The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-02-18

stuff-all kinds of money. Might
even find you rich widow. Wi
dows always have a weakness for
curly hair"
Adelaide had stood by, listen
ing, her face cool and aloof. "Be
sure, Bill, that she enjoys starving
in weird places" she said hastily.
Gary felt hot, savage surge of
anger, but he kept his control,
with. difficulty. Il don't want
any widow he said CURLY. II
don't want-any woman"
Her eyes blazed at him, her
lip curled did you ever see
such - mule?" she asked Bill,
scornfully.
GAIL right" Gary flared at her.
''Pm a mule! A mule has sense.
He knows when he's licked. He
doesn't knock himself to pieces
trying to do the impossible-he
just quits. Now, if you'll excuse
me, I'll 60 out and clean up that
slush pit" He stalked away and
he did not look back.
He worked till he ached with
WEAKNESS and then, very late, he
went upstairs and threw himself
across the bed. But he could not
sleep. He jerked erect, later,
when someone tapped on his door
and Mona Lee called anxiously,
"Gary?"
He opened the door She was
standing there, and her eyes had
an odd, excited look in them.
"Gary, Mr.. Hickey's downstairs.
He wants to talk about the we'll
and I don't know what to say.
You come, Gary"
Hickey sat in the living room,
looking strange and stiff in his
Sunday clothes. He was turning
his hat round and round in his
hands.
Here's Gary, Mr.. Hickey. Now
you tell him what you've just
told me"
Hickey scratched his head. Il
was telling Mis- Mason here
looks like a plumb waste to pull
the casing on that well. Looks to
me like we're mighty near down
did you take a look at that
stuff we was drilling yesterday"
Eyes, I looked at it. Sulphur
in it,"
"Yeh, and where you got sui
phur, a lot of times you got oil.
l figured maybe we could shoot
that we'll"
YBut, look here, Hnkey-1
haven't any money >"
yeah, I figured on that. But
l figured if you was to help me
kind of take the responsibility
and fix things up with Mason
Id buy the stuff. AS the we'll
stands to be a total loss the way
it is now, I figured maybe Mason
would be willing to cut us in, for
say an eighth, and if we went
ahead and fetched him in a pay
| ing we'll"
| But you've got anhydrite down
there-and shale-"
81 know what I got down there.
But lookit here, son, 1 was put
ting down wells over to Burk-
burnett and up in Smackover and
all them places, when you was
running around, losing the safety
pins out of your three-cornered
pants. If Mis- Mason, here, wants
an eighth for you and me y"
81 wouldn't rate any royalty,
Hickey. Not if you do the work
and put up the money"
"You rate-or I don't" Hlck-
ey said, pulling his long lips
grotesquely. We could maybe
90 ahead with it before Mason
got back. But I'd want a paper
drawn up-and Mis- Mason, here,
to sign it. It's just a business
like way to do"
"Of course" said Mona Lee, a
little breathless. what do you
think, Gary?"
'I think-well, I think it's just
wild chance. AS Hickey says,
there's nothing to lose, anyway.
But an eighth is pretty sub
stantial royalty
II wouldn't undertake it for
no less" Hickey insisted. II
reckon Mason would rather pay
an eighth royalty and have him
an oil we'll than to pull that der
rick down and listen to all the
people around telling him he was
a fool to spud in wildcat on his
own. in the first place"
ooh, he would" said Mona Lee.
Gary, I'm going to do it. Har-
vey left that power of attorney
for mel can do il"
The excitement gripped Gary.
"You write out a paper, son."