The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-08-01
locked the door.

| With their narrow, S1ngle-track
minds! Why he had ever mar
ried was more than he could un-
, derstand. Z Throwing freedom
away in exchange for-what?
Why, for practically everything
! he wanted to do he had to ques-
ton himself first: ''Will it be all
right with Grace?" or "Will Grace
be willing?" or say, It'd better
make sure Grace hasn't made
other plans" That's the way it
went constantly. Grace this, Grace
that, Grace the other thing
Grace
What the devil was she doing
in there? She wouldn't be little
fool. Of course not An argument
sure. But she wouldn't-Bath-
room. The word bothered him.
He didn't like it! It made him
think of razor blades and iodine.
Only yesterday in the paper he
had read-he was at the bath
room door knocking on lit loudly.
'Are you all right" He ratified
| the knob. ''I'll smash the door
down if you don't answer"
'Tm-all right" came in a small
muffled voice.
"Then open the door or I'll"
he threw himself against it.
The lock turned over. He twis-
ted the knob. Opened the door.
A great and overwhelming re-
lief flooded him. There was
neither razor blade nor iodine
bottle in sight. She was merely
sitting on the black and white
hamper, sobbing quietly.
It was stock checking time at
the shop and Len was counting
and rearranging equipment.
Perched ten feet above the
floor he took the boxes Weir
handed up to him, stacking them
on the stock room shelves. An
other row and the ladder would
have to be moved. He considered
it even before starting the next
shelf, but decided to reach the
distance. BY stretching, arm
fully extended, he could manage.
The first box was placed. The
second enc slid as he tried to put
it on top of the first.
It happened even before he had
time to prepare himself, to re-
gain his equilibrium. The sharp
intake of Weir's breath and his
: own short cry were simultaneous
J. with the scraping of the ladder as
;, it went out from under him. One
} thought flashed penetratingly
l clear in his mind as he felt him
self whirling through space-the
= ankle! His hands flayed for some
: thing to hold to; his feet, legs and
body prepared themselves for the
shock they knew must come or
l collision with the hard cement
of the stock room floor.
And then miraculously he was
!. standing there, shaken, white
faced, breathlessly amazed that
he was safe, and Weir was inquir-
ing solicitously if he was hurt.
He shook his head, still puzzled
at the, marvel that he had man.
aged to land upright. That he had
. landed, the full weight and force
of his six feet and one hundred
and eighty pounds, almost upon
the weak left foot. And the ankle
had not given way!
Unbelievingly, his breathing
; not yet regular, he troted around,
experimenting. Why, the ankle
felt fine! Showed not the least
bit of strain under the terrific jolt
it had just withstood.
''That the foot that was in
> jured?" Weir queried, his voice a
little strained, his face flushed
from the fright of having seen
young Rollins come hurting
through space.
Len nodded. eyes. Funny, isn't
it? They told me if anything like
this ever happened it would-but
it's funny. Very damn funny! I
; wonder shrugged. 'Shall -
shall we finish up?"
DR.. Leopold Weingrat was a
short, totally bald man with
large owlish eyes. The specialist
listened carefully while Len told
him everything; about the acct
dent, the removal of the band
ages, what the hospital doctors
had said about his never being
able to play again, of his fall
from the ladder. Not once did DR..
Weingrat interrupt, but when Len
had finished speaking he nodded
thoughtfully. 5000" he said,
then ordered Len to- take off his
shoe and sock.
| The doctor placed the foot up
on an ottoman under a dazzling