The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-12-28
H6NES LOUISE PRNNDS7

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them go on"
There was a shade of annoy
ance in the lift of Virginia's deli
cate brows.
'You're just the same Lee,
aren't you? All right, let's sit
down and get it over. What am
l to be scolded about?"
The light tone warned him that
Virginia didn't mean to be scold-
ed at all, and he grinned back at
her Virginia hasn't changed
much. He leaned forward and be-
gam to tell her of the conditions
thatshe had found at the Circle V.
4 know it needs your father"
he FINISHED, ''but Matt is gone,
and it's your responsibility now.
The Circle v needs somebody
with a real interest, and not a
shiftless loafer who either can't
or won't see that he is running it
into the ground"
Realty" Virginia was angry
and hurt. 81 employed Mr.. Law
Ter on the advice of my friends
and see nc reason to question
either their motives or his. How
ever, it scarcely matters. I have
good offer for the place and l
expect to sell. I suppose that you
will at least concede my. right to
dispose of my own property"
absolutely. But I have right
as Mats friend to tell you that
your loyalty to him can't amount
to much if in a few months you
can throw aside the work of his
lifetime, the land he labored' and
fought for, and loved better than
anything on earth-except you'll"
He heard her quick gasp.
sand you're going to sell him
out for a little pocket money
for this!" His brief gesture con-
temptously indicated the room,
the house, all of her life here.
''That's the best you can do for
him, after all that he sacrificed
for YOU"
iOh, you're intolerable!" Her
eyes blazed; she spoke in a
breathless, unnatural way.
"Whatever I may have done, or
failed to do, is between my ia
Their and myself"
"All right" he sail laconical-
ly. II see I was mistaken. Mis-
taken in you. But before I 60 I
want to give you one question to
ask yourself. Why is it that the
Circle v, one of the best ranches
in the state, should be going to
pieces now, just when somebody
else wants to get possession of it?
! Pm going back to find the an
swer, if you won't. Goodbye"
He turned with brief nod, not
even waiting for reply, and
went out.
AS the outer door closed after
him he paused with deep, re-
leasing breath and a frown for
his own hotheadedness.
"A car flashed into the drive
and a young man stepped out.
The newcomer looked with cas-
ual interest at the man who had
just come out, at the straight fl
CURE, the ready-made suit, the
bronzed face-weather bronze,
not sunbath tan-small things
that stamped him as an outland-
err and an alien here. Lee re-
turned the glance with a brief
stare. Unconsciously, involuntari-
ly, it was a measuring glance on
both sides. Each would know the
other again.
In her own room Virginia
hurled from her the dress that
she had chosen so, carefully. Lee
had been brutal, abominable!
How dared he say that she was
not loyal to her fathers mem
Dry?
A shirker The land Matt
Blair had labored and fought for
had died for. The words spun
around in her head, around and
around, endlessly persistent.
Over there was the bell that
would bring Marie, the maid that
she and her aunt shared between
them. Marie would pack for her
swiftly, if she really decided to
Marie, I want you to pack
these"
She looked up from a reckless
hurting of silken garments. It
was not Marie, but Anna who
stood in the door.
'Mr. Stanley Bradish is below,
Miss Virginia"
Virginia remembered. Stanley
wanted her to 60 out on the
yacht with him before the other
guests arrived. ~. =
'tOh! Tell him I'm sorry, but r