Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-10-18
4 C. oz/zdbo
70 a MHA0ne
WNu. RELEASE

all. He had been playing pinochle
with some Of his cronies, probably
in the back Of the barbershop, which,
she knew, was favorite meeting
place for some of the rather raffish
citizens who were his particular
friends. And with that explanation,
she crawled into bed and finally fell
asleep.
The news of her engagement to
Laurence was accepted without any
surprise whatever in Pleasant
Grove. Mrs. Stuart summed up the
attitude of the town when she said,
comfortably. well, it amt no sur
prise to none of us. Course, we're
all mighty glad and we know you
and Laurence are goin' to be happy.
He's fine boy and you're both lucky
to get each other"
Megan, doing the Saturday morn
ing baking, with Annie's assistance,
1elt her cheeks warm as she man.
aged the conventional reply.
You all goin' to live in Meaders-
vile, 'spose?" Mrs. Stuart went
on, accepting with relish a slice of
the hot gingerbread Annie offered.
Megan paused in her kneading Of
the smooth white dough that was
going to be hot rolls when she had
finished with it.
Il suppose So" she admitted al
most reluctantly. "It wouldn't be
very sensible for Larry to try to 60
to and fro, on the bus. It's too un-
certain"
Mrs. Stuart nodded understand
ingly.
Il reckin then you'll sell the
farm" she contributed wisely.
Sell the farm?" Megan repeat
ed in establishment. ave really
haven't had time to discuss that"
she admitted finally. "We aren't
going to be married until the spring,
and that will give us plenty of
time"
well, now, l dunno" Mrs. Stuart
countered, licking the last fragrant,
spongy crumbs of the gingerbread
from her fingertips. "Folks that's
gong to farm year always wants
to get in and settled by January,
or February at the latest. If you're
going to sell, you better let folks
know right away. Reckin you won't
have no trouble gettin' good price
for the place, farmland bein' higher
than it ever has been before"
Il suppose so," Megan agreed.
She was secretly, if unashamedly,
glad when Mrs. Stuart took herself
off.
With the last of the baking in the
stove, and Annie safely in charge,
Megan stripped off her apron, went
out OF doors, and whistled to the
dogs.
Reaching the top of the hill, where
the big flat stone lay at the foot of
the tallest, most majestic pine, she
sat down and drew up her knees
and encircled them with her arms,
The dogs rushed about, delirious
with joy.
Below her to the left she could
see the roof and the backyard of
the Westbrook place. There was
the remnant of an orchard on the
slope back of the house; shrubbery
that had never been pruned and so
grew riotously tall, formed a sort of
hedge along the front. The nearest
nelghbor to the Westbrook place
was Stevens, which was around a
bend in the road and so out of sight
of the shabby little old house.
Behind her, Megan knew the
Ridge sloped into valley that was
threaded by the small brook that
watered her own meadow, and that
Widened out little so that there
were rich bottom lands bordering it.
1t was a peaceful scene in the mild
autumn morning. Here in this shell
tered coastal country, winter played
mild hand; there was hardly ever
any ice, seldom killing frost. Two
crops year grew from the farms,
and life was peaceful and placid.
Or it had been until Alicia Steven
son came to live here. Megan jerked
her thoughts away from the I'm
pleasant riddle of Alicia Stevenson,
because she had something of far
more Importance, to herself at
least, to think about.
Mrs. Stuart had taken it for grant,
ed that Megan would sell the farm
when she married Laurence. No
body who knew Jim MacTavish
could visualize him running the
farm or even living there after Me-
gan was gone. He'd take the money
Megan got from the sale and run
through it and be ION" Laurence
and Megan's hands for support the
rest of his life. Megan was unapolo-
getic for the thoughts; she was not
conscious of any disloyalty towards
her father in holding such a thought.
She was simply facing facts. She
knew him so well that she did not
make mistaken plans that maybe
Jim would look after himself. She
didn't even expect it.
She looked out over the beloved
acres of the old farm. Not to be
here when the early spring broke,
not to 60 out with tractor and har-
row and turn back the rich dark
earth, to drop the tiny seeds into the
ground and witness the age-old,
eyer-recurring miracle that brolIpht