The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-09-21
Don't"


"Why, is somebody coming in?" S
Swift as a cat, John turned his h
head. God in heaven, that man
had come back again!
II say, Odette, I am sorry, but h
I forgot to tell you that Aunty d
isn't nearly so we'll and would like h
you to write" And then he was l,
gone again. t
Darling, what is it? Tell me-"
'There is nothing to tell" n
Odette's voice was blanched and f
small. t
'Is the young man in love with t.
your" il
"No." h
She is shuddering, thought g
John. Now, why is that? do you
know him well?" Z
IT know his aunt very WE'LL" Z
said Odette, and then with des- y
perate dexterity she began to lie. r
The lies had been learned by v
heart, thought John, listening l.
with deep pity in his soul.
Odette found Fergus Letters f
note late that night when she O
crept into the little hall of her .
cottage. Dazed-for John had j.
held her to his heart even while
he was fitting the key into the +
lock-she did not see it at first 9
And then subconsciously, her i
mind took in the horrid truth He {
must have sent it by hand; whom +
had he found to deliver it? y
my dear Odette," she read. y
"Do you remember when I told =
you that if you refused my ca :,
resses you would come to rue the =,
day? Well, that day has obvious ',
ly arrived. So won't go into any =
detail about it. But, believe me, =
my dear, when tell you that your =
lovers life won't be worth !,
tinker's cuss if once get hold of
him. Labor is short in the salt l
mines, and it's dazzling job and :
the glasses don't go round. Beau =
tiful eyes are apt to feel the strain,
and someone you know has very
beautiful eyes. It would be 1.
pity, wouldn't it, to let any one T
you care for go blind? Slowly, -
too. It takes long time, and we :.
can't put up with slackers. YOU =
know.
II shall be back in a week or
two. Sorry, can't give you an ,.
address, as I am moving about" : :
No signature From force of 7
habit Odette flicked open her !.
lighter and put the flaming pa .
per into the fireplace. Why in !,
Gods name had she ever embark =
ed on this? Why hadn't she left =
Alan to the Red Cross? Other
prisoners of war had been left to
it and were all right. With her :.
hands stuffed into her mouth !.
Odette began to rage up and down
her bedroom. II shall 60 out and
drown myself"
Meta Jackson, waiting for
Monsieur to arrive, slit open her
letter with a beating heart. Hav- :
ing mastered the contents, she =
stood there with her eyes closed. =
"Ah, Mademoiselle!" Monsieur, =
immaculate, had arrived for his =
afternoon tea.
II have something to tell you"
Meta stood by the mantelpiece,
her lovely eyes blazing. "At least,
I won't tell you-read it for your q
SELF"
II should prefer it, Mademoi- !,
selle, if you to me did read it."
In his anxiety to understand, Mon
sieur's English was hating.
Cali right, I will; it's from my !!
nephew he's in the Foreign =
Office . I'll explain afterwards
|. :" Shaking with excitement, >
Meta began to read from the l
stiff white notepaper: :,
my dear Aunt" (she ready,
Il am glad to be able to give you y
some good news. The American =
Embassy has traced Madame Flu :.
tuy to one of their smaller hospi- =
tails in unoccupied France. I can !,
not tell you which hospital, as it !.
would be unwise for anyone in !.
this country to attempt to COM =
municate direct. She is in the ..
care of French nuns, and she and
her child, boy, born about six q
weeks ago, are both well.
please inform her father, who, )
I understand from your letter, is l.
staying in your neighborhood.
This will do away with the neces-
sity for writing a second letter,
which in these hectic times is a
consideration"
"Your affectionate nephew,
Heron"
"Ah y It came from Mon L