night and between thoughts of Carol, her compact body and fine blond hair, grey eyes and warm face, Jackiɛ thought of earlier years: the years in the service and the parties and Darrell and her conditiona? discharge and the fear, the fear, the fear.

When she came into the office the next morning, Carol turned quickly on her chair and smiled. Jackie walked past her with a brief nod, without speaking, feeling the blood rise in her head. When she had begun to work, sho glanced covertly at Carol over her papers and saw the girl sitting immobile at her desk. The set of Carol's shoulders told her the girl was fighting tears, and shame for her own stupidity filled Jackie, For a few moments she remembered Darrell's damning testimony and her own silence years before.

Then Jackie knew instinctively that this girl was no Darrell. She stood up then and slipped the strap of her purse across her shoulder, slapped her desk drawers shut and walked over to Carol's desk. Jackie put her hand down on Carol's shoulder and the girl looked up at her.

"Come out to coffee with me, Carol, and we'll talk about.....' Carol turned back to her desk without a word, took her purse out of a drawer and they walked out together. Once outside, alone on the still comparatively deserted street, Jackie asked Carol where she would like to go and then on sudden impulso took her arm and went toward the building lot for her car.

Carol hesitated momentarily and said in a whisper, "We'll bo late."

Jackie smiled at her and said, "We'll be very late and for me that will be the same as a declaration of death. We'll be very late but not too late for us."

The streets wero silver in the morning light as they sped out of the city toward their first talk Jackie quick and sure at the wheel, Carol silent and happy beside hor, half turned toward Jackie to watch her face.

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