CHAPTER SEVEN
THE TANGLED WEB
A wild March gale was howling over the island the following evening.Though rain poured in torrents Kitty found a score of marines andsailors already in the USO hall when she arrived at the Snack Bar. Onsuch nights she always thought of the boys across the water, who werefighting in all sorts of weather. The Snack Bar and the cozy atmosphereof the big hall made her wish they could all share this comfort.
Nell Cruger, the USO hostess, was worried when she remarked to Kitty,“Vera just phoned from out at Thompsons’ place that she’s stuck in themud but will get here as soon as she can. We haven’t half enough girlsto keep the boys entertained till then.”
“Oh, depend on Vera to get out of any sort of tight spot,” repliedKitty confidently. “She’ll be along after a while with a station wagonfull of girls.”
Kitty had her own Canteen duties to look after and was quite busy forhalf an hour before she realized that Vera had not yet arrived. Onlyone carful of girls had come in, and although they were doing theirbest to make the boys have a pleasant evening, there was still notnearly enough girls. Kitty decided the Canteen girls would have to dodouble duty by helping the USO hostess.
She was about to tell Mrs. Evans she would go outside into the hall tobe some boy’s partner for a dance when she noticed a lonesome-lookingfellow at her own Snack Bar. She had served him a cup of coffee when hefirst came in and had made overtures of friendship which had beenindifferently received. He still sat on the end stool, lookingdejectedly into space, half his coffee still in the cup.
“Anything else you’d like?” she asked.
“No, thanks,” he replied, without changing his position or lookingtoward her.
She went back to the kitchen a moment later to get some more cream, andSally, elbow deep in suds, said, “Poor boy, he’s been sitting there ina fog for the last half hour. Guess he’s got something ratherbothersome on his mind.”
“He looks like a new one in the service,” commented Kitty.
Later as she wiped the counter clean she noticed the sailor’s fresh,fair complexion not yet tanned by the southern sun. There was somethingabout him that made her think of Billy. Her own little brother mightlook like that when he was grown up. In twenty years she hoped therewouldn’t be another war to catch him in its snares. If it had to happenshe knew she would thank any Canteen worker who would cheer him.
She pushed a neatly wrapped sandwich toward the sailor. “Thesesandwiches are really good,” she said encouragingly. “Wouldn’t you liketo try one?”
Then he turned slightly and looked at her for the first time. “Icouldn’t swallow a bite,” he said.
His gentle gray eyes were as pathetic as a frightened lamb’s. Kittycouldn’t bear it. She darted back to the kitchen to tell Mrs. Evansabout him.
“He’s been sitting there utterly dejected for the last half hour.”
“He’s Ned Miller,” explained Sally. “I’ve noticed him several timeslately—seems awfully depressed.”
“He doesn’t even know they’re dancing and playing games out there inthe hall,” Kitty said.
“I’ll see if I can draw him out,” Mrs. Evans volunteered.
She strolled from the kitchen and pretended to be busy at the counter.In a casual manner she addressed Ned, “Wouldn’t you like to dance abit?”
“No, thanks, I don’t want to dance.” His tone was flat from lack ofinterest.
“They’re scarce of girls tonight, but we’re not so busy either. I couldspare one of the Canteen girls to play a game of checkers with you, ifyou like.”
“No, thanks.”
Just inside the kitchen door Kitty and Sally listened to Mrs. Evans’sovertures of friendship.
Finally she spoke in a motherly tone. “Son, you’re worried aboutsomething. Isn’t there anything I can do for you?”
Then the pleading gray eyes looked up at the motherly face and thistime they were swimming in tears. For a moment he seemed to beappraising her. Finding the sympathy of her heart reflected in her eyeshe finally blurted, “I—I want to hold a baby.”
Kitty, watching beside Sally in the background fairly held her breathat this unexpected retort.
“A baby?” repeated Mrs. Evans.
Ned dug into his pocket and brought out a yellow sheet of paper. Thegirls saw it was a telegram as he handed it to her.
“Our baby came yesterday. They’re—they’re in California. I—I’ve beenso scared for her the last week I haven’t had good sense. I can’tbelieve it’s all over and she’s all right.”
“Oh that’s wonderful!” exclaimed Mrs. Evans. “And a boy, too. Eightpounds.”
He grew more confidential at her warmth and understanding.
