The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-01-16

Ing UOWlWd1O VA lICA OOOyS 90
though she had got herself entagled
in an ugly gray mesh from which
there was no escape.
The month drew to close in
parching and unreasonable heat.
Except for an Intellectual shower or
two there had been no rain. Soph-
ronia weeded and watered the veg
etable garden with an almost relig-
ious zeal. She and Silver carried
water sprinklers where the hose.
would not reach, and moved on
hands and knees down the long
gray burrows of earth, pulling weeds
and watching against the ravages
of insects.
Usually they devoted the early
part of the day to the vegetables,
attending to their homework dur
ing the hotter hours, and returning
to their garden again when it be-
came cooler.
At nine o'clock, old Steve had
gone to bed in Roddy's use.There
was no one else on the Willard
farm except Silver. She had finish
ed basting the seams of a figured
linen dress and was taking it to the
sewing machine in the corner OF the
dining room when she noticed that
the sky had darkened curiously, and
that the dry, hot wind that had
been coming in through the dining
room window had suddenly died.
Hopefully she went to the door
way and looked out. But no. The
rain was passing to the southwest,
and baleful, green-white rim on
the distant mass of cloud meant
that somewhere father away the
tender new fields would be leveled
by hail.
Silver thought apprehensively OF
Sophronia, who had gone to the
Ericksons' with only light sweater
over her shoulders.
It was alittle after ten when she
had the last stitch of her dress cut
and tried, and was about to put it
over her head when the outer door
opened.
Silver looked around and saw
Duke Melbank close the door be-
hind him and lean against it, smil-
ing.
'I've been peeking through the
window" he chuckled, 81 wouldn't
"a had the nerve to come in if any
body was round"
Silver backed away from him,
one hand feeling the way cautiously
behind her.
GLOW dare you come in here!"
she said quietly.
81 told you I was coming to see
you some night, didn't I? Well, this
is the night"
Get out of this housed" Silver
ordered him.
He came weaving toward her and
Silver realized that he had been
drinking.
There's no use in you pretending
to me, Silver" he said. II seen you
come out o. Lucas place in the
morning, didn't I? I'm a better man
than him-and I've been thinking
about you ever since that night !
saw you in Chicago"
Silver was aware of only two
things: Duke Melbank's infamed,
greedy eyes were the eyes of all the
men who had tried to stroke her
hair or touch her bare arms during
those years when she had been in
desperate fear Of them all, during
those years of. Inducements of vio-
lence before her father had died;
and somewhere, behind her, on So
phronia's sewing table, there lay a
heavy crystal paper-weight, half
sphere that held magnified within it
scene of Niagara falls.
s'You don't have to be afraid of
me, Silver" Duke persisted. 81 want
to marry you"
you're drunk!" Silver temporiz-
ed, and moved back cautiously to-
ward the sewing machine.
'Sure I am-drunk with thinking
about you," Duke laughed. He
1unged toward her. you've got aw-
full pretty shoulders, Silver"
He was perhaps ten feet away
from her when she stretched her
hand out behind her and took
firm hold of the heavy crystal
sphere that stood on Sophronia's
It was then that the kitchen
screen door opened with sharp
twang from its creaking hinges. A
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