The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1947-05-29

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sneakers were left here by a
friend of Dad's-maybe they'll
fit. Come downstairs when you're
dressed. I'll be waiting"
Stacy was waiting for her at
the foot of the great stairway. His
eyes sparkled with approval.
"You look like a little girl in
that outfit, Rosa. Wait until Dad
sees you. He's. eating breakfast
let's join him."
Lotus didn't know quite what
she had expected, but it was not
what she found.
Time had made Curtis Corbin
carticature of his son. He was
a larger man, but the clean-cut,
youthful lines that were Stacy's
had been rounded by age and
self-indulgence. His hair, the
same ash blond as Stacy's, was
white at the temples and the
eyes were darker than his sons,
with a flint-like quality which
betrayed his keen business sense.
That was a polite term for it,
Lotus thought. The area around
his irises was netted by fire red
lines which gave him a slightly
, debauched appearance.
'Sit down and have some
breakfast" he urged. STACY has
been telling me something about
you while he waited. l can see
: I've missed something by not Wis
iting the famous Cafe Duval"
II hear you have story tC
tell" he said finally.
eyes, l don't know what to dc
: whether to go to the police OF
not"
\ "The police?"
, His eyebrows rose in twin arcs
; just as Stacy's did. "Just min.
ute" He motioned to the sui
4 len-eyed NegresS who was serv.
ing them. THAT will be all, Lo.
: bella. I'll ring when l want you.
= When the girl had gone, he
turned his hard eyes on Lotus
Now"
She told them of her relation
], ship with Balch, of the converse
a ton she had supposedly over
, heard in the Cafe, of her going
to the house on Decatur Stree
,, and subsequent events. She
watched their expressions care
, fully to note any hint of sur.
prise. There was none.
I And you were thinking of go
=, ing to the police?"
Il don't know what to do"
What would you accuse these
people of - kidnapping?" Hi:
) sharp voice was tinged with sar.
= caSm.
We'll I don't suppose
, could really"
, All right. You say they hac
that young fellow bound anC
gagged Well, he was a trespassel
in their apartment. wasn't he? A
burglar-?" He bit down on the
dead cigar viciously. you say
they forced you to go with them
But they didn't ask you to go tC
their apartment, that was youl
own bright little idea, wasn't it?'
Lotus Ames stared at Curt!
Corbin across the magnificen
polished dining table at Bell,
Fleur.
He was refuting every sugges
ton she made in connection witt
the police. 1t was what she haC
expected. But she had to be sure
She decided to make him cOmmi
himself even further.
But what about the German
officer?" she demanded. He tolc
me he was patriotic and loved hi!
country"
whats wrong with that? The
war with Germany ended month!
ago. There are thousands of pa
triotic Germans-very fine PEG
pie, most of them"
well, l guess that's right ,
"There's another thing. Corbir
senior laid the dead cigar aside
and froWned at her. STACY tell!
me that you had a little trouble
with the police yourself. Under
the circumstances l would advise
You not to do anything that WOulC
invite them to look up your past.
The advice was given in such
a low tone that it sounded threat
ening.
After breakfast, Stacy and Lo
tus strOlled on the sunlit laW1
around Belle F1eur. Her thoughts
were racing.
Dads right, Rosa. From a pc
liceman's viewpoint, your story
would be as Ieaky as a sieve. How
could you prove it? You didn'
sign any sort OF written agree
ment with these men, did you?
"NO-I didn't even get paid.