Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / Dec. 26, 1940, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE TWO W?".WAVW.W.V.',V.V.V,W Checker!* By jOSEPF r,.VkWAw.w.v.w.w.w.w CHAPTER VX SYNOPSIS ? Jeffrey Castle rounds off his college education with a year in Europe and returns to his home in Parvb" . where he j is expected to practice law with his father. Jeffrey seeks out Ins j childhood friend and neighbor. ; Audrey Swan, nicknamed 'Orygie', and confides to her his disinclination to work in his father's of- ' ficc. Jeff invites Audrey to dintier at his house?Olive Cooper, ; whom he has met in Europe, is ex- ! pected there over the week-end. Audrey meets Vic Quinn at a din- ' ner party at the Castle home. A few minutes later she hears Olive addressed as "Mrs." Judge Castle's homing voice pierces her bewilderment. Olive is thrown from a horse and is recovering j from a sprained ankle at the Cas- j tie home where Audrey visits her j Jeff, who has been with them, ; excuses himself for a moment. "I don't wonder. It's beautiful. Vic looked about soberly, then down at Audrey. "I'm in love with vou. little Audrev Swan fir . r.Iv cncl truly. And there it is." Until this sunny Sunday after noon, no man had ever told Audrey Swari that he loved her. 11 In the manner of every normal | c young ".-envoi she had dreamed her > dreams in solitude, dreams unknots;- j ingly influenced by romantic stories ' and pictures. It" they awakened no perceptible longing for love they; did bring a knowledge of the thrill that must come when the .Words were spoken softly by the man to j whom she was ready to give her! heart. "I love you. little Audrey Swan." Mo one could have uttered those words with quieter sincerity than Vic. Yet there was no thrill, r.-> particular sensation of amazement or resentment. Instead, a little It :!-. ing of pity. It might bo akin to love, but it wasn't love. "Why did you':" was her i<>? question. "Oh. whyh" Vic's mile win patnctically twist cd, but Audrey v. as looking down 5 into the water and did not sot. There was no smile in his voice or eyes. "I enir-ss T bad 'i Aiidiw. W ..-Id ||? It has been a pleasure to and the county during iht close, and we extend to vc 5& wishes for a very Merry W. and Successful New War. I BOONE Tf y 10 =sOf T 1 ? J TO ALL OUR ] CUSTO During all th< been >n busines lucky enough to friends. To each we want to wish Christmas and a prosperous New \ Best Wisncs for a 1 I BURGESS AN' tnjaRuen VAVW.V.VMWmWWV >ard Love \ McCORD jc .V.V.WAW.VW.SW.WAW I ever have a chance?" I "I can"', tell you. Vic. It's be- ' cous I don't know Honestly." "And that's fair c cough." s "There was nothing to cry about, 1 hut Audrey felt perilously close to d tears. There was something pathetic 11 in Vic's acceptance of things. "If I behave nicely." he asked, ' can we ' keep on being friends? ' v 'On. of course. Vic! Your lriend- ^ ship docs mean a lot lo me. Really t: it uocs. I want it to go on." e "Then everything's all right with the world. We'll omit all this from v. the record and start where we left a off. O. K?" "It's a bargain." "Vic's principal reaction to his J visit at the Swans' was a suspicion tl that he probably had made a first 1 class fool of himself and destroyed h any possibility of future happiness by being so precipitate. Yet he C ccuid feel no genuine regret. His ci love for Audrey had become such si a part of his life- that he had been si unable to suppress a hope that she a had in some way felt it. The great fr wonder was that she even had been s< kind to him. that she hadn't dis- v. missed him forthwith and pc-rma-jw aently. As iong as she hadn't, there | ti iv as some hope. He would never j tl give up. but he must have sense 1 si r.ifpugh fo watch his step from now I c< on. s< The following morning he pre- tl sc-nted himself at the Castle office promptly at nine-thirty. To his sur- r< prise, hp found his friend in the S private office, feet upon the desk b and puffing contemplatively on a t< piue. n ieffs spies came down with a :i crash. "Well of all things! Where the dickens did you come from, n Vic? And at this time of rir.v' Pom, ? in and have a seat. fi'lia. ' I v. Vie shook hands and dropped in- 11 10 a chair. "Why. I'm on tour at ( til:' moment. Vacation. After read- a mg the paper yesterday morning, h seemed to me that it would ho no h more than decent to brook my trip h long enough to offer congratula- b lions unci till that sort of rot So c here I am. Accept my good wishes, c if you will " "Thanks, Vic. This sure is a n b ugh burg in which to endure a e Sunclay. Why in the world didn't v x-_ -\ai -cs 'XSWa-Lsartir j serve the people of Boone ^ ' i year now coming to a yjr ' >u at this time our sincere 1 Christmas and a Happy _ IAIL CAFE Si V ? ' ' I i P/l ; LA t i ? n HN ana FRIENDS AND MERS t J years we've s we've been ' get a lot of of them now v a truly Merry 1, healthy, happy, 1 rear! I Jappy New Year! 1 HQUE SHOP 1 I ' WATAUGA DEMOCRAT?EVE ou go out and put up with the oiks? They would have been tick) d to have voil" Jeff added reprochully. "Weil, as a matter 01 fact . . . 