The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-01-11
H6NES LOUISE Provost

they left the friendly circle OF
the fire and plunged into deep
ening dusk. Soon they could see
the ranch with it's lamp-lit win
dows.
"That means welcome home,
Virginia. And I suppose Curly is
rounding up the whole outfit to
meet the boss"
"Oh-am boss?" She laughed
Somehow it gave her a pleasant
sense of ownership that she had
not felt before. =
They rode on in star-glim-
mering darkness, talking little.
For two people who had quar-
relied so bitterly, they were
, strangely content.
Early the next morning Lee
rode out of Joey's ravine just In
time to receive a sour glance
from Lawler and a grinning hail
from Curly and Darrell, all on
their way to the upper range, and
turned up the valley again to the
ranch house. He went around
back to find Ling puttering with
unusual care among his pots and
pans. Ling usually clattered.
missy Sleep" he confided
amiably. "Bleakfas', Lee?"
Had, it thanks. I'll 60 in the
office and hang around"
1t was the opportunity that
Lee had been waiting for. He
closed the office door behind
him.
Leaning against the door, he
absently lit a cigarette and
looked slowly around. There was
the familiar armchair, sagging
somewhat from long years of ac-
commodating MATHS ample
frame; there was the old oak
desk in the middle of the room,
on whose surface a boy named
Lee HoFlista If had burned the
Circle v ranch one day.
The chair in which he had died
had been moved from it's usual
place. Lee crossed the room
soundlessly and put it back
again. He stood beside it, look
ing toward the closed door; went
over to a window and looked out;
looked back again with thought
full intenseness; returned to the
desk and stood looking down at
that, puzzling for the answer
that would not come.
Lee pulled out the second dra-
wer of the desk, slid his hand be-
meath the obstinate upper drawer
and gave it a pressure of strong
finger tips which brought it slid
ing out obediently. An old tobac-
co tin was still there, few cart
ridges, some odds and ends of pa
per. Nothing very valuable.
He bent lower, peering intent
ly, pulled the drawer out, NOV
ing the haphazard contents light
ly, pushing them aside and back
again.
Something caught his eye-a
tiny CLEAN half lost in the crack.
He took out his knife and coaxed
it into clearer view.
It was a trifling thing when he
had it, thin, triangular scrap of
metal with little enough meaning
in a place where odds and ends
had been dropped for years. The
broken off tip of somebody's
knife. He laid it on the palm of
his hand.
"Td give lot," he reflected
l'soberly, I'D give everything I
own to know just how long
you've been there"
He found an old envelope,
wrapped the bit Of metal in it,
slowed it in his pocket and clos
ed the drawer. Then he looked
up.
There was a light scrabbling
of honey fingers on the door. pa
mel. Ling stood on the other side,
MISSY comin'," he said softly.
"You stay bleakfas', Lee?"
Mr.. T. Ellison Archer entered
his Wife's room more abruptly
than was his habit. The real es-
tate market had receded and left
him high and dry. Just now he
was said to be CONNECTED" in
some way with the Bradish inter
ests, and at this precise moment
was prickling with unpleasant
apprehension lest he should be
abruptly disconnected.
"Have you heard from Virginia
yet, my dear?
"Only the telegram saying
that she had arrived safely. Why?
Has anything happened?"
'Well, not exactly" Mr.. Arch
er looked uneasy. "But I have
just seen Mr.. Bradish. In fact, he
sent for me, and he was quite an
noyed. He put it up to me rather