The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-10-24

had become such a part Of his
life that he had been unable to
suppress a hope that. she had in
some way felt it. The great Won
der was that she even had been
kind to him, that she hadn't dis
missed him forthwith and per-
manently. AS long as she hadn't,
there was some hope. He would
never give up, but he must have
sense enough to watch his step
from now on.
The following morning he pre-
sented himself at the Castle OF
flee promptly at nine-thirty. 10
his surprise, he found his friend
in the private office, feet up on
the desk and putting contempla-
lively on a pipe.
Jeff's soles came down with
crash. "Well, of all things! Where
the dickens did you come from,
Vic? And at this time of day!
Come in and have a seat, fella."
Vic shook hands and dropped
into a chair. "Why, I'm on tour at
the moment. Vacation. After
reading the paper yesterday
morning, seemed to me that 1t
would be no more than decent to
break my trip long enough to Of
fer congratulations and all that
sort of rot. So here I am. Accept
my good wishes, if you will"
Thanks, Vic. This sure is a
tough burg in which to endure a
Sunday. Why in the world didn't
you go out and put up with the
folks? They would have been
tickled to have you," jeff added
reproachfully.
"Well, as matter of fact. -"
GAS a matter of fact, you were
dangling around Audrey. Maybe
you need congratulations"
"Be yourself. Just dropped in
to pay my party call for the
breakfast I had there when you
wouldn't feed me. That was all.
I did want to see you, too. Looks
to me as if double congratula-
ton were in order. Nice to see
YOU at work. Permanent, I hope.
ooh, sure" Jeff deliberately re-
lighted his pipe. "Trying to see
what your coaching was worth.
After all, a family man has to
contemplate the sordid aspects of
an existence"
s"Good for you. Seems to me
that will be rather an ideal set
up-you and your father here to-
gether."
Everybody seems to think so.
ct wonder if that lads SER
ious," Jeff unused to himself at
ter Vic left the office. "He's about
the only guy I know of that's
good enough for her. Queer how
things happen"
Audrey Swan did not see JET
frey Castle during the interim
that preceded his marriage. Nor
was she surprised. She knew that
he was spending most of the time
at home; all Parville knew. She
wondered frequently, in spite OF
assuring herself that it was none
of her affair, what would happen
after the couple were married.
Olive had been positive in her
determination to live in the city.
It was hard to believe that she
would change her mind. But, OF
course, they must have reached
some agreement or conclusion by
this time.
For one of the city papers had
revealed the date of the wedding
as September 10th, adding that
the bride and groom had planned
an extended tour, but had made
no announce ,nent regarding their
future residence.
That hurdle had been cleared
more easily by the prospective
groom than he had dared anticl-
pate, when he was finally forced
to bring up the. matter for dis
cussion with Olive. ''Why worry
over that?" she asked calmly.
f'For the present, you have given
your father all the help he has
a right to expect. Surely he
doesn't think we are going to
Niagara Falls and back on an ex-
cursion. My idea is a leisurely
cruise.
Jeff was thinking busily. This
was new and unexpected. He had
anticipated a honeymoon of a
few weeks. Now it appeared that
Olive might be figuring in terms
of months.
If the young man had not been
so hopelessly in love, he might
have suspected that Olive was
carrying out well-lail plan. In
fact, she was doing justthat. She
believed that a few months of