“If—if I could only hold a baby once to see how it feels. I’ve neverheld a baby. Maybe I can believe I’m a father when I know how a babyfeels.”
Hot tears blinded Kitty’s eyes, and her throat tightened. How tragic itwas to be three thousand miles away from your firstborn, with no realhope of ever seeing him before you were sent across!
“Sally, I’m going to find a baby for him to hold if there’s a youngbaby on this island!” Kitty whispered.
Sally wiggled her button nose as she, too, blinked back the tears.“Say, but that’s tough! Where’ll you find a young one, Kit? I don’tknow where there’s a young baby.”
“I’ll find one. You’ll see,” said Kitty and dashed out to the telephone.
In two minutes she had Hazel Dawson on the phone. Surely she would knowif any of the wives of the service men up at the hospital had youngbabies.
Hazel was rather surprised at Kitty’s unusual request, but after alittle thought said, “Mrs. Harper’s baby is about ten days old. Shecame back from the hospital in town yesterday, I believe.”
“Do you think you could possibly arrange for me to bring Ned Miller upto see it?” asked Kitty.
“I’m sure they’d be glad to have him visit them,” Hazel said kindly.“Suppose you come past the hospital tomorrow at four-thirty when I getoff duty and I’ll go with you.”
“Oh, you’re an angel! If you could only see this pathetic boy, you’d doanything in the world to make him a little happier.”
Kitty tried not to seem too excited over her success when she went backbehind the bar. Mrs. Evans was still talking to Ned when she joinedthem.
“The Harpers have a young baby,” she said almost bluntly.
He glanced at her quickly, and his sensitive face flushed. “Maybe youthink it’s silly of me,” he apologized. “But it’s an awful feeling tobe three thousand miles away from your wife and baby.”
“You’re not silly at all! I’d be thrilled to pieces to go to see theHarpers’ baby with you. They’re friends of Hazel Dawson. You knowEnsign Dawson up at the hospital?”
“Sure. She’s always ready to help somebody.”
“The Harpers’ baby is a few days older than yours, but then they’d feelthe same.”
“You’re so kind to go to all that trouble for me.”
“I’ll pick you up in our car tomorrow at four-thirty. I’m going over toget Miss Dawson anyhow. She said she’d go with us and make arrangementswith the Harpers.”
“I just can’t thank you enough.” A smile actually brightened Ned’s faceas he spoke.
While Kitty was still talking to him Vera came in with half a dozengirls. After she turned them loose in the hall she went behind theSnack Bar looking rather excited. Kitty suggested that one of the newarrivals dance with Ned, and when they had gone she said to Vera, “Hearyou had quite a time.”
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_“You’re Not Silly at All,” Kitty Told Him_]
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“I’ll say.”
“Were you alone when you got stuck?” asked Sally.
“Sure! You never get
stuck when there’s anyone along to help.”
“Where were you?” asked Kitty.
“On that lonely stretch of road leading to the Thompson place. I wentout there to get Nancy. Rain had made the sand all gooey this side ofWaco bridge, and I got stuck fast.”
“In that dark, swampy road?” asked Sally.
“It would be there,” said Vera in disgust. “I worked till nearly darktrying to get out, then I started on foot toward Thompsons’. I was justabout to cross the bridge over Waco Creek when I heard oars up thestream.”
“I’d have been scared stiff there by myself,” said Sally with a shiver.
“I was too mad over being stuck to feel scared,” Vera stated. “I yelledfor that boatman to come and help me out—told him I was stuck.”
“Well?” said Kitty, sensing there was something very peculiar to come.“He did help you, of course.”
“Not that sneak! The minute I yelled for help those oars stopped and Inever heard another sound.”
“Why, he couldn’t help but know it was a woman calling!” Kittyexclaimed.
“Sure, he knew it was a woman in trouble.”
“I can’t understand that,” said Sally. “I’ve lived round here all mylife, and all the natives, white and colored, will go to no end oftrouble to help a person out of a tight spot, ’specially women.”
“I figured he was no native, and up to some skulduggery,” said Vera. “Iwent on down the road and got Nancy Thompson’s brother, and we searchedthat creek with flashlights as far as we could go.”
“And found nothing?” asked Kitty.
“That sneak had cleared out while I was gone. If you ask me there’splenty happening on this island that’s not printed in the papers.”
