The midland journal., 1946-04-19

One of Pleasant Groves favorite
autumn diversions, when the har-
vest was in and the winter greens
had been planted, and it was still too
warm for "hawg-killin'," was quilt
ing parties.
Through the scant leisure time OF
winter, most of Pleasant Groves
women pieced quilts, out of "scrap
bags" and carefully boarded bits OF
material; and then when the quilt
top had been pieced and finished,
the owner notified her friends that
she was putting up" quilt and
they were invited to come and help
her quilt it.
A few days after her talk with
Tom on the Ridge, Megan went over
to Mrs. Stuart's, where there was
a quilting. There were greetings,
breezy exchange of pleasantries,
while Megan settled herself,
brought her thimble out of her pock-
ct, threaded her needle, and set to
work.
There were perhaps a dozen wom-
en- about the big frame, which was
opened to its fullest width, the width
and length of double bed. Megan
talked lightly and carelessly to her
neighbor, the pretty little Whitaker
| girl whose sweetheart had just been
reported injured in action in Italy
and who was grateful for the chance
| to talk about him.
Suddenly Megan heard the name,
'fessor Fallon" and looked up.
Alicia Stevenson was watching her
shrewdly, little knowing look in her
small, dark eyes that made Megan
oddly and absurdly uneasy.
Mrs. Burns, who was president of
the Parent-Teachers' association of
the local school, was saying, II think
| we're lucky to get man like Pro-
fessor Fallon here. The school
board says his qualifications are ex-
cellent and his references are ex-
tremely good!"
Mrs. Stuart bit off a thread and
patted her last stitches into place
before threading the needle afresh.
"Sort of makes me wonder how
come we could get man like fes-
sor Tom, in little bitty place like
this" she said, as she moistened the
tip Of the thread and squinted at
the eye of the needle, trying to in
sert one through the other. II don't
reckin it's anything ag'n the man,
though, if he wants to live in little
country town"
maybe Megan could tell us more
about that" said Alicia silkily.
| "About what?" asked Megan,
cravenly pretending not to under
stand.
''Why a man like Tom Fallon
would be satisfied in a little hick
town like Pleasant Grove" said
Alicia, smiling. "After all, you
know him so much better than any
Of the rest of us"
81 sell fims milk and butter and
eggs, yes," Megan told her curtly.
"I'd hardly say that made us old
friends, though"
"But I thought during some of
those long hours you've spent to-
gether on the Ridge, he might have
told you something Of himself"
suggested Alicia, limpid-eyed, her
voice soft as satin.
There was startled gasp about
the quilting frame, perhaps not so
much gasp, as sense of move
ment that made Megan know they
were all staring at her, startled,
Notwithstanding.
Megan drew long breath. "Just
what do you mean by that?" she
asked Alicia sharply.
Alicia's eyes were wide with sur
prise, but there was trace of
malice in their depths also.
''But, darling" she protested, her
voice artificially gay and sweet,
"what could possibly mean except
that I've seen you and the gallant
professor on the Ridge"
"Once, quite by accident, when
was out for walk" Megan be-
gan, but Alicia interrupted her with
pretty concern and an apology that
was WOISc tklcIl Tic LIlOSt OpCu dCCu-
sation.
"Of course, I'm terribly sorry"
"Alicia interrupted. "Please don't
say any more. I never dreamed
mean I wouldn't have mentioned
it for the world" She was pref
tily confused, and Megan could feel
the hint of tension, of curiosity, that
crept about the room.
The women who had been her
friends and neighbors all her life
looked at her and then quickly
away, very carefully not meeting
her eyes, trying not to meet each
others eyes, elaborately pretending
Ito be very casual.
"This is ridiculousl" said Megan
hotly. "You're trying to make peo-
pie believe that I've been-sneak-
ing off to meet Mr.. Fallon-"
"Why, darling!" protested Alicia,
wide-eyed, hurt, though secretly en-
| Toying, as she always did, this by no
means unusual result of her mali
cious dropping of bits of informa-