The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-02-25
Gary still held back.


Gary still held back.
Hickey, I still think I should
MT be cut in on this. I'm willing
to help you-you can pay me
whatever you think I'm worth
but this is your idea. You'll be
financing it and taking all the
risk and trouble"
mo" Hickey was stubborn.
81 amt going into it alone. l
might get sued-and l want
somebody else to get sued along
with me. I know oil better'n you
do, son. You put you and me IN
it and make it tight as you know
how. And I want some witness
eS."
"Would Slim and Maria do?"
Mona Lee asked. ''Adelaide has
gone OUT
Out with Bob Ferguson. Gary
knew about that. He set his
mouth a little as he made a half
dozen starts and then tore up the
sheets, not satisfied with the
phraseology Finally, he finished
draft that pleased him and
read it aloud.
Sounds all right to me-" said
Hickey, eff it suits Mis- Mason.
Slim and Maria were called IN
and put their signatures at the
bottom of the sheet, Sims scraW-
led and angular, Maria's small
and very neat.
''All right, Hickey, there's
your document" Gary blotted
the last signature and folded the
sheet, putting it into a long en-
velope. DO you want to start
on this job in the morning."
NO." said Hickey, getting up
with alacrity. Il amt going to
start it in the morning have
Grice and all his gang hanging
around to see us make another
failure, maybe. We're going to
shoot her-tonight!'
Gary found himself thrilling
with a kind of drunken reckless
ness. Hickey changed his clothes
in the garage.
you take my car" he directed,
land go get the stuff to shoot her
with. Go to my place and wake
up my old lady and tell her to
show you where Ham Frazier
lives. He's got some stuff and
here's some money to buy it with.
And for gosh sakes, take it easy!"
He ran, kicked Hickey's old
car into life, and then wondered
if it would hold together. But it
went, and the night wind tore
past his hot face and sang in his
ears. It took him two hours,
jolting over rough roads, to find
the place Hickey had told him
about, but by one o'clock he was
at the gate again, having driven
a cautious fifteen miles an hour
all the way back.
The house was quiet, but a
light was burning below, and
Mona Lee came out the minute
she heard the jangle and squaWk
of Hickey's car springs on the
drive. She wanted to ride back
to the we'll with him, but Gary
wouldn't take that chance.
"You wait till I'm past that
pasture gate before you stir off
that step, Mrs. Mason. If this
soup should turn loose when I hit
the rough ground out there, you
want to be far, far away. I'll
come back for you when I get
this stuff delivered to Hickey"
Got to wait till the boys get
here" Hickey said. "Mis' Mason
telephoned-had to get 'em out
of bed, but we got to be ready
to handle her and shut her off
if she comes in"
The roughnecks came, rafting
out in the decrepit truck, grumb-
ling to cover up their own ex-
element. Gary went back for
Mona Lee and found Adelaide
there. an old coat over her dane
ing dress. "Adelaide wants to
go, too" Mona Lee said.
He guided the women through
the ragged pasture with a flash
light and backed the truck up a
safe distance so they could sit in