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Linda found that her thoat had closed. She could not force out a word. There was a breath-held silence, but what showed in Peter's eyes was pain, not fear or rage. |
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"No," Linda burst out in a gasp. "I never believed that. But I didn't want to believe you could be involved, so I couldn't trust myself. Don't you see?" |
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There was another silence, but it was very different. The hurt was gone from Peter's eyes, and a slow grin of mingled shyness and triumph spread across his face. He reached across the table and took Linda's hand. She made no attempt to pull away, but did not smile in return. |
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"I was so desperate at first that I would have called youonly I don't know where you live or work." |
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An expression of total amazement was followed by one of real pleasure on Peter's face. All he said, however, and that rather dryly was, "There are telephone books, you know." |
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"Yes, but by the time I thought of that, I also had time to examine my own motivesand they were not exactly pure," Linda replied, equally dryly. "I didn't want to believe you could have done it," she went on seriously, "but you had the opportunityeveryone except General Barthemeles had the opportunity." |
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"What do you mean? How can you know that?" |
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