The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-06-19

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may send ten thousand after
them and ten thousand after
them!"
Publishers DREAM" grinned ST.
mon. "Just the same, I feel we
are going to do well. What we
want is a book-a big book-and
have an idea that We'll find il
among the writings Jaffry left
behind him"
The day the wooden box came
from Jaffry Clay's aunt, Gillian
and Simon weer downstairs in the
reception room. cts come at las
think of it, Gil, that box may
be worth its weight in gold, yes,
many times over.'
Simon was telling the men to
take it upstairs and put it in his
office. A messenger boy came in
and handed him a telegram. He
glanced at it and turned to Gill
liam with a bright wonder and tri-
umph in his eyes. ''We've done it?
It's the book of the month, Gil.
lian-'Westward The Tide. They
are wild about it. I have to go
to New York at once. TIL fly
You'll come with me. Well be
married there or here or any,
where. Come on, Gillian, what are
you waiting for? Darling, don't
you see-'
''Simon!" She saw him through
a mist of tears. "Wait, Simon. I
can't. I mean we'd better wait
until you come back. There'll be
so many things for you to do in
New York. I want honeymoon,
not a business trip"
perhaps you're right, Gillian.
I can speed things up down there.
I can be back tomorrow and -
and you will be here waiting for
me and-oh, it's hard to realize"
''Im still trying, Simon. But you
had better get going, my dear.
You have only a little time"
Dash it! And I must leave
poor Jaffry's stuff till I get back.
I tell you, you dig into it and look
it over and wire me if there's any
thing there, anything big"
"You-you really want me to
open the box?"
you're my partner, aren't
you?" He tilted her chin and
kissed her gravely on the tip of
the nose. "Of course I do"
She rode to the airport with ST.
mon.
"I'm so proud, Simon" she said,
her eyes never leaving his face.
proud and happy to think you've
done it"
"We've done it, you mean. 1t
was your being there always at
my side that pushed me along. I
couldn't have brought it off with
out you. 1t means our happiness.
When I come back"
''I'll be waiting, Simon"
It was late afternoon when Gil
liam returned to the office.
With something in her heart
that was more than prayer, she
went up to Simon's room.
"There's nothing nothing of
what I feared" she assured her
self eagerly as the box swiftly
emptied. I might have known he
would not-Oh!"
It was the last thing in the box
A large MANILA envelope, sealed
and labeled in bold writing -
journal of my Loves" and dated
a few weeks before the day of his
death.
Gillian stared at it, put out hel
hand, drew that hand back.
IT can't" she whispered. II CAM
and yet I must" She picked ur
the envelope and tore it open
She carried it to Simon's desk
drew out the manuscript and laic
it on the plotting pad.
Without stopping, she read or
and on.
Slowly in that room she began
to vision the swift destruction Of
something that had been noble
and good, something godlike anc
splendid. Almost she could see
Simon Killigrew's face, see the
pain, the establishment, the hor-
ror, and she knew that he would
never completely recover from
these things. Something would &C
out of life forever, after he read
these pages.
"He shan't read them," she
said softly, tonelessly, evenly. "He
shall never see them. I am the
only one now who knows they
ever existed. Simon will never
knoW!"
She moved quickly now, in g
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA