Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-12-27

like having a stranger put over
them-an outsider"
Virgie's broad, amiable face
burned with crimson patches and
her eyes were as metallic as gun
sights.
Listen, here!" she said, grimly.
eff you hear any remarks around
this property about who's hired or
who isn't, you tell those hillbillies
I'm running this mill, will your"
Eyes, Mrs. Morgan"
"And for gosh sakes," Virgie fair
ly snorted, don't be so darned hum
ble!"
II won't, Mrs. Morgan"
Get Perry Bennett on the tele-
phone. Tell him want an answer
about that spruce acreage today"
"He told Tom he had decided not
to SELL"
"He always decides not to sell.
Then he boggles around and devils
my life out of me to get the price
up. But he always sells. Tell him
if he wants to talk to me to come
over here"
Lucy Fields went home that night
in an uneasy state of mind. She
had worked for and loved Virgie
Morgan Loyalty for several years,
she would have defended Virgie pas
sionately against any criticism, but
now she had a feeling that Virgie's
generous impulses had betrayed
her. This young Wills might be a
en- 81 h,,A Il no.
feeling that he would not be sue
cess in the Morgan mill.
Stanley Daniels was coming to
call. She would talk to him about
it. But she was quite certain that
he was not going to be pleased
either.
But at night when she went home,
she forgot Branford Wills in her ex-
citement over Daniels visit.
The house was in confusion, as
always. Lucy hurried from room to
room, opening the outer doors to get
the smell of coffee and frying out
of the house; ignoring her mothers
peevish complaints, whisking and
brushing, hiding away the bottle Of
liniment, the lurid calendars, and
the handleless souvenir tea-cup filed
with matches that decorated the
| mantel shelf.
She washed up the dust of spilled
ashes and brought out the two pre-
cious embroidered pillows she had
worked in lonely evenings.
"Anybody'd think some king was
coming!" protested Mrs. Fields
peevishly from the dishpan. you're
the one that's always complaining
about coal costing so much, and
now you're trying to heat up a
whole county. Just because you've
got beau coming"
HE isn't my beau. Can't I have
one friend without a lot Of excite
ment and hysteria over it? Other
girls have company and 60 out
places"
"They don't tear the house down
to please their company, I'll bet!"
Lucy closed the doors with a pa
tient sigh. There was little use, the
sigh said, trying to be anybody.
Stanley Daniels would look at all
her pathetic articles the rug
pulled a little crooked to cover
hole in the old carpet, the picture
hung too high to hide the stain on
the wallpaper. He would be
amused. But at least he was COM
ing. He had stopped at the office
to tell her so, and she had to hurry
to press her good dress and be
ready.
| - L,,x L.
shade of blue helped the paleness of
Lucy's coloring, and the lace bow
she contrived at the throat had an
air. Her hair fuffed softly over her
ears and the dab of rouge she put
on made her eyes brighter.
"Wel," remarked Mrs. Fields,
hanging up her apron, 'having a fell
Ter sets you up. You look real nice"
"I'm going to fix cocoa ready to
heat, Mother, and put the cups on
the tray. And, Mother, please don't
Hibble at these little cakes. I
couldn't get many"
II wouldn't touch one of 'em with
the broom HANDLED" Mrs. Fields was
offended. "And one thing I'm bound
to say. If you aim to get married,
leave me alone here in my own
house. can live on cornpone and
green's, I can chop my own stove
wood if it comes down to that, but
I can't stand being fused at. And
there can't nobody fix me over. Pm
too DID," She shifted audibly and
marched into the bedroom, her neck
stiff.
Lucy flew to the door. Mother
if you dare suggest such thing-I
haven't the slightest idea of marry
ing anybody" She choked on her
| uaok anger 1ef decpair sinh he avi1xz