ESCAPE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 12485, 20 October 1938, Page 3

ESCAPE

By Helen Myrtis Lange And what of Christabel? How was this thing, which inevitably must happen, going to. affect her? That was the ravel-in the pattern.' Kenneth Graham swung his blue roadster from the road’, and brought it to a stop at the parking rail of T Talbot air field. The "sun had been. up ah hour. All the nostalgic qssence’ °f September . seemed to sweep across the field'past Ken as 'he relaxed against the car cushions. He lit a cigarette. Wind caught the smoke away. “Christabel! Christabel!” He said the name softly. He liked to startle the quiet with the beauty of it. It was a name of crystal and) silver chinking together. Ken smiled. No wonder he had never wanted it diminished to “Chris” or “Belle.” That took away the music. A small plane zoomed up, circled and headed into the sun. Ken’s eyes followed it out of sight. Six months ago the doctor had warned him. He

“The Lovely Lady Christabel.” must take life easy. There must be no more flying. Because one day that nagging pain in his chest The^ doctor hadn’t finished the sentence. Sentence. It had been a sentence in another way, too. Ken flicked away his cigarette. He climbed out of the car. Even that slight effort made the pain worse. It had been growing steadily so for the past hours. He strolled toward the hangars. And what of Christabel? He hadn’t quite decided that yet. The thought of her washed like a coolness over the pain burning in his chest. He loved her so fiercely. He wouldn’t mind going away if he knew his going wouldn’t hurt her. His own happiness so flooded him : that nothing could drain it. Not even this flight into the morning and “Have her rolled out; Hank. I’m taking off.” “0.K., Mr Graham.” He was glad lie didn’t have to say good-bye to her. She might have guessed something then. He didn’t want Christabel hurt. His mind began to spin on that axis. “Hi, there!” He didn’t turn for a long moment. She mustn’t guess! She mustn’t! “Ah, ‘the lovely lady, Christabel’.” He went toward her. “That’s Sam Coleridge, and not at all original,” she laughed. Wind tugged at her dark hair. She was like an elf bathed in the yellow mist of sunlight. ' Her loveliness ached in Ken’s throat.

“How did you know where to find me?” he asked.

“I stopped by at your place and William told me. Isn’t it unusual for you to be here?' You. haven’t floAvn for months.”

“I’m flying to-day, though. And isn’t it unusual for you to be seeking me at this early hour?” He grinned at her and there were crinkles at his eyes, “I’ll admit it is. But I have, something to tell-you. Something important. Let’s sit in your car.” t ■ Christabel smoothed the pleat in her white skirt. She did it .carefully and thoughtfully, as though it. were an important thing. _ She did not meet Ken’s gaze. “I—I —You love me, don’t you, Ken?” He leaned over to kiss her lightly on the forehead. “A most correct statement, Miss Christabel Hughes.” He took her hand. “That’s why I don’t know quitelioav to say what I must. , It’s—its going to hurt you. But I’Ve got to be honest with you—and with myself. I’ve always tried to be that.”. She dreAV her hand away and concentrated attention upon the- pleat again. “A very weighty preamble, dearest. Now let’s get on to the body of the text.”

“Ken, I’m breaking our engagement.” Ken’s hand, lifting the cigarette to his lips, stopped midway. Ghristabel’s words came quickly then, as though they were abhorred things she wished to be rid of. “It all began two months ago, the evening I met Brad Harris for the first time. I tried to struggle against it. I told myself it was foolish and school-girlish, but it was no use. Even them I wasn’t certain. “Last night Brad asked me to many him. He’s accepted a position in the Bast. He wants me to go Avith him. I told him he’d have my answer to-night.” Now Christabel took Ken’s hand. "And what is your answer to be? he asked. - \, “I’m going with him. All last night I argued with myself. Oh, Ken, I don’t want to do this to you, but you can’t argue with your heart!” ■- Ken toyed with the keys dangling from the' Ignition lock. Christabel wasn’t going to be hurt. Oh • Godi

.THE evening story—

His Heart Holds Nothing but Christabel. and Only the Sky Can Hold His Heart.

she mustn’t be! : . A kind destiny had sewn the ravel in hte pattern. Ken chose his-words deliberately. “You have given me a happiness I never thought to own You can’t take itaway, i’rom me now. Bradts a grand young-follow- If, he can .make 'you happy, then the" happiness will*- always be inside me. Can yon’Tindevstand that?” • “It’s hard, but 1• . think . I can.” Christabel . kissed him full on the lips. “Thank you, darling,” she said. His chest was bursting- now- with pain. It seenied as- though, happiness had swelled his heart until he wasno longer big enough to contain It. And he wanted to be in tlie’ sky that moment his Heart ’ would - burst free. Suddenly he felt younger than his. 4 0 years. , “Going to, take the crate througha few paces now,” he’ told Christabel. “May I come along?” “Not this time. I want a real

workout.” She walked with him to the concrete runway where his plane waited.- He had to keep his lips tightly pressed now to keep in the pain. He wriggled into the cockpit, adjusted his goggles. “Christabel,” he said. But the thrumming motor broke the name before its beauty could startle any quiet. He waved to her. Then the plane roared down the runway, lifted, and headed out over the lake. There was more room for his heart in the wide sky. To-morrow —Rosalie was only 18 but love laughs at the jycars in “Courage,” by Elizabeth Buck.