The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-04-03
II 1EzS@X Il! {[{Igl!'; x Il y

done something I was ashamed
of? I've been terribly happy here
they've been so good to me! ]
couldn't bear to have them think
me ungrateful-"
"Can you honestly tell me you
believe my brother-in-law would
let you go if you talked to him
about it,"
Lucy longed to say she knew
he would. At last she lifted her
eyes and looked into the greenish-
yellow ones staring at her.
NO." she said. Hes much too
decent. I'm sure he wouldn't.
cts something in your favor
that you admit it. Mark has al
ways been wax in the hands OF
attractive women. And of course
you must have a certain kind OF
charm for men"
Lucy went to the door and
opened it. ''This is still my room,
she said. "Will you kindly leave
it?"
'Why-I want to help you with
your plans 80 stammered Doro-
thy.
"Will you kindly leave my
room?" repeated Lucy. II don1
know if I shall ever forgive you
or not. But I don't have to listen
to you any longer. Or see you
Dorothy found herself at the
door without quite knowing how
she got there. She fancied she
heard a faint football in the hall
but when she glanced out there
was no one in sight.
Lucy allowed herself a storm
of tears. She buried her head in
the cushions of the couch, anc
cried her heart out. When she be-
gan to get her breath once more
she got up and washed her face
Then she began to pack. Plans
formed and uniformed in her minc
as she worked. And suddenly she
knew what she would do. If she
was going, she must 60 at once
If she waited to see Mark again
she would never find the cour'
age. It took her only a short time
to get her things together.
She wrote and tore up a dozer
notes. What could she say tt
Mark? At last she took fresF
sheet and wrote quickly. She
couldn't even begin it. She only
said:
Don't hate me for going. And
don't think I don't know all
you've done for me. I could
never tell you how grateful I
am. I didn't realize it was a
mistake - my being here. I'm
leaving this check for the Ark.
I'm really very rich-such big
salary, and I've saved such a
lot of it!
LUCY
She found her checkbook anC
drew a check on the Arlington
bank for a hundred dollars. She
didn't know the Ark had cost
Mark three times that. She
thought she was overpaying him
and was glad.
She found she couldn't write
to Valerie at all. She found q
snapshot taken only the week be-
fore by Valerie, Lucy and Nc
lavish on the terrace. She wrote
at the bottom, with all my love,
Valerie darling. Lucy"
She ran with it to Valerie's
bedroom, and laid it on the dres-
sing table. She opened Marks
sitting room door almost timidly
It was the first time she had ever
crossed the threshold. Even the
air seemed filled with him. She
ran to his desk and propped the
note there, with the check folded
inside.
Pain almost past bearing knot
ted her throat. A handkerchief
with an embroidered I'M. A." lay
unfolded on a chair, where Mark
had dropped it. She picked it up
and held it for a second against
her face. Then she thrust it deep
inside her sleeve.
She closed the door carefully
and ran downstairs. Everything
depended on secrecy. And speed
If Chiltern should see her - if
Mark should come back before
she got away-1t was almost like
an escape. The big hall was emp
ty. The house might almost have
been deserted. She pulled the soft
fur of her coat around her and
opened the front door, running
down the drive and around to
Catlet's quarters.
Luck was with her, for Cat
let was just running out the big
car to 60 for Mark and Valerie
Lucy blessed her genius for get
ting on with servants as she
called to him. She had. she said