Secretly Kitty agreed with her. The incident made her only moredetermined not to relax her vigilance about certain peculiar people shewas watching.
* * * * *
The next afternoon Kitty was waiting outside Hazel’s door at thehospital promptly at four-thirty. She soon heard the soft, but briskstep of her friend coming down the hall.
“Come in, while I freshen up a bit,” Hazel invited.
Kitty had never been in her new friend’s room, and felt a littleflutter of excitement as she went inside. Hazel proffered the onlyrocker invitingly.
“You sit there and rest a minute dear, while I powder my nose and brushmy hair. You look as fresh as if you hadn’t had your household to lookafter all day.”
“I must admit I haven’t had any idle moments,” Kitty confessed.
While Hazel was in the bathroom Kitty glanced around the room that hadbeen made so homelike with many individual touches. On the dresser shenoticed a picture of a handsome man, evidently slightly older thanHazel. Her heart sank with misgivings. Perhaps Hazel was alreadyengaged to someone. For a moment she felt a pang of jealousy andresentment. But she simply couldn’t believe Hazel would lead her fatheron if she were in love with someone else.
“Who’s the gorgeous-looking man?” she asked frankly when Hazel returnedto the room.
“That’s my brother.”
“Oh, yes, of course—your brother, Willard, I’ve heard you speak about.”
“But how did you know his name? I—I never mention him here.”
“The day I met you in the launch Lieutenant Cary spoke of him.”
“Oh-h!” Hazel’s tone became a degree cooler. “He used to be stationedhere,” she added after a moment.
“So Dad said. He was sent here in his place, I understand.”
“I hope we don’t live to regret his asking for this post.”
“You—you mean Dad asked for this appointment?”
“Oh, beg pardon. I thought you knew that.”
“No, I didn’t. I knew nothing about it till Dad wrote me he was comingto Palmetto Island, and it would be a grand place for me and Billy tolive.”
Why had both her father and Hazel asked to come here after the troubleHazel’s brother had had? To cover her confused thoughts Kitty took thepicture from the dresser and studied the face frankly. Now she couldsee a resemblance to Hazel. In that strong chin, firm mouth and thewide frank eyes she could find no evidence of one whose conduct mightmerit his being relegated to some obscure Naval station.
As she and Hazel went out to meet Ned Miller in the lobby below she wasmore convinced than ever that there was something mysterious going on,in which her father was deeply involved.
Hazel proved herself an understanding pal that afternoon. She made itseem the most natural thing in the world that Ned should want to see atiny baby. Kitty thought she had never seen anyone so frightened and soawkward as Ned when he first took that little blanketed form in hisarms. But with every passing minute his stiffness and embarrassmentgrew less. Before their brief call was over he had promised to carvethe baby a wooden bowl and spoon for his first eating.
“I like to carve things,” he said. “I made one for my own youngster twomonths ago.”
He seemed to expand to new importance as he spoke. When Kitty and Nedleft together Hazel stayed on for a longer visit with her friends. Asthey drove away Kitty remarked, “I didn’t notice till this afternoonthat you’re one of the boys who work in the galley.”
“I like it pretty well there,” admitted Ned. “I like doing things withmy hands. Glad they didn’t put me where I have to work at a desk oranything like that.”
“And it helps a lot when you like the people you work with,” saidKitty, not without an ulterior motive.
“My boss is fine—good natured as they make ’em.”
“Krome you mean? Chief Steward Krome?”
“Only one trouble about him—he snores like a steam engine. You punchhim and wake him up, and he goes right back at it again.”
“Isn’t there a thin, dark fellow named Punaro down in the galley?”
“Yeah! He collects waste from over the hospital and does things likethat. Looks after the kitchen garbage too.”
“I saw him over at the USO the other night playing chess withLieutenant Cary.”
Ned sent her an odd look and said, “You did?” After an interval headded diffidently, “I’m not the kind to talk about people, Miss Kitty,but if you were my sister I wouldn’t want you to be letting him takeyou home from Canteen, or anything like that—not Punaro!”
“Thanks for the hint, Ned.” She wanted to ask him more but didn’t knowhow without betraying those she felt she had no reason to suspect. Theyparted in the lobby as Kitty turned off toward her father’s office. Butshe thought how odd it was—that at almost every contact she made, thetangled web of clues she was picking up became more bewildering.
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