The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-05-22
Cunningham

But was it so? Wasn't it her
own well-being, her own security,
that mattered most? If she wanted
to make him happy was she going
the right way about it by marry
ing him when she did not love
him?
Simon Killigrew was not with
the crowd in the living room.
Some of them were playing
bridge, some just talking. He was
nowhere about. It came to Gillian
with queer shock that his dark
head was what she had looked for
first. Not finding it she felt some
thing that she hated to admit was
disappointment. The room seemed
empty somehow. She joined in
game of bridge, but had to fight
to keep track of the cards.
She saw two of the players ex-
change sly, knowing glances when
she forgot it was her turn to bid
and had to be reminded. They
thought she was looking for Jon.
Expectantly, when she and Jon
returned from the lake all these
curious eyes had gazed at them.
you're not with us, Gillian
at least, not in spirit" said MORA
Canavan sweetly-the Hon. Moi
"a, who had the best seat on a
horse of any woman in Quebec
Province, who had wanted Jon
Hillyer herself and wanted him
very much. For himself, too -
since she had a great fortune OF
her own. "Well, I for one can't
blame YOU"
The game went on. MORA, when
she was dummy, had leisure to
speculate on Gillian, on what
made her forget the game. One by
one she eliminated the men in the
room: Fender and Sutton and
Royce were middle-aged and mar
ried-and had their wives with
| them; Savarin played cello and
Morton Ilsley was the worst bore
in the Province; Sir Bates Eys-
ton might do, only for the fact
that he'd been trying to flirt with
her since she came in, and she
hadn't even seen him.
Simon Killigrew! MORA, when il
flashed on her, almost dropped
her cards. She whistled noiseless-
ly. She had it now! Simon and
she had been talking before Jor
and Gillian returned, and he, too
had been watching for someone
looking every now and then a,
the door and into his eyes would
come a stormy, brooding look
Certainly, unused MORA, it isn't
love on his part-if I'm any judge
I wonder what it's all about.
She had forgotten her make
It was her turn to be laughed at
She laughed too. She said, "Mr
Killigrew must have found us
pretty dull. He left for his room
with the plea that he had some
novel manuscripts to read. Can
you conceive of anything duller
even us!"
ooh, yes" Morton Ilsley, Gil
lian's partner, knew all about
books and publishers.
"Quite a coming man, KILL
grew. He's published few things
that did quite well and I hear
he's going right into it. Well, it's
nice work, giving genius to the
world. Genius has a hard time
Genius" said the Hon. Mora
ALWAYS gives me the idea that
what it needs is a kick in the
pants"
Morton looked shocked. He bid
three no-trumps offhand n d
knew he had overdone it.
MORA doubled him promptly
Snug little caterpillar. A lot he
knew of genuises. Ask Gillian
Meade-she could give you the
real lowdown on the tribe. Hadn't
she been wild about that crazy
eyed, gin-swigging poet, Jaffry
Clay, who had gone to Valhalla
or wherever poets 60, leaving be-
hind him romantic impression
that he had deliberately done
himself in for love of Gillian, be-
cause Gillian would have nothing
to do with him? And she thought,
well, it was only after she turned
him down that he started in try
ing to drink it all up. Maybe there
is something in the yarn. Saner
men than Clay might have a bust
up over that face and figure. ]
hope she is good to Jon. If she
isn't, I'll break her neck. Oh-oh,
here comes the dark and brood
ing one out of seclusion-
ooh, Mr.. Killigrew!" She was
! watching Gillian as she called