The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-02-06
Ml Z I q: q ~
49, NSlette Kimboll Dunn ~

I can sell the books to. And may
be the garage will know a junkie
| who will take the Ark"
"And what about your" asked
Mark.
Lucy made a small-boy grim
ace. make myself another job,
that's all. / have to work, SO there
must be something"
"Do you like Valerie?" asked
Mark suddenly. The craziest idea
had crossed his mind while she
had been talking. He watched her
closely. $.
Her face softened as she half
smiled across at Valerie's sleep
ing face. II love her. don't
know just why. I'm not-not spe-
cially soft about people. But
there's something about her Il
don't know what -- but it gets
you. can't see why it should,
when she's your daughter, and I
suppose a gold spoon hasn't beer
good enough for her."
"But you see-she's not my
daughter" said Mark very quiet
ly. He even looked long time at
Valerie first, to be sure she was
still asleep. "She was my wife's
by a former marriage. OF course,
| 1 adopted her legally - and I
don't think she could possibly be
any more mine-so far as the way
| I feel about her"
| "She adores you" said Lucy.
81 tried to think UP ways to make
Iher say my father 1t sounds
liks coronation, or something.
| He was looking at her now,
though she realized he scarcely
knew it. He seemed really look
ing at his thoughts. Marshaling
them, reviewing them. Suddenly
coming to decision.
eve can offer you a job," he
said. ''I don't know how good a
one"
Lucy jumped. 1t was like some
thing falling from the ceiling into
her lap She looked at him in a
slight daze. "I-w what did you
say?" she asked.
"It won't surprise you when
Iyou hear" said Mark. my wife
died quite suddenly two months
ago. Readjustments are-well, al
most as difficult, I find, as the ac-
| tual loss. One of them is about
Valerie. She has had Am unus-
ual training"
| He stopped suddenly. Lucy
could see he had meant to say
lmore. She wished she could help
him, but She could only wait.
"She-well, I've decided not to
send her back to school. But she
must be educated. And she must
have companionship. She seems
to like you so tremendously
mean, I wonder if we couldn't
pool our assets. If you wouldn't
tutor Valerie"
/ Are you really and truly Of
fering me a chance at it,"
II think / am" said Mark. "Of
course, I know people sometimes
bind themselves to things in a
first enthusiasm. don't want you
to do that. I want you to be free.
You're young. Maybe you won't
want to be tied down. But there'll
be home, and a decent salary,
land teaching-if you want it. We
can try it out, anyway, and then
if we don't like it, we can call it
a day, and quit"
Lucy pinched herself quietly.
She would probably wake up in
another minute, among the dusty
books in the Ark. 'But you don't
know a thing about me-" she
said.
| 1--WE can 60 fifty-fifty on that. +"
| 'We can't. I've known you in
the rotogravures since I was ten. I"
"That isn't anything against
me-" said Mark. He redeemed
slightly. The worlds interest in
his fathers money never ceased
to embarrass him. He was level
headed enough to know there was
little that was personal about it.
| Valerie stirred, and sat up.
Mark shook his head slightly, and
ILucy understood that the con-
ference was over.
Il think ] went to Sleep" said
Valerie. She blinked her eyes free
ffrom dreams, and looked at Luz
| cy. "What q shame! I've missed