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

and saw a sudden twitching OF
red lips, an uneasy movement of
slender golden shoulders. Simon
Killigrew came and stood be-
tween her and Mora. To Moira's
question, "Were the novels too
dull?" he answered, Dull
enough"
"More fun out here, should
think" MORA smiled up at him
and across at Gillian. "Tel Gil
liam Meade how to play her cards.
She has Morton all upset"
"Miss Meade?" Simon's voice
had an edge. ooh, couldn't adj
wise. know little about bridge.
Anyway, 1 should think she
knows how to play her cards."
Gillian's eyes darkened. She
stiffened in her chair, but did not
look at him.
MORA was not too pleased with
her handiwork. There was no
great malice in her. "Well, if you
can't be any help that way" she
said, ''tell us something of the
great books you're going to pub
lish. Morton Ilsley there tells us
you're playing big brother to
genius"
"Only when it needs big bro
Their, Miss Caravan. And l can't
always be on hand to play the
part. Genius is so much the small
you've ikened it to - trusting,
quick to give its loyalty and its
love, gullible. But it's not tough,
and when it is first petted, then
kicked aside because, perhaps, it's
poor"
Gillian's cards dropped from
her hand and fluttered to the ia
BILE, to the floor. She half rose
from her chair. Her cheeks were
chalky white. She saw Jon, who
had come in from the billiard
room, stop and stare at her. MORA
took her arm and forced her to
sit down. Ilsley and Sutton, the
other man, busted themselves
with picking up the cards.
81 think we've had enough
bridge" said MORA. Lets call il
a day." She whispered to Gillian
care you all right, my dear?"
The blue eyes were wide ano
angry. ''Much you care if l am
You called him here to-to-she
stood up abruptly and hurried Out
on to the porch, grateful for the
GOODNESS, the stiffness, the kind
ness of the night.
Jon Hillyer came presently and
stood beside her. She knew he
was troubled. She had seen the
amazed look, the bewilderment
in his eyes when she was getting
up from the card table.
"Gillian!" Jon put his hand on
her shoulder and gently made her
turn to him. "Tell me what's the
matter. Something that happened
in there has upset you terribly
Wasn't there something said at
the card game about Jaffry Clay
some allusion to genius? Didn't
Killigrew tell them some stuff
and wasn't it that which upset
you?"
eyes" Gillian's voice was quiet
remote. eff you must know, II
was that"
perhaps can keep him from
talking that way. I most certain
ly can"
She shook her head. 'FYou
couldn't-couldn't make him stop
thinking like that. He - Simon
Killigrew is down on me because
he olames me for what happened
to Jaffry. He believes what every
one else believes and Jaffry was
his-his friend. But it hurts me-.
"And does it matter so much
! what he says? Or thinks! Or
does?" .......
She knew it did, that it mat
tered terribly. II won't talk about
it any more, Jon. He knows what
he is about. Well let things take
their course"
The next day, Sunday, was one
of Autumn's loveliest. Gillian
went riding with Jon. They rode
down green, leafy tunnels where
the sunlight was dappled gold on
the carpet of the forest, where the
naples were turning scarlet and
the willows gold and the water in
the lakes and ponds they passed
had the still and dorment look
that belongs to the Fall. She felt
happy now, all doubt thrust aside
Jon smiled at her as they
walked up the steps to the lodge
It had been a good day for him
too. He felt sure of life again, sure
of love.