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

Ia LILO 4iAlHAoNSe AoRiAi
His breathing ceased to rasp
through the room and, though his
voice was little more than reedy
croak, his cracked lips managed to
frame a scrap of smile whenever
Marian Morgan came into view.
For days, while Wills was ill, Mar
ian had been strangely gentle and
quiet and concerned. Born electro
cal, difficult, and with a dainty chip
forever poised on her shoulder, she
was troubled by this new uncertain
ty that came over her whenever she
took her turn at watching in the
sick-room. And when Wills eyes
lost the vagueness of fever and be-
gan to survey the scene with new,
masculine interest, she withdrew a
little, turned tart and airy, though
whenever she hurled an acid barb
her heart recoiled as though the
point had pierced herself.
And Wills refused to be humble.
He had, so he had told Virgie sew
eral times, an insurance policy that
would take care of the expense of
this illness. He was profoundly
grateful but there was dignity in his
attitude. He would not fawn nor
placate-and the indomitable fire in
Marian cracked against the cool
steel of his assurance, till sparks
flew far and wide.
Virgie Morgan observed her
daughter, with dry and quizzical
smile on her face.
In world where she walked in
mastery, meeting bankers and bark
choppers on their own ground, Vir-
gle was abashed only by her own
daughter. Marian could make her
aware that her hair-pins were loose
and that she needed to buy a better
fitting corset.
Virgie liked young Wills, but she
kept still tongue around the house
and watched Marian with wise
amused eyes. But when Tom made
remarks at the Office she cut him off
CURLY.
"Ain't that Teller never going?"
Tom demanded. "He hit it pretty
soft, looks to me. Good thing he
didn't knock on my door"
'That's your torn-down stingi-
ness!" Virgie snapped. "You don't
need to live like white trash, Tom
Pruitt! Have you taken those papers
up to Pratt like I told you to?"
Nom" Tom was swiftly meek.
IT amt had time"
"H you lose everything that right
fully belongs to you it's nobody's
fault but your own"
bill Gallup was over-from the
power-house. He said he wanted to
see you"
bill always wants to see me. He
wants me to junk a good steam
plant, that's been turning this mill
for twenty years, and put in mo-
tors. I don't blame Bill. He's a
smart young fellow trying to get
along"
She went home tired, out of pa
Gence with Tom and his affairs and
little out of patience with herself.
Marian was right. She ought not to
be trailing around in the wet woods,
doing man-chores, things she had
kept on doing because David had al
ways done them.
Her throat was raw and burned
now, from exposure and wet feet.
Marian had said that a woman in
her position ought to have more
pride, and that was true, too. Da-
vid had kept his hand on every op-
GRAFTON of the mill, kept the plant
going on the old hand-craft system
Of the ancient guild. But David
had been a man-and those days
were passing.
What she needed, she had been
telling herself for days, was a young
man to take over lot Of this re-
sponsibility that was getting her
down. Tom was all right so far rs
hiy ability went but the slightest &C.
celebration Of pace left Tom hope.
lsosly behind. He was still living
and working in Z day when the men
had carried pulp out Of The ware.
hnusoo a their backs. He could nol