The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-02-11

faced, looking embarrassed when
he saw Gary, who said quietly,
Good evening, Mr.. Mason"
:'Nothing good about this"
grumbled Harvey. 'How you 60
ing to get her loose?" he asked
the driller.
"She's loose now" yelled the
roughnecks.
But after length an length of
pipe had come up, a broken, jag
ged end came soldering out Of
the we'll.
Lost your Bit" Gary said.
"Now you've got fishing job
on your hands"
A truck came roaring up, and
Hickey fell out of it.
Hook up the grappler," he
shouted, when he saw the broken
stem. Got to fish that bit out"
Broke at twenty-eight, fiji
teen," said a roughneck. "You
could maybe shoot it out"
mot with that shale above 1t,
Gary reminded Hickey. pull
your whole we'll in. All right,
Bill, let's be showing off. Good
highland good luck"
He walked away without look
ing back, though it was not easy
to do. Harvey had looked wor-
ried and sick. He did not see
Adelaide.
well, fellow, you gave 'em
the back of your heels Bill said.
''But Mason was trying to make
up his mind to ask you to stay"
(which would have done him
no good at all" said Gary grimly.
He hated the job on the Grice-
Morgan derrick. But it meant
money that would make it posi-
BILE for him to leave for some far
place where gray eyes and tawny
hair would cease to haunt him.
At night, when Bill came to his
room, he asked abruptly, mo
connection between Republic and
Grice- Morgan, is there, Bill?"
Couldn't be. They're competi-
tive developers" Bill said.
"Why?"
Because if Grice-Morgan are
at the bottom of this scheme to
bust Mason, it doesn't look too
good for me to be working for
them, Bill"
That's tough - tough you feel
that way, because they're going
to put up two more derricks.
Means a few more days work for
you and little Willie"
There was knock on the door.
Gary opened it and saw three
people standing in the hall out
side. One was a messenger. The
other two were Harvey Mason
and Adelaide.
ooh, good evening"" Gary
stammered awkwardly.
Sign here, buddy-number
TO-" instructed the boy.
LET us in, Gary, we want to
talk to YOU" Adelaide had her
same peremptory little manner.
! "Oh of course-come in" He
scrubbed his name on the yellow
slip but did not open the mes
sage.
Bill jumped to his feet said ap-
ologetically, There's only one
chair, Adelaide-mind sitting on
the bed Mr.. Mason?"
Haven't got time to sit down.
Harvey was brusque. "I-Gary
you'll have to come back"
Sorry, Mr.. Mason, I can't pos
sibly come back. Not till every
thing is entirely cleared up
Gary" Adelaide was almost
fearful. dad has to leave or
the next train. It's Junior. He's
in Jail"
/ Ran over a kid with that new
car of his, up in Virginia. saic
Harvey. IF the kid dies, it's
manslaughter, and money won't
get him out" he added bitterly.
you'll come back, Gary?'
Adelaide begged. ooh, Gary, we
apologize and everything. Sure
ly you wouldn't leave us in ter
rible hole like this?"
"All right" Gary said slow
ly, but trifle loftily, CPL come
back. What do you want me to
do, Mr. Mason?"
Get the we'll down." ordered
Harvey. Get it down before il
busts me. You come along out
tonight, Gary-and when I get
/ Better open your telegram
first, hadn't your reminded Bill
1T might be job"
"Yes-excuse me-" Gary slit
theyellow envelope. "No, it's not
a job" he said. 'But you may be