The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-12-16
Copyright, 1886

| Marcia spent most of the fol
lowing morning with Miss Seller
and Ralph Hanson, Jr. Both hat
been released from the hospital
McDougall. she learned, was no
yet ready to leave.
She heard his praises sung b!
each of those he had rescued, ant
remembered her own debt to hin
Ia debt which she had been abl'
to acknowledge only after seek
ing him out.
He had never called on her
during her own, stay in the hos
pital, to pay his respects and ex
Ipress even the usual polite con
cern-and this despite the fae'
that her nurse had recited evi
dence Of his caring very much in
deed.
What-outside of his present
illness-ailed McDougall? How
and why had he stopped caring
Or had she been too ready. too
eager, to believe that he cared
And. in such state Of affairs
why was she. now on her way tt
the hospital TO see him!
"a bit unmaidenly, I'm Ger
tain" Marcia told herself, but
Joan. said it was important"
What ON earth had Joan beer
talking about when she telephon
ed last night? Joan was not al
ways specific, and her tumble Of
words over the phone had beer
confusingly of house and lot ant
some plans, and she had hung up
before Marcia could get her tt
make it clearer, with an impera
tive order to 60 and see McDou
gall-it was not to be neglected
There we're voices in the CORR
dor, and footsteps, softened by tn,
linoleum, that halted at the half
open door:
the cheerful voice Of Peggy
Holmes, r. n. "My gosh, it's thu
tragic-faced guy himself and he''
gone and jumped in the bay like
Ii knew he would, sooner or la
teri
Some murmur replied. ;
"Hcre is Miss Garfield" salt
the nurse, pushing the door wide
McDougall opened his eyes. 30
Marcia Was coming toward thu
"Joan Bradford told me yo,
wanted to see me-" she said. nc
have come before, but / wasn''
sure you'd-well, you've been Sc
ILL.,"
How could she say that sht
thought he, had meant to avoit
her? - -
With Obvious regret, Pegg!
Holmes turned from the door ant
went away.
"Joan told you that'" MeDou
gall asked. !.
yves, last night. / couldn't &c
Just what she said over the tele
phone, but it vas something abou
nv lot on the, hill. She said j
was very important and You want
ed to see about it right away.
Icouldn't imagine"
McDougall, thought for severa
moments without speaking.
"Your LOTT" he asked at last
"She had nerve!". said McDou
gall with feeling.
cit must be my mistake.
really thought she said lot
"She said it, all right. Sh'
would! But / didn't know it va
YOUR lot-believe me"
eve can just drop it. il yo'
like" said Marcia. .'"Oh, and Joai
said you had some plans for m
Ito see-or am I wrong
you're quite right. But
didn't ask Joan to call you or t
jtell YOU a darn thing. I'd like Z
lsmack her right on the nose" Nc
lDougall said. unconsciously appro
IpriatinC Mike Bradford's own FIRE
auent but never realized ambition
Marcia looked out the windoy
Ito cover her embarrassment. i
this was a joke of some sort!
"Why, that's the lot, up on tn
hill" she said, picking up the topi
she had dropped. But, of cours
lyou knew that"
81 didn't know it," said McDou
gall ungraciously, "but know
now"
Marcia saw no hope for thei
interview.
"This is silly. isn't it," she said
I"Well. let me see the plans, any
way, if that's what Joan reall,
said. She was emphatic about il
/ assure you. Or shall we drol
THAT, too"
! McDougall grimly handed he
the papers.
Sketches of a house-they'r,
llovelyw said Marcia. do 20,
suppose that hare-brained Joai
had some crazy notion you want
led the lot! We almost built there
once. But something happened"
Something. happened"
"Well. Dad simply decided I,
build out on the Point"