Glacier County chief., 1940-04-05
CHAPTER II

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were shocked to see that Aunt Olym-
pia retained the tense rightly that
had come upon her so suddenly the
night before. She was quiet all
morning. Not until they sat at lunch
con did her expression change.
Slowly then her features relaxed.
The left corner of her mouth went
down, her left eyelio went up to
normal. Her pale blue eyes be-
came childish, bland and slightly
vacuous.
"Since when," she inquired pres
emily, in a voice of studied nom
chalance, have grocery boys in
Iowa begun making deliveries in
neckties and gloves?"
For all the mild unconcern in her
eyes, she did not overlook that a
sudden electric wave, almost of
warning, flashed briefly among the
girls.
1t was Limpy who answered.
Later, when Aunt Olympia knew
the girls better, she would have
known at once that because it was
Limpy who answered, Limpy was
least involved in the query. It was
an act Of unstudied teamwork, a de-
tense mechanism, entirely sisterly
and natural, unmentioned even be-
tween themselves, that the girls had
developed for their mutual good.
"Oh, you mean Brick! He isn't
the delivery boy! He owns the
store!" said Limpy." He doesn't
really make the deliveries. He leaves
things here as a favor on his way
home to luncheon. He lives out this
way"
'They have a lovely house," said
Helen belatedly. "They hired flor
list landscaper to lay out their
grounds"
There's still money in groceries,
darling" concluded Limpy.
How old are you, Limpy?" asked
Aunt Olympia again, with more pro-
nounced casualness.
Seventeen" came promptly.
Sixteen and half, says the BIZ
ble," corrected Adele.
"Why, Auntie?"
ooh, just wondered!"
That evening, when she again
brought up the subject of their 60
ing with her to Washington, there
was nothing nonchalant, nothing cas-
ual, about her. She was taut, in
the throes of politics. She listened
intently, sitting motionless, with I'M
changing expression, to Helen's half
hearted recital of the difficulties in
their way. In the first place, they
could not make any move at all un-
til Limpy had finished this last term
of high school.
That's soon enough. You can
come then." said Aunt Olympia
agreeably.
In the end, it simmered down to
two facts: that while Helen was
obliged honestly to admit it was a
marvellous opportunity for Adele and
Limpy, who were young and whose
lives were still implanted, her own
future lay right there in Iowa where
she already had her teachers GER
tificate; and that her sisters would
not 60 east without her.
"But there's future beyond
teaching school," said Aunt Olym-
pia. There's the real future-mar-
riage: every woman's real career.
What eligible men have you in a
one-horse town like this? You girls
have the looks and the style and the
personality to marry anybody-any-
body at all; diplomats, millionaires,
senators-anybody at ALL"
Again she noted the faint flash,
half-questioning, half-warning, that
glinted from girl to girl.
''Even though I dread separation
from the girls" said Helen, II see
the advantages for them and-I wish
Il even urge them to go without
me-"
That's OUT" said Limpy.
Together we stay or together we
CO." added Adele.
ITO tell you the truth, girls" Aunt
Olympia began guardedly, while I
love you devotedly and want you to
come with me for yourselves alone.
still-to tell the TRUTH really need
you. It may be that you three girls,
young, innocent, pretty, can be the
Senator's salvation. The Senator's
salvation and my salvation. Polit-
ically you can be of great help"
The girls stared at her in star
tied silence. Then:
1--WE don't know thing about pol
iticsl'
I'm the only one old enough to
vote anyhow, and it will be my
first," said Helen.
"It's not your votes we need. It's
your vote-getting quality, your
pull" Aunt Olympia's left lid re-
duced her eye to q mere squint.