The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-10-24

Sophronia vanished suddenly into
the dining room.
"I thought they were good" Roddy
told Corinne modestly. "But if Jason
wasn't so bashful about hanging his
work"
There's thankful of hot water,
Corinne," Jason broke in."We thought
you might want a BATH"
Corinne blinked at him in a bewil-
dered way, and Silver had the distinct
feeling that she was not really look
ing at him.
X *
When they were alone together in
their room, Corinne, halfway through
the hundred brush strokes she was
giving her hair, looked at Roddy with
shrinking eyes.
"Do you mean," she asked breath
lessly, "that Jason is going to stay
with u.s."
A painful flush mounted to Roddy's
temples.
"Why, of course, darling" he stam-
mered. ''Lord-you don't mean-you
don't dislike him, do your"
Her small hands gathered over the
brush on her knees.
NO." she said softly. "No-of
course not"
Roddy got up impulsively, knelt
beside her and drew her toward him.
"Corrie!" he pleaded. 81 can see
how you feel about him. But tell
you, darlin, he's the finest soul in the
world. And he's an artist, Corrie. He
really is. You ought to see his work.
If we only had enough money, I'd
send him out to study. He has his
studio all fixed up in the attic. 1t
would be impossible for me to sug-
gest that he should move. My Cd,
Corrie-I couldn't! Please, sweetheart,
try to like him!"
A trembling little smile passed over
her lips. Closing her eyes, she leaned
her head back against Roddy's Shout
der.
'I'm sorry, Roddy," she murmured.
"Of course I'll like him."
In anguish, Roddy kissed her. Then
he kissed her again, and she drew a
lock of her scented hair across his
lowered eyes.
4
Old Roderick pointed with his pipe
up at the big house, where young
Roddy lived with his wife Corinne.
"You know" he said whimsically,
maybe I'm gettin' on, but / swear
that house amt sitting right on the
ground. It's up in the air little
more every night I look at it-and
farther east, too"
Silver laughed with Jason and
Steve.
at amt likely to go much higher
with that big hired girl they have in
it." Steve, the hired man, observed
drily.
Jason cleared his throat. "Oh, I
don't know that she's so big" he said.
"She has better ankles and feet than
most girls in Heron River"
Silver stretched out full length on
the birch bench, cushion beneath
her head. She felt tired after the
long days work in the garden with
Sophronia. Her feet ached with
kindly, pleasant sort of ache.
Phronie opened the door and called
out to them. 81 wish one of you
youngsters would run up and borrow
some cinnamon for me. I've started
to make cookies"
"Can't you ever rest, MAJ" Jason
said, getting to his feet.
"I'll go, Jase," Silver said quickly.
''You stay here and play"
While she went lightly up the slope,
she thought again, as she had count
less times during the past weeks, Of
Corinne's battling attitude toward
Roddy's brother. She appeared to be
cordiality itself toward him; was, in
fact, almost glib with sisterly solicit
tude. Perhaps that was the trouble,
Silver reflected. For through it all
Silver had had the distinct feeling
that Corinne was deliberately shut
ting poor Jason out of her conscious
ness. She feared, too, that Jason sens
ed this, and often wondered how long
his pride or perverse humor would
sustain him under the same roof with
his brothers wife.
Then there was Paula. But Jason