The midland journal., 1946-05-24
WN.u. RELEASE

IcdtH WHICH Ills Seu-IlBIltSOuS piuS-
ter faded little.
"You'd like to make it impossible
for me to stay on in Pleasant Grove,
Dad?" she suggested quietly.
you'd go even to that length to try
to force me to sell"
"You are being insolent and bra
zen," her father cut in loftily. Il
admit frankly that if you're in love
with this married man, the wisest
thing for you to do is put as much
distance between you and him as
possible"
Megan's eyes were wide and in
credulous.
SIN love with Tom Fallon?" she
repeated as though she could not
believe the absurd charge.
Her father shrugged. His eyes
were cold now and frankly hostile.
"Well, ! admit I'd rather think you
were in love with him than that you
were merely-chasing an indecent
thrill" he told her savagely.
Megan was suddenly conscious
that she was very tired.
"But-I'm willing to be broad
minded about tonight, Meggie," her
father said at last. you've always
been a good daughter, and if you
tell me there was nothing in your
going out with Fallon - I'll take
your word for it,
"That's-white of you!" Megan
forced the words through her teeth.
her voice trembling.
Her father shot her a swift, vim
dictive look.
"But of course, only on condition
that you see no more of the man,
and that you sell out and we both
get as far from this place as pos
sible," he went on sternly. you've
got chance to marry fine young
fellow, and live a much easier life
than you've known here. Farming
is no job for a girl"
Once more, she dared risk only a
few words, lest the threatening tears
overwhelm her.
"I'm not selling the farm, Dad
that's final," she told him, and man.
aged to get up the stairs and to her
own room before she gave way to
tears.
She admitted now, forlornly, in
the first moment of her emotional
reaction, that she had never liked
her father. But now she hated him!
The thought shocked her. But she
had to admit it's truth.
She was bitterly ashamed of her
weakness when she awoke in the
crisp GOODNESS of the dawn a few
hours later. She was startled to
see that it was almost eight o'clock,
a good two hours later than she was
accustomed to rise, but she remem-
bered that it was Sunday, and Amos
would have finished long ago the
milking and the early morning
chores.
She dressed and went downstairs,
where Annie beamed at her warm
ly. "Did yo' git yo' sleep out, Miss
Meggie?" she greeted her cheer
fully.
81 feel like a lazy loafer, ANNIE"
she admitted.
''Well, it amt no match. An had
as yo' wu'ks, Miss Meggie, I like
to see you git yo' sleep out!" said
Annie promptly. ''How yo' like a
waffle fo' yo' bre'kfuS?"
"Hm-m-m!" said Megan happily.
Annie chuckled and went briskly
about the business Of pouring waf-
f1e batter on the piping hot iron and
closing the lid carefully.
enlist Larry comm today?"
asked Annie, as she made fresh cof-
fee.
"For lunch," Megan nodded.
81 'spected him." Annie assured
her cheerfully. IT done got me two
fine chickens all dressed and wait
in fo' de frying pan. Dat po' young
man don git ha'f 'nough to eat at
dem old resty-rants in Meadersville
us got to feed him up good and
hearty!"
Megan laughed. "I'm sure he'll
appreciate that when I tell him
about it."
Later, when Megan had helped
straighten the downstairs rooms and
seen that there were chrysanthe-
NUNS and few late zinnias and as
ters and marigolds scattered about
the shabby old place to lend their
own indefinable charm, she went
upstairs, bathed leisurely, and
dressed. There was a thin jade
green shantung dress that was two
years old, but Laurence liked her
in it, and it was cheerful looking.
She walked up to the bus stop to
meet him, and when he came swing
ing towards her, his face Lit up with
eager delight at the sight of her.
The day was mild and warm, the
sunlight golden on her russet-brown
head, but all that Laurence said as
he greeted her was an eager.
''Hello!"
"Hello," she answered, and
laughed little because it was such
a olorioIs morning and she liked