Evening star., 1941-05-10

in dismay. II promised her ]
wouldn't tell a soul about the clip
pings"
We'll you Just forgot. ANY one
forgets once in while. Look at me.
for instance. forgetting about you
this morning
That's how she happened to
show me the clippings. SOS Id know
how busy you were all the time.
She said I ought to be very proud
Of YOU, Courtney
She did. eh'"
Il told her oout Angie Smvthe,
and she said
I'm not interested in what Mary
Crews said, Lucy" he told her abb
ruptly. But what about Angie
Smythe?"
We'll. Angie is my best friend
Or that is. she was my best friend.
Was? Isn't she any more?"
NO" The one word was reluc-
tant.
Why notP" Court stopped auto
matically for a stoplight. the first
one on the outskirts of Parsonville
Court Is Angry.
She said We Dollovers were
were crooked. She said her papa
said We were no better than COM
mon thieves, robbing poor people.
But it isn't so. Is it, Courtney?'
she cried. Mary Crews said 1t
wasn't She said you'd fix it so
they couldn't say such things"
oh. so that's what they're say
ing" Court said. Then was right
That's what they're really think
ing-people in Parsonville!" The
light changed and he sent the car
smoothly on. A silence fell between
them.
Anger burned fiercely in Court
the anger of injured pride. He
swung the roadster at last into the
long driveway leading up to the
Dollover home. 1t was magnificent
house. the finest in Parsonville. He
brought the car to a crunchlng STOP
in the driveway and climbed out
He stood still for an instant, looking
at the tall, white pillars dappleo
now with the last yellow rays of the
sun and violet shadows. The JUNE
evening was lovely. alive with the
song of birds. sweet with the smell
Of growing things.
There's just you and me. Lucy
he choked out finally. We'll show
theml We don't need the house
anyhow"
Lucy got out too. Her eyes were
suspiciously red and shining. Good
ness no." she said, "it's too big fol
us-now."
They had something to eat in
small restaurant uptown and ther
Court phoned his fathers lawyer
and made an appointment for thai
evening. The lawyer had agreed te
call a meeting of the company
creditors to see what could be worked
out. He took Lucy back to the home
of his mothers friend, where shed
been staying, before he went to the
meeting.
At the meeting that evening he
felt immature and confused, but he
stuck to his guns. At first they
wouldn't believe him. But son,
Mr.. Cromwell, from the bank. said
you know you don't have to dt
this, don't you9 You know yot
can't be forced to do it?"
"I know" Court said. He was
fired with a feeling Of self-sacrif1ce
and nobility, and here they were
treating him as If they didn't think
he was quite in his right mind.
Only the Farm Left.
He spent the whole evening going
over things with them, signing
papers.
There's that farm your grand
mother Dollover left. It's about all
that will remain" his fathers lawyer
said, as he mopped his forehead
with a handkerchief. But I think
everything's taken care of now. And
I must say it's a fine thing you've
done"
IL yOu-hll-IihNSu dIlg tiiule "
do" Mr.. Cromwell said heartily, "and
you think you'd like working in .
bank, I expect I could make a place
for you. 1t wouldn't be much to start
with, but you could work into some
thing"
Thanks very much" Court said,
"but haven't decided yet what I'll
do"
While he was still intoxicated with
the extravagant praise of the men
at the meeting, and his feeling of
having vindicated the family's name
he made his way toward Cynthia's.
He found her in the library with
her father.
"Oh, Court. you didn't really dc
such . stupid thing as that. did
you?" she said. as he finished hi,