The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-06-07
This Man,
Joe Murray

CAST OF CHARACTERS
JOE MURRAY-liked new
pIacen new Jobs. new girls.
HELEN-fell in love-hsrd
TERRY MALLoW-found
love-and kept it!
Yesterday: Joe clip, Tommy
Wiihers for talking 20 Terry;
threaten. to jar up her folks. She
accept. the challenge, tells him he
!, the only man who could do
CHAPTER VII -
"Who?" startled. ME-" Joe
was nonplussed. Another new
thought. NO" he said finally;
"That amt up my alley. You need
somebody that's giving you play
A boy friend"
but III never have any, she
said. please do itp
He looked at her. He chucklcd.
He was amused. "All right. I'll
take it on. When"
Tonight.
Right now? o. H."
They crossed the street and
turned the corner, walking a lit,
tie faster in the excitement OF
their purpose.
Joe was amused at the way she
sort of sneaked him hopefully in
to her home, like a little boy
bringing home a stray dog he
knows is most likely to be elected
forthwith. The difference was that
this stray dog had q bark and
certain strong opinions. and the
election would be difficult, and
there was no way of knowing If
the whole thing would result in his
acceptance of in extraordinary
punishment for her temerity in
thinking Of such thing.
They entered the Mallow flat
through the front door that led
off the stair landing into the par
Tor. II was a Stuffy, sugar and
candy and acid kind of living
room with no warmth or good
feeling like the Murray parlor, as
might be expected. Terry lighted
a lamp and then went back into
the other rooms to explain herself.
Joe sat there, and nc could hear
the voices, Querulous and a little
raSping with suspicion, in the
back. and Terry's bland. always
bland and gayly hopeless, explana-
ton.
The grandfather came from the
rear TO investigate. He was q
solid. heavy-jowled man with
white hair and mustachc and
small eyes, and he had the con-
Trajectory look Of being well fed
and dySpeptic together. He stood
with his hands in his pockets and
grunted, looking at Joe. 4
80
Joe smiled pleasantly, got up
and crossed the room. He put out
his hand 20 The old man, and wait
ed, without saying word, Just
smiling and looking at him and
waiting.
The old man looked at the hand. !
his face took or more sour ex-
preston than ever, aud he moved
his solid shoulders little, un-
easily. lie grunted again. He did
not know what to say, because he
did not want to say something
pleasant, aud Joe gave him no
other opening.
There is strength in men that !
is like a flowing force, and il two !
men meet and the forces run side ;
BIZ side together, they are friends; |
and If the forces meet head on or !
at an obhque. the stronger pushes !
the other back or sidewise out of |
the way and goes on, dominating. !
And that was what happened as
Joe stood there waiting, bucking !
the old man and backing him |
down, till the old man pulled his
hand from his pocket and gave it ;
to Joe.
Joe gripped it hard, but pleas
antly. He explained that Terry
and he had run into each other
and he walked home with her. He
said Terry had come TO be a most
welcomed visitor at the Murray
home, that he was glad to return
a visit, that he would take occa-
sion to do the same often again.
And that old man stood there
and listened, looking hateful and
unwilling, and did not know what
to say to Joe. When he got his
hand back again, when Joe was
ready to give it to him, he thrust
1t deep in the pocket. He merely
grunted once again in reply to
Joe. He looked at Terry, and
with that he found his opening.
Don't you go out again" he
said sourly. "When your new
beau goes, you come right back.
You've got better things to do
than entertaining company"
"Yes, grand-dad," she. said.
He turned around to 90, and
added grimly. ''You leave this
door open while you're here. Well
be sitting inside" And he went
off, ,rearward.
The back of Joe's neck stung.
as If il were scalded, and he was
hot with sudden, baffled fury. A
man would need to be awfulIv
dense to miss the unspeakable
point to that. Terry, for the mo-
ment. was acting as if nothing
had happened; she was an enip,
matte creature, well trained nj
hiding her feelings. Joe swore,