The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-02-22

NC O(AC tAAS4 = III L1AS NANA~
There is no one out there. It's
perfectly safe"
"Safe!" Mrs. Archer cried hys-
terically. 'How can you say such
a thing when Stanley has been
nearly murdered! I shall not feel
safe for one minute until we get
away from here. I have tele-
graphed to your uncle and Mr..
Bradish-"
ooh, darling! Without even
telling me-"
Mrs. Archer flushed guilty..
why not?" she demanded with
injured dignity. Zone might al
most think that you were trying
to shield this criminal"
She shot an indignant glance at
her niece and then broke into
hysterical sobs.
ooh, I can't stand it any long
err! I've been worried to death
for weeks, ever since that inso-
lent, lawless man came east and
persuaded you to come back here.
He's at the bottom of all this; l
know it."
"Aunt Adele, please. That isn't
So"
cts true, Virginia. And you
just keep on, dropping money
into this bottomless pit, to salts
fly the greed of that man, instead
of taking the wonderful price
Mr.. Bradish has offered you just
out of friendship and sentiment
for the place!"
On and on and on. ACCUSE
tons, pleas, babbling, hysterical
reproaches. Virginia closed her
eyes.
"You needn't worry any more"
she said YEARLY. Il wrote to Mr..
Bradish some days ago that l
was ready to sell. I'll keep my
word"
*
A second telegram a few days
later announced the hour of
Milton Bradish's arrival. Virginia
went to meet him, and he greeted
her genially.
How d'you do? Has that boy
of mine been making trouble for
you up here? I'll take him in
hand. BY the way, just drive
around to Gideon Morse's office
first, will you? He has something
there that We'll both want to
see."
She drove him there. Half an
hour later, when they left Saun-
ders, Bradish was in expansively
contented frame of mind. Vir-
ginia was unusually quiet, with
steady eyes fixed ahead of her.
''Well, what have you been up
to-"
It was the first moment that
Stanley and his father had been
alone, but there was more sus-
picion than sympathy in the stare
that Bradish bent on his son.
Stanley loked sulky. 1--WE told
you I was riding horseback in
this Internal desolation, and
some sniper tried to pick me off"
Don't talk bosh with me! You
were probably meddling around
with some girl. One more affair
of that kind and I'll cut off your
allowance. You must think I'm
asleep"
Ear from it." Stanley drawled
it out with the slightly patroniz-
ing air that his father particular
ly haed. But I'm not exactly un-
conscious myself. And something
seems to tell me that Matt Blair's
ore samples weren't quite Scr
harmless as they were assayed."
Bradish's yes bored into the
insolent weakness of his sons
face.
"Well?" he snapped. what of
it,"
ooh nothing" Stanley was
bland. II just thought I'd remind
you that I have some business
acumen myself. How about half
interest, giving you a first option
on buying me out? You know"
he added, Il might have advised
Virginia not to sell, and managed
my wife's interests myself"
Bradish regarded his son with
a heavy stare.
Trying to buck the old man,
are your" he demanded. Bigger
men than you have tried that,
and most of 'em are in the bread
lines or adding up columns OF
other peoples assets"
Stanley looked annoyed. ''Hol-
lister bucked you pretty success
fully until I took him in hand"
he limited sulkily, but got no fur
Their.
"What's that out there?" his
father demanded abruptly.
Stanley went to the window.