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Acolyte, v. 2, issue 2, whole no. 6, Spring 1944
31858063101376_027
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"Come in here, Harry. I want a word with you." Kenton stepped forward, smiling agreeably. "You mustn't keep any secrets from me, you know," Sonia chided him softly her eyes suddenly chilling with distrust. He stepped back from her hastily and forced a smile. "Er - no. Just a spot of cheer for the good doctor, eh, Harry?' He winked elaborately. Though Kenton never touched liquor, he responded nobly with a wink and nod, and followed Ward into the latter's bedroom. Once inside, Ward turned and fiercely clutched the lapels of his friend's coat. "For God's sake, Harry, tell me what's happened!" Kenton lifted his brows. "Don't you know?" "Harry, I don't know a thing. I've been...away. You know..." Kenton looked surprised and troubled. He helped his friend to a seat on the bed. "Tell me about it," he urged. In a solemn voice, Ward told him of the days and nights of wandering on the desert, leading up to the ultimate frustration. Kenton gnawed his under lip. "A fine mess," he observed simply at last. "I don't know whether to believe you or not, Stan. Are you sure you didn't cook up this vision just for an excuse to back out?" Ward's jaw dropped. "Back out of what?" "You telephoned me three days ago," Kenton accused bitterly. "You told me you had invented the vision to see what I would say to your falling in love. You told me you really loved Sonia, and that you were going to marry her in spite of all my advice to the contrary. You even asked me to be best man." "Good Lord!" There was genuine consternation in Ward's expression. A terrible fear clouded his glance. "Harry, I..I haven't done it yet, have I?" "No, and that's what makes it such a mess," Kenton grumbled. "The preacher is on his way here now. You decided on a quiet ceremony here in your apartment, after I counselled you to avoid the excitement of a big affair. you can call it off if you must, but you'll have some tall explaining to do with Sonia." Ward felt hot and uncomfortable. "Harry, you've got to help me. I'll get in bed. You go out and tell Sonia I've had a severe attack. I presume from her manner we've.." he winced,..."told her I'm not long for this world. She's not to see me under any circumstances. Tell her I can't stand the excitement. Tell her anything!" He was pulling off his clothes as he talked, and now he jumped into bed, pulled the covers up to his chin, and lay like one dead. Kenton shook his head bewilderedly and went out, closing the door with elaborate softness. The doctor was apparently having a time getting rid of Sonia, especially after the preacher arrived. Ward at last gratefully heard the sound of the outer door closing, and knew that both had been ushered out. The doctor returned and stood in the doorway. "They've gone," he said, mopping his forehead. "I did my best, but I'm afraid she smelled something fishy. If that girl ever finds out what you've done, she'll give you enough excitement to put you away for good." Ward grinned with sheer relief. "Thanks, Harry. Thanks, old man. I'll never forget what you've done. I'll remember you for that to my dying day." "You won't," Kenton said pointedly, "need a long memory for that. Do you mind if I leave you to your throes while I visit some other patients?" He slammed out of the apartment. It was comfortable under the covers, and Ward lay thinking. He thought, as the girl of the vision had turned, he had almost glimpsed her face. He recalled the pity voiced in her gentle tone while tending the stricken plant. A wistful longing crept into him, and suddenly his eyes opened wide in startlement. Just now, the words she had softly crooned were beginning to form in his mind and make sense to him. He frowned doubtfully, then his expression cleared, and he began to hum a little tune. He got up, showered, and dressed with infinite care. That done, he wrote a note explaining his intentions, enclosed it in an en- -- 23 --
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"Come in here, Harry. I want a word with you." Kenton stepped forward, smiling agreeably. "You mustn't keep any secrets from me, you know," Sonia chided him softly her eyes suddenly chilling with distrust. He stepped back from her hastily and forced a smile. "Er - no. Just a spot of cheer for the good doctor, eh, Harry?' He winked elaborately. Though Kenton never touched liquor, he responded nobly with a wink and nod, and followed Ward into the latter's bedroom. Once inside, Ward turned and fiercely clutched the lapels of his friend's coat. "For God's sake, Harry, tell me what's happened!" Kenton lifted his brows. "Don't you know?" "Harry, I don't know a thing. I've been...away. You know..." Kenton looked surprised and troubled. He helped his friend to a seat on the bed. "Tell me about it," he urged. In a solemn voice, Ward told him of the days and nights of wandering on the desert, leading up to the ultimate frustration. Kenton gnawed his under lip. "A fine mess," he observed simply at last. "I don't know whether to believe you or not, Stan. Are you sure you didn't cook up this vision just for an excuse to back out?" Ward's jaw dropped. "Back out of what?" "You telephoned me three days ago," Kenton accused bitterly. "You told me you had invented the vision to see what I would say to your falling in love. You told me you really loved Sonia, and that you were going to marry her in spite of all my advice to the contrary. You even asked me to be best man." "Good Lord!" There was genuine consternation in Ward's expression. A terrible fear clouded his glance. "Harry, I..I haven't done it yet, have I?" "No, and that's what makes it such a mess," Kenton grumbled. "The preacher is on his way here now. You decided on a quiet ceremony here in your apartment, after I counselled you to avoid the excitement of a big affair. you can call it off if you must, but you'll have some tall explaining to do with Sonia." Ward felt hot and uncomfortable. "Harry, you've got to help me. I'll get in bed. You go out and tell Sonia I've had a severe attack. I presume from her manner we've.." he winced,..."told her I'm not long for this world. She's not to see me under any circumstances. Tell her I can't stand the excitement. Tell her anything!" He was pulling off his clothes as he talked, and now he jumped into bed, pulled the covers up to his chin, and lay like one dead. Kenton shook his head bewilderedly and went out, closing the door with elaborate softness. The doctor was apparently having a time getting rid of Sonia, especially after the preacher arrived. Ward at last gratefully heard the sound of the outer door closing, and knew that both had been ushered out. The doctor returned and stood in the doorway. "They've gone," he said, mopping his forehead. "I did my best, but I'm afraid she smelled something fishy. If that girl ever finds out what you've done, she'll give you enough excitement to put you away for good." Ward grinned with sheer relief. "Thanks, Harry. Thanks, old man. I'll never forget what you've done. I'll remember you for that to my dying day." "You won't," Kenton said pointedly, "need a long memory for that. Do you mind if I leave you to your throes while I visit some other patients?" He slammed out of the apartment. It was comfortable under the covers, and Ward lay thinking. He thought, as the girl of the vision had turned, he had almost glimpsed her face. He recalled the pity voiced in her gentle tone while tending the stricken plant. A wistful longing crept into him, and suddenly his eyes opened wide in startlement. Just now, the words she had softly crooned were beginning to form in his mind and make sense to him. He frowned doubtfully, then his expression cleared, and he began to hum a little tune. He got up, showered, and dressed with infinite care. That done, he wrote a note explaining his intentions, enclosed it in an en- -- 23 --
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