? You’re jealous of Iris.” “Oh, don’t be silly! Of course I'm not jealous.” His hands came down on her shoulders. “You are. but you haven’t the, honesty to admit it ei ther to yourself or to me. Well, that’s all right with me. I’ll wait. One day you'll come to your senses. But I.’m sick of groveling and scrap ing and begging you to come out with me. Next time you alid I go places together it will be because you ask me. And maybe I’ll throw a fit of temperament then and say I don’t want to.” With this he was gone, striding angrily away from her toward his car parked outside the main build ing. He drove swiftly hway and turned in the direction of Stretton. Blast the girl! he thought bitterly. Blast all women! Then he paused, found a coin and in the light from the dashboard tossed it. “Heads you go to town alone. Tails you drop in to see Iris,” It came down tails. He tried again and it was tails a second time. He drew up outside Iris* door and tooted the horn, In a mo ment she was beside the car, “Aren’t yon coming in?” “I don’t know. I don't think so. I thought you might like to come up to town and have dinner With me ” , Iris said she Would and then de cided that she wouldn’t. It was a rotten night for a twenty^mile drive. “Wo’ll soon get there.” “Mot in a blackout. No, come in and have some food with me, Pm all alone. Guy’s not coming back till God knows , what hour. There’s: some cold chicken and a salad. Alice, is out but she's left every thing ready.” Tips hesitated. Food, he decided, didn’t really interest him. “And 'there’s, plenty of drink,” went on Iris encouragingly. That settled it- He ran the ear over to the side of the road, fol lowed Iris into the house and closed the door. There was a fire burning in the hearth and in a moment she was shaking him a cocktail. He had three and felt very much better. He had a fourth and felt grand. She said softly, “I’m so glad you1 dropped in, Tips, It seems ages since I saw you,” lie got up from his chair and strolled over to the fireplace. He stood with his back to it, looking across at Iris. “Chicken and salad we^re promised me/’ he reminded her, purposely changing the conver sation, and added that he was hun gry. Iris rose to her feet. She knew this was a rebuff but she didn’t mind, “Chicken and salad it shall be,” she said with a smile. “Come along, it’s all ready,” But they couldn't eat chicken and salad all the evening. Tips realized this almost with regret and decided that it hadn’t after all been such a good idea to drop in on Iris. He tried to put all, thoughts of Jane from him. If he could only man age this he and Iris might even yet have quite a good evening. He glanced at the time as they re turned to the sitting room, and saw that it was nearly half-past eight. “You wouldn’t like to go to the pic tures?” Iris looked at him from beneath lowered lashes. “I’d absolutely hate to go to the pictures." Tips sighed. “I was afraid the idea wouldn’t appeal to you,” “Why did you suggest it then?" “Because it rather appeals to me.” She wrinkler her nose at him. “You’re not very nice to me this evening.” He lighted a cigarette and helped, himself., to another drintt, “Tips ” “What is it?” “Your different.” “I’m sorry.” Iris drew a quivering breath. She wondered whether perhaps this was an occasion for frankness. She knew it didn’t pay as a rule, but it might be worth trying. "Tips, dar ling,” she whispered softly, “you do love me just a little bit, don’t you? I’m so crazy about you.” Tips sat down beside her and said she was sweet and of course he was very fond of her. He told himself that surely this must be true. Other wise he’d never have spent so much time with her. Only now there was Jane . . . but he couldn’t explain this to her. The ringing of the telephone bell mercifully interupted what threat ened to become a difficult situa tion. Iris rose to her feet and now Tips could hear her talking in the next room for some time. At last she returned, He looked up at her as she entered the room. “Any body interesting?” he asked lazily. “No. Only some dreary woman asking me to lunch tomorrow.” She stooped to poke the fire to a blaze. He noticed in a vague kind of way that her face was very pale and her hands were shaking. She was talking very fast and very vol ubly, insisting that he must haw- another drink since the night was yet young. What was the time!? Only quarter to nine. When he said that perhaps after all he should be getting on his way. “I'm due back at the airdrome at eleven,” he said, “and I’m leav ing here at ten-thirty.” She leaned on her elbow and stared at him with something mys terious in her eyes. “Eleven o’clock did you say you must be back ” “On the dot!” “That’s all right. I’ll see you go in time. Don’t worry. I won’t let you be late. I promise you.” (To be continued) CROMARTY Itev. Mr. Risdon, of the United Church, Staffa, occupied the pulpit here on Sunday, owing to the absence of ottr minister, Mr. MacWilliams. Wedding bells were ringing in our midst here on Saturday last. Mrs. Crosbie, of Saskatoon, for merly Miss Agnes Mallei1, has been renewing acquaintances in the vil lage and neighborhood of late. It is thirty-seven years since Mrs. Crosbie left for the west, and for mer friends are pleased to see time has dealt very lightly with her. Mrs, Colin McDougall, of Harring ton, visited with her mother on Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Fletcher and daughter, of Kirktoh, spent last Sabbath with Mrs, Fletcher’s aunt, Mrs. S. A. Miller. Mr. Otto Walker is wearing a broad smile these days—-It’s a girl, Mr. and Mrs, Lloyd Miller