The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1946-09-26
CHAPTER "


for awhile"
"You are tired, aren't you?" he
persisted.
I'm way. Emotionally wrung
out, I guess. Something quite
strange happened to me today
and I don't know what to do
about it."
Perhaps talking will help"
She said nothing at first and
he waited silently, the glow of
his pipe, as he drew On it out
lining his rugged features. Then
she began telling him of Oakhart
and the reading of the will.
'This is a problem he agreed
when she was through.
For long moments neither
spoke. Janet relaxed. Even
though telling him about it had
solved nothing, still it seemed to
help. When he did speak, his deep
voice seemed struggling to sup
press excitement
Janet, do you like nursing as
much as I think you do?"
"How much do you think I do?"
she countered.
Well, let's put it this way: You
are a pretty girl of more than
average intelligence, yet you must
be around twenty-four. Doesn't
that prove that you've found a
satisfaction in your work that love
SO far hasn't been able to dis
placer"
You're very frank"
= He chucEied q suspect you
mean tactless. But I'm leading
up to something and I want you
to face the facts
Il think I told. you I am more
interested in pediatrics than any
other branch of medicine, but I
want to have children under my
eye continually = not just treat
them when they come here in
desperation"
eyes, I understand that"
Would you consider turning
Oakhart into a children'S sani-
tarium?"
why, 1 hadn't thought about
it, Richard"
''1t sounds like an ideal spot"
But you don't understand Il
Oakhart is mine, and the money
to pay certain taxes and upkeep,
but ! have no money to make an
investment such as you suggest"
That's where I come in.''
"You, Richard?"
I'VE might be able to do it to-
gether. I've saved some of my |
salary, enough to pay for medical
supplies and hospital beds, and
paying patients would carry it
along. Of course, we'd be lucky
= break even at first"
Some of his enthusiasm trans
mitted itself to her. She smiled
at his eagerness. "You sound al
most as though you'd been plan
ming this
81 have-for years, but I new
er thought The opportunity would
Gomez
''But you've never seen Oak
hart"
you've told me about it,
haven't you?"
eyes, but I haven't seen the
top story myself"
His big hand closed convul-
sively over hers. Lord, Janet,
haven't I told you enough? Can't
I make you see what this would
mean?"
Suddenly his voice dropped.
''I'm being presumptuous. Per-
haps you are not interested-a
ter all, I can't expect everyone
to feel the way 1 do about this
thing"
- understand, Richard, and l
think it's wonderful, too. It's,
" ell, it's just rather overwhelm-
ing, that's all"
There's another thing" He
seemed rather embarrassed now
and insure of himself. "Well,
this is more personal, Janet, I
don't quite know how to put
it :"
She waited tensely, little dream
ing what influence his next words
were to have on her life.
Cliff, I have something to tell
YOU"
Janet clasped her hands, max
ing an. actual physical effort to
remain calm, although her heart
was thudding like a trip-ham-
mer.
''What is it?" He looked up
from the desk in his cubby-hole
of an office, all the sulkiness of
their last meeting apparently dis
cinofol