Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-02-07

0AP1E8 N
IL
Vksis took q lstter that Lucy
handed her, mfolded the single
sheet a cheap gray paper. read Il
through twice. The envelope vas
marked "Pefsonal." Tbs handwrit-
ing was angular and labored, the
script q one who expresses himself
h writing only 1t rare intervals.
Ibid you take q look at this?"
she asked.
mo. Mrs. Morgan. It was
marked personaLI opened the en-
velope but I didn't look At the let
ter"
Its from Wallace withers. He
wants to come to my house tonight
to talk business, 30 he says"
Lucy frightened. Then he has
decided to sell that Bennett spruce.
He'll try to get three prices out Of
you. Mrs. Morgan"
Hes sure to try something. I've
known Wallace all my life-the old
SSOiP pun. 4uC AdSs eAAC hC SAiIiC W
see me he tried to talk me into mar
rying him because he said ! didn't
know enough to run this mill"
"But-you couldn't! Why, Mrs.
Morgan, his poor first wife never
did come to town. don't suppose
she ever had more than one decent
dress in her whole married life."
81 didn't marry him, did I? l
may be getting soft in a few spots,
but not in that one. Lucy, you lis
ten. l want you to come out to that
conference. If Withers has any idea
of selling that spruce l want a rec
ord of it. He'll try to work some
kind of racket. You can make
notes Of everything. He says he
wants to talk business-well, when
I talk business my secretary is pres
ent. I'll have Marian there, too.
I'd like to have young Wills-where
is he?"
HE went up in the woods with
the truck"
'Well, I'm glad somebody went
besides me. Marian thinks look
like an old fool trailing around in
the mud, climbing over timber and
wading creeks, 4 fat old woman like
me. Anyway. it's a poor execu-
tive who can't get somebody to do
the dirty work"
you're not a poor executive,
Mrs. Morgan. Nobody else could
have pulled the mill through"
II know. You've told me. reck-
on I'd better not have Wills out.
You can handle anything that needs
to be done. I'll send the car after
you"
Wills would probably refuse to
come to the house, anyway, because
Of Marian. Marian's attitude was
still an enigma to her mother. Mar
ian had always been a bright gift
that Virgie was grateful for, but 4
gift that left her bewildered and
little uncertain and abashed. She
found herself constantly contriving
to please Marian or to avoid her
displeasure, and this was all wrong,
Of course. Nonsense, being bossed
around by ninety-odd pounds Of
black-eyed girl, but that was the
foolishness of mothers. And moth
ers loved it. They put up spirit
less fight against the dainty tyranny,
the disturbing sense of inferiority.
the whims and humors forced upon
them by their young.
When they did fight they came of
bad seconds, usually, and were pitt
fully patient about that.
Lucy, on the other side Of the
desk, was swallowing nervously and
the red was coming up into her
cheeks and throat.
Mrs. Morgan" she began, in a
little rush, eff you think it would
be wise, Mr.. Daniels might come
to the conference tonight"
"What for?" Virgie asked, blunt
". wallace Withers is an old sour
puss, know that-but I don't need
4 chemist to find out how acid he
is"
"You spoke about Mr.. Wills"
Lucy bridled slightly.
wills has got that spruce to cut.
Il I buy it. But may not buy It.
I'd like to let old Withers talk him
self blue in the gills and then just
blandly tell him we don't need his
timber-the worst about that is, we
do need it."
I'VE can run another month on
what we have in" Lucy was ready
with her little book, "and then We
could beein thinning on the Bobcat
Run stuff"
Il don't want to cut On Bobcat.
Not for another year If I can help II.
Call up Brysoo, Lucy, and ask him
Il he has any Of that cider left that
hasn't got too darned explosive.
There might be q way to timber up
old Withers. Most every man has
q loose joint somewhere"
~ don't believe Mr.. Withers has