'As a matter oi fact, you were tangling around Audrey. Maybe on need congratulations." "Ee yourself. Just dropped in to lay my part> call for the breakfast naci mere wner. you woman l iceo ne. That was all. 1 did want to ee you, toe. hooks to me .as if luuble congratulations were i:i or[rr. Nice to see you a: work. Pernanent. I hope" Oh, sure." Jeff deliberately rcighted his pipe. "Trying to see .T.al your coaching was worth. I Lftcr all. a family man lias to concmplate the sordid aspects of an xistenco." '"Good for you. Seems to me that "iil be rather an ideal set-up?you nd your father here together." "Everybody seems to think so." "I wonder if that lad's serious," elf mused to himself after Vic left ae office. "Hes about the only guy know of that's good enough for er. Queer how things happen." | Audry Swan did not see Jeffrey j astle during the interim that pre-! eded his marriage. Nor was she I irprised. Sue knew that he was sending roost of the time at home: II Parvjlle knew. She wondered equently. ;n spite of assuring her?!f thai :: was none of her affair, hat would happen after the couple ere married. Olive had been posive in her determination to live in ic iity. It was hard to believe that to would change her mind. But, of jitrse. they must have reached me agreement or conclusion by i:s time. For one of the city papers had .cah d the date of the wedding as epteinber 10tn. adding that the ride and groom had planned an exuded tour, but had made no anouncement regarding their future sidence. That hurdle had been cleared lore easily by the prospective room than he had dared anticipate, lien he was finally forced to bring \) tlie matter for discussion with 'live. "Why worry over that?" she sked calmly. "For the present, you r.ve given your father ail the heip e has a right to expect. Surely i doesn't think we are going to 1 i agar a Falls and hack on an exursion. My idea is a leisurely raise. Jeff was thinking busily. This was! ew and unexpected. He had anxi- i ipated a honeymoon of a few . eeks. Now it appeared that Olive light be figuring pi terms of uvntbs. If the young man had not been o hopelessly in love, he might have uspietod that Olive was Carrying tit a wcll-ie.iii plan. In fact, sue . as doing just that. She believed hat a few months of happy indoince would bo a complete care for effrey. He would be anxious to omprpmise, wotiid be willing to o anything to escape the drudgoiy rhich she could see was growing nore and more distasteful to Mm. It was about this time that Jot;- ] ey, after long hours spent in wresting with the deli mm a; had what he iclieved was an inspiration, and he oiced it to Olive at the first opportunity. "You know, darling,' e began with his familiar elabora: less. "1 was thinking about old Vic oday. Been quite on my mind." "Why?" she questioned a little harply. "Maybe he'd like to take n crack it my job while tve're away. Father las a lot of respect for him, I hapten to know." Olive appeared to muse over the rica. "It would be perfectly splenlid, darling. Why don't you call lim up?" "I will, right now." The same afternoon Jeffrey found iimself in the offices of Brand, (lumenthal and Brand where an ffice boy ushered him into a small onsultation room. Almost at once ric appeared. "Vic, I'm going to put m.v cards n the table. You're the only one I an talk to. I mean it. And you're he oniy one I know who can help, it's like this. Olive and 1 are geting married the tenth of next ninth." The papers beat you to that one, on." "Don't kid. It's serious. Olive's old me point-blank that she doesn't ntend to live in Parvillc. Frankly vc been stalling. I told Olive that had to help father out for a little ast now, because his office help is saving. But now she's talking about n extended cruise." 'In what possible way do I fit in his?" Vie asked. "Well, it's like this, old chap. I lon't know what you're knocking [own here or what you think your hanees are. So I was wondering vhy you couldn't arrange lor a cave of absence for a time, pinch lit for me with the old gentleman chile I'm away. You'd bo so much letter than 1. he'd be glad to be id of me. I mean it." "I'm not sure I get that," Vic adn sited slowly. "You mean 1' should live up a permanent job for a tem>orary one?" "No. Get a leave. If your boss iets fussy, you can easily line up mother berth. I know darned well hat fathc-r would make it worth our while." :RY THