The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-01-14

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But Adelaide said blandly, He
s just talking. He's not going to
Mexico. He's staying here to help
my father get out oil"
eff he gets oil he won't need
any help"
Hell need couple of rangers
to keep the get-rich-quick boys
and the promoters off of him, y
said Bill Grant. ''But if he gets a
dry hole"
eff he gets a dry hole, he'll
be ting me with shotgun y
grinned Gary. "And Mexico won't
be far enough away for me!'
"The boys on the jobs where
I've been working have been talk
tion," Bill said. II know a couple
tion," Bill lsaid. II know a couple
of fellows who've gone down
there. Trouble is, they've practi-
cally ruined those properties now
turning them over to people
who didn't know a darned thing
about production"
The men on the truck began to
yell.
Scotia go, boys and gals" Bill
said. "See you later" He strobe
away, his long legs swinging In
easy rhythm.
"He's nice-I like him." AIDE
laide said. CPL invite him to the
dance"
"He should be through and
gone by Friday"
ooh, he'll stay-I know he will
if l ask him. He's a handsome
thing, isn't he? I like blonde men.
They look so ruthless-ike the
VIKINGS"
Listen, Adelaide. Don't count
on me for that dance. I'm all
crippled up and haven't the
right clothes"
ooh, Gary, don't be such a
mug! Why, I turned down half
a dozen dates to 60 to that dance
with you. Don't you want to take
me?"
ooh, Great Scott" he burned
with confusion. "Of course l want
to! But I though you'd have an
other date"
"You could ask. couldn't you? !
never saw such stubborn mule
as you, Gary Tallman. have to
blackjack you, practically, if l
want you to take me places.
Gary drew a long, astonlshed
breath. He would never, he was
certain, understand women.
you're sweet, Gary" She pat
ted his arm and he forbore to
vince when she hit lame spot.
cts too bad you are so awfully
dumb"
The shining steel went up and
Gary's heart seemed to soar with
it, to weave a glittering web a
gainst the April sky. He did not
climb, because his grip was still
precarious, but he was rigging
that derrick in his mind, clinching
every bolt, swinging up every
humming beam.
At noon he sent word to the
house by Slim that he was stay
ing on the job and sat down with
the rigging crew to share the
lunch that had been brought out
in the Gathering truck.
Bill Grant had declined the in
vitation to have lunch at the
house, because he was wearing
working clothes and hadn't had
time to shave for a couple of
days.
IF I'd known I was going to
meet a girl like that. I'd have
put on some clean corduroys, and
bears grease on my hair. Some
guys have all the luck. This Ma
son has money, hasn't he? Any
man who'll put wildcat down
on his own must have roll. May
be I won't go down to the coast.
Maybe I'll stick around for that
dance. l can always get a job"
And that, Gary though dubious
ly, was not such a good idea,
either.
Gary thought even less of the
idea when at night Bill appeared,
shaven and spruce, all dressed up
in gray Stacks and a snappy plaid
coat.
They'd been having a nice,
quiet game of three-handed rum
my when Bill arrived. And in
four minutes by Gary's watch,
the radio was going and Bill and
Adelaide were dancing in the hall,
while Mrs. Mason sat and beamed
and murmured how much she
liked boys and wasn't Gary pleas
ed to see his old college friend
again."
ooh, yes" grumbled Gary,
Bills all right, He'll get along"
you'll get along, too, Gary.
Now, you 60 straight out and
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