The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1946-03-14

was unhealthy fluShed.
"Well," said Julie, leaning
back in her chair, one hand drop
ping down to the cushion beside
her, the other holding her cigar
cite. land what's all this bright
gossip 1 hear about town? You
and Lyn Frazier and-stuff."
'aThe formal announcement has
been made and the date set
so it's scarcely-bright gossip" "
Ann answered her quietly.
"But you're not going to marry
him, Ann," Julie said so quietly,
so evenly that for a second Ann
did not quite realize what she
was saying. $50 you might as
well begin thinking of a good
face-saving reason for announc-
ing the breaking of the engage
ment."
Ann put down her cocktail
glass on the glass-topped coffee
table and said gently, Il think
you'll have to explain that, Jul
lie."
ooh, l intend to-! That's why
l asked you out here" said Julie,
and now that she had preached
the subject, she spoke freely, al
most eagerly you're not going
to marry Lyn, because he's my
property-is that clear enough?'
Ann was still for long mo-
ment, feeling a great dislike for
the unpleasant scene that was
shaping up, heartily wishing her
self out OF it, yet unwilling to
turn tail and run until it was
over.
$50 then the gossip about the
way Dan happened to get him
self shot was true," she COM
mented.
Julie caught her breath and
her eyes wldened, almost with
terror. Dan shot himself" she
painted. Accidentally"
And then wiped all the fin
gerprints off the gun? Because
the fingerpfints had been wiped
off, you Know" Ann reminded
her.
'How-how did you know
that" jules voice faltered.
after all, Julie, I work on a
newspaper, you KNOW" Ann re-
minded her dryly.
Julie, her tongue touching her
dry lips with a little darling mo-
ton, whispered, "Lyn didn't
shoot Dam"
Startled, Ann said, II never for
a moment thought he did. I felt
from the first that it was you
who did it,
All right" said Julie at last,
her voice husky, so faint that
Ann had to strain to hear her.
'All right shot Dan. didn't
mean to. He was furious because
I'd been out with Lyn-he-ac-
cused me of being in love with
Lyn-and / lost my head and adj
mltted-that we were lovers"
Ann caught her breath on a
little audible gasp, and jules
eyes, bright with malice, feverish
and somehow ugly, slued around
to her and Julie chuckled.
$50 now you see why you've
got to break your engagement to
Lyn-and right away" said Ju-
lie.
Ann said quietly, Il hardly see
what right you have to order me
about, Julie"
jules hand came out of the
cushions where it had rested,
and Julie came to her feet almost
in single fluid, strangely feline
movement, and wide-eyed and
incredulous, Ann saw the soft
light leap away, as though
frightened, from the thing Julie
neld in her hand. The squat, ug-
ly, blue-nosed automatic that
was pointing directly at AIMS
heart, from a distance of three
feet away. Ann knew that death
looked straight at her from the
small round mouth of that ugly
little gun, and to herself, in a
tone of wonder, she thought,
'Why-she's going to kill mel"
Il mean it, Ann" said Julie
after a moment, her voice low,
husky, strained, a light not far
from madness in her eyes. II
couldn't live without Lyn. If
he married you'd want to die.
But-Td want you to die, too!
He's mine, Ann-you have no
right to him"
Julie, you're being a simple