The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-06-12

the same time murmuring his love
Tor her. Gillian returns home, and
Slmon's words of love remain in
her memory.
Jon was called to Winnipeg.
Gillian felt strangely relieved to
know that he would be gone for
fortnight.
She met Killigrew one chill
night of early Autumn, by the
shores of Rydal Water. They look
ed at each other in silence for a
long, long time-for what seemed
an eternity. Then he said, 81 had
to come, Gillian. II stayed away
from you as long as could"
cts no use, Simon" she said
''You should not have come. I
should not have let you see"
'That you feel the same way?"
well have no more of Should
not's' Gillian. I love you. I think
must have loved you from the
moment I saw you.'
Strange way you had of show
ing it,
81 know. I was"
Don't mind me. The things
you said din't hurt me. Simon.
What did hurt was that you were
the one who said them"
"They were not true. Will you
tell me what is true in the story
of you and poor Jaffry? You
could set me right, Gillian"
She smiled queerly ''But that's
just it. I couldn't set you right"
''You mean that there is truth
'Not the kind of truth you
speak of. What is there is buried
d with him. It can never be disinter-
. red now-not even for this"
"Not even for our love?"
''1'm going to send you away.
Simon" she said softly. ''This time
you are not to come back to me. "
"And you will go ahead and
marry Jonathan Hillyer?"
'Just as I planned to do"
81 love you, Gillian"
That's what you think. 1t ISM
really so. I might tell you that
there is nothing in my life that
need to be ashamed of. I can tell
you that" She frowned in be-
wilderment. "But do you believe
me?"
"Of course 1 believe you"
Fright now you do. For a
while you would. Then you would
remember the old stories, the old
thoughts you had of me. And pre-
sently you'd begin to ask me with
b your eyes, to watch me and to
speculate, and then you'd question
. me with words. You'd nag at me
to tell you about Jaffry Clay and
me. And I couldn't tell you-do
you hear?"
"But it's not true-oh, I hate
myself for asking you this-it's
not true that he went to pieces
because you threw him over?"
''He said, IF you throw me over,
Gillian, I won't go on living. I'll
drink myself to death-that's a
pleasant way. And you can always
remember that it was you who
told me to take it.
"And you-you had told him
you loved him!"
She laughed then. 81 had. Take
it for what's it's worth"
"More-there's more. Some rea-
SON"
'There is no more. You're the
only one I've told. I tell it to you
so you'll hate me again-if you
ever loved me-and 60 on hating
} me. Oh, no, no! don't mean
that, Simon. Whatever you think
of me, don't hate me-"
ct love you, Gillian. Nothing
you may do, nothing you have
done can make any difference"
GAS your enemy, can love
you; as your wife. I might get to
hate you. think of that, Simon
It's been all on your side so far
Think if should hate you as you
hated me-"
"Still I'd love you. Let's forget
all that's gone before. Let's begin
again, you and I, Gillian"
eff I could believe that it would
be that way, I'd go with you to-
night, Simon"
"Come with me, Gillian. Come
with mel"
He took her roughly in his
arms and strained her close, close
to him and buried his face in the
golden thickness and fragrance OF
her hair. His lips were on hers
She chung to him when at last he
let her go. "Now-now will you
Gomez"
Gillian ran then, eluding him