The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-04-18
CHAPTER L

THE lilacs were budding as Mon
ME walked down High street.
She took of her hat and swung it
from her fingers, letting the May
breeze ruffle the little bronze curls
around her forehead. Spring
again, Ii was glorious after the
long winter. Spring-and Dan Car
digan's irregular. tormenting WOO
ing would begin once more. Mon
MES wayward heart thumped I'M
comfortably. Dan had been in
Cleveland all winter. Now he would
be back-was, in fact, on his way at
the moment. Mounie tried not to
dance at the thought Dan with his
handsome, sullen face, those long
dashed blue eyes whose glance had
the power to make her smile or
weep. would be staring down at
her in a few hours.
Where you gOin', Miss O'Dare?'
The hooking voice Of Laura Gray
ling challenged her. Laura was 80,
prim, an acid spinster. MOnnie
flushed. She felt that Miss Laura
could see straight through her,
knew all her thoughts. She said
3a,,,rrnl,r s.T,,-F b,,rryiDu bDp,n ~
supper. Lovely evening. isn't it,
Il thought" said Miss Laura,
that you must be goin' TO fire.
You nearly knocked me down"
I'm so sorry" mUrmured Mon.
ME. II was thinking Of some
thing else, l guess"
She hurried along, her cheeks
like peonies.
Two more blocks-then home.
She hoped Mons headache would
be better. And that Kay would be
in a better temper. And that Mark
woGld have passed his exams. And
that Bill would be home. Poor
Bill! He worked so hard. He was
two years older than MOnnie, VINO
was 20. He had gone TO work at 16
when Mr.. O'Dare died, very sud
denly, in the night. Bill had wanted
to go to college. He had been eager
~ ambitious but his ambitions had
carried him only as far as the big
new garage at Broad street and
Vine, the one with the little brick
house aud the faring red pumps.
Bill was an expert mechanic" now
and proud Of it. He tended the all,
mepts Of sick cars as q good physi
clan does his patients. He had de-
veloped into silent, rather brusque
young man with a perpetual black
rim under his fingernails.
Only Monnie and her mother
suspected what went on under that
fair. thatch. Belvedere. like SO
many small towns all over these
United States, had its fair share Of
snObberys Bill belonged TO no par
tlculaE, group y Hsteoald not 'gO
VITA the eEowd on the Hih-thei
,WTaypss and the Millisons and; the
BIagdens-heeause he worked IN q |
garage. Hank Wayne and lucy |
Millison and Ernest and John !
Blagden went away to college, as
did most OF the other young people |
from the Hill. When they came !
home from school at Christmas !
time or during the summer holi. !
days they had a series of parties |
which were duly recorded in the /.
Belyedere Argus. Miss Anstice |
Cory, who had been society editor !.
Of the Argus for 20 years. delight |
ed in their .doings. Monnie always !
read about the parties. The young |
people who lived on the Hill |
seemed to her a golden group, en-.
yiable beyond belief.
MARX o'DARE, who was Is and /
-A in his freshman year at High /
SchcOl. was a little too young to I!
feel the pinch Of poverty as the |.
others did. 1t was Kay, 16. golden
haired, a junior in the tall stone |
High School, who minded most OF !
all. Kay hated being left out Of !
things hated living on the !