The Skyland post., 1946-04-25
CHAPTER XII

Ann SAID haughJlly, ner tone
freezing, Really, Sarah! Don't
you think we've pushed Mr..
Driscon far enough into the cor
ner? He's got his back to the wall
now! Do give him a chance to
extricate himself as gracefully as
possible!"
Look" said Tracy with the air
of man who wants to be rea-
sonable, ''I want to marry you,
Ann-but-not for just a little
while. Not for just a little while
that I could make you happy, be-
fore you-found out what I'm
really like and before you grew
too fed up with the dinky little
apartment that would be all that
1 could give you-and in which
you would be miserable after
living in this beautiful old place.
couldn't take you out OF this
house"
Sarah cut in neatly, "Well,
young man, if you are angling
for me to invite you to come and
live here, with Ann, you are In
for a bitter disappointment. The
house is being sold the day after
Ann is married! There isn't any
money-she's been working on
that silly job of hers to buy food
for a lazy old woman and three
worn-out servants who aren't
really servants, but cherished
members of the family, for whom
Ann feels as responsible as she
does for me!'
Ann stared at her, stricken
"You-you knew" she stam-
mered.
'That our income had shrunk
until it only barely managed to
keep up the taxes, and that we
would all have starved, if it had
MT been for your job and An
drew's garden and chickens?'
Sarah's voice was brusque, but
Sarah's eyes were warm and ten
der. ''My dear, did you take
me for a complete fool? I've
known it for ages-but you were
having such a good time keeping
the secret from me, that 1 hadn't
the heart to tell you I'd known
it all along"
Ann put a shaking hand to her
) forehead and stared at Sarah
with wide, stricken eyes. For the
moment they had both forgotten
Tracy, who stood perfectly still
looking from one to the other
and there was look on his face
of man who sees Paradise ahead
but a strongly barred iron gate
forbids his going in and posses
sing the enchanted place.
And so darling, I arranged to
sell the old place, the day after
you were married." Sarah said
quietly.
Ann gave a little wall.
ooh, no, darling-you can't
you mustn't-we'll find some way
i can still keep my job-can't
II" She turned, suddenly fright
ened, to Tracy, remembering
MIN tardily.
"Of course-did you think ]
meant to- fire you? Even if the
contract would let me?" Tracy
almost barked at her, so hurt was
he at the realization that she had
cared for her job.
''Well, then," she turned swift
ly to Sarah, well just go on as
we've been-We've managed all
right. And nothing has been
changed-except that-that I'm
not going to be married, after all
-I-don't think I ever really be-
-ieved I was"
Sarah turned sharply to Tracy
and her eyes snapped.
We'll, young MANI" she de-
handed.
"Quiet, Sarah-we've-heckled
him enough Ann cut in, and
looked at Tracy and her eyes
were frosty. 'We-Were sort of
having fun with you to get even
With you for-Well, for trying to
fire me out of my job when Lis
"a was there to take over. For,
Of course, l never for one moment
actually thought Of marrying you
it was just-a good joke TOTO
well, to get even with you'll"
Ann, you'll be struck dead for
such lies" Sarah protested,
shocked.
Tracy said violently, "Stop
bullying her!''
AIMS eyes blazed. "You let
Sarah alone! And l think we'd
.a