and Labe spent last Wednesday as the guests of his mother, Pag. 7 CANADA'S NEW CLASS •m ADD MANY NEW CLASSES OF ELIGIBLE TIRE BUYERS - Note: The following fable qi eligible tire buyers is of necessity greatly abbreviated. Many of the classifications are subject to qualifications and the list is not complete. The Firestone Dealer ■will gladly allow you to consult the Rubber Controller's Order No. 4 of lune 30, 1943, which defines exactly who are eligible buyers; CLASS A Eligible for pew, retreaded or used tires and retreading service; also tor new^or used Cubes: Doptors « Visiting Nurses VeteriqariiBS Ministers, Priests, Rabbi* (serving 2 or more parishes 3 or moro miles apart) Ambulance Heprse Firp fighter equipment Police service Garbage disposal Express & Mail Servlet Armoured cars Delivery of newspapers (wholesale) Prospectors public Public Passenger Vehicles Ice and Fuel Furniture movers Construction, Repairs, and Maintenance School Buses Waste & scrap materials Transportation of raw materials, semi-manu factured and finished products, including Farm Produce Farm tractors and combines Common carriers Industrial, Mining and ^obstruction equipment CLASS b augible tor used or retreaded tires ana retreading service; also tor used tubes: War workers ~ ..... Vehicles registered under Wartime Industrial Transit Plan Vehicles used to carry mail Dominion and Provincial Govt, officials Judges, magistrates, crown attorneys, sheriffs, etc. Highway engine era Construction superior tendentsInspectors for fire, ac cident, grain elevators or boilers Red Cross employee! Welfare Workers (full time) Employees of Dom, or Prov. Depts. Agricul ture or Breed Assns. Employees of canners and preservers of es sential foods and chick hatcheries Buyers of livestock and perishable food com modities Dentists and optometrists who attend the armed forces or who operate branches Press reporters and photographers Regional supervisors of Aircraft Detection Corps, Reserve Army or A.R.P. School inspectors Rural school teachers Exterminators Vehicles owned by fly ing schools Taxis Cars and trailers owned by farmers or by per sons engaged in fish ing, maintaining or repairing buildings and essential commercial machines c Eligible tor used tires and tubes and retreading service: Commercial travellers . . . . Bond or Life Insurance Salesmen Insurance adjustors Finance company • col lectors Chain-store supervisors Farm implements or horse-drawn vehicles Passenger cars owned by a farmer who also has a truck Rural auctioneers Vehicles operated by hotels Ministers, Priests, Rabbis Drugless and Christian Science Practitioners Rural undertakers Incapacitated individuals Land surveyors Tourists (emergency) Members of the Diplo* matic Corps, High Commissioners, buIs, etc. CANADA'S rubber crisis is still with us. But because of careful conserv ation and controls there cue tires for those cars, trucks, and farm equipment essen tial to the war effort. If ypu fall in this category (the chart at the left will guide you) and your tires cannot be repaired or re treaded, you are considered eligible to buy tires. Your first move then is to go to your nearest Firestone Dealer. He has the definite official information and necessary forms. He will furnish the required In spection Report and do everything possible to help you obtain a Tire Ration Permit necessary to obtain new or used tires or tubes and retreading service. And remember — even if you cannot buy new tires— your Firestone Dealer has been trained and equipped to help you get the very last mile out of your present tires — no matter what make they may be. Put the care of your tires in the hands of your Firestone Dealer now see him today. A. O. Elliot - Graham Arthur KipPEN BUSINESS CHANGES HANDS Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Buttt, xvho for over 22 years have successfully con ducted the post office and general store in Kippen, this week disposed of the business to Mr. H. H. Domm. of Walkerton, who has conducted a similar line of business for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Butt have been identi fied with the business life of Kippen for so many years where they were widely known and popular, that their retirement will be keenly regretted by the people of the district, who will, however, welcome Mr. Domm, the new owner. Besides his store interests. Mr. Butt lias been exten sively engaged in farming and stock raising for many years, and he and Mrs. Butt purpose making their future home on the farm.—Seaforth Expositor. Chateau Frontenac Houses Momentous Conferee TONG famous as a meeting place J-/ for world travellers in Quebec City—where sea lanes and rati lines converge—the Stately Chateau Frontenac, . one of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company’s finest hotels was taken over by the Govern ment for one of the most important international gatherings in history when Prime Minister Winston Churchill, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Prime Minister W, L. Mackenzie King conferred there on the conduct of the war. Dominant feature in the landscape of the Ancient Capital, as illustrated here towering above historic! Lower Town, the Chateau accommodated the staffs which prepared the material tor the decisions taken and provided the main assembly and committee rooms* ► Helping to house , the leading figures, at the conference, who are shown ih the insets, was the Citadel 4 which iSi on the extreme left of the picture on the same level as the Chateau Frontenac. From loft to right! Mr. Churchill, Mr* Mackenzie lung add, Mr* Roosevelt* i