The Wilmington morning star., 1947-09-16

to put this place into decent
shape, to put in electricity and
a bath. Uncle Charles, we wont
accept it. Well postponed our
marriage indefinitely before we
will let you-won't we, Gail?"
Gail looked up at him and said
quietly, well do - always -
whatever you want, Greg"
Charles eyes were very warm
and tender upon her. Kate smiled
at her and Norah reached over
and patted her shoulder.
well go down and look the
place over this morning" said
Charles, placidly ignoring Greg.
And decide just what will have
to be done. The house is small
and it was soundly built. I be-.
lieve the foundations and the
inside are sound; the roof will
have to be completely new and
the chimney will have to be re-
built. But I think we can do
the job and furnish the house
modestly for a thousand"
Greg looked down at Gail, and
his mouth was thin.
"Tell him you won't allow it,
GAIL" he ordered her sternly.
Gail looked straight at her IA
Their.
"Please, Father-Greg doesn't
want it."
"Greg is not the one to be
considered, chick" said her
father, and there was unwonted
sternness in the glance he flung
at Greg. "After all, I owe you
something for the ugly years of
insecurity and fear. And if this
is the thing that Kate and I
want, more than to spend the
money here, then neither you
or Greg have the right to deny
us the privilege of giving you
some sort Of start in your mar
ried life"
He looked up at Greg and his
eyes were still stern.
"The money in the. bank will
be gone," he said almost grimly.
"But it will be invested, not
spent. Having a good, tight,
livable house on the property
will increase it's value. And the
land is still here, waiting to pro-
duce more for us in return for
our labor. We will all work to-
gether and we will produce again
and more money will 60 into the
bank; and within a year things
will be less expensive and the
repairs we want to do to this
house will cost less"
Suddenly he smiled and the
sternness was gone and his eyes
twinkled a little.
Seems to me this is the first
time I've asserted my authority
in a long time" he said cheer
fully. maybe I'd better throw
my weight about a bit more
it might avoid argument in the
future. My mind is made up,
Greg, and as you should know
by now, once I make up my mind,
it's not easy to change it."
He stood up and said, before
any of them could speak, "And
now, since this is quite an occa-
sion, shall we declare a holiday
and go show Gail her new
homer"
Kate and Norah were instantly
eager, and with a holiday feel
ing brought about by the fact
that they were leaving all the
morning work undone, they
trooped out of the house and
across the weed-grown front
yard to a narrow path that slid
down across the grove OF twenty
or more orange and grapefruit
trees.
Norah, Charles and Kate
walked ahead, and as they went
Greg held Gail back, his eyes
anxious.
"Look here, sweet. I want you
to have a place of your own,
but not like this" he said
worriedly. "How can we let them
spend the money that has ac-
cumulated so painfully and so
slowly 49, on us?"
Gail said gently, "Whatever
you say, Greg-always."
Suddenly Greg took her in his
arms and held her closely.
"That's the kind Of a wife I
like" he told her, and his tone
tried hard to be gay and flippant.
"Docile and obedient."
Charles turned and called to
them and they went on, hand IN
hand. There was a narrow strip
of woods - live oaks, tea olive
and dogwood. And then the
house.
Gail stood in front of it for a
moment, entranced.
It was quite small, two large
rooms and a kitchen in an l.
shaped addition at the back. 1t
was built of logs, the bark peeled
and the logs treated against
decay. There was a flat doorstep
of a huge field stone, and on
either side of the door there
was a small, square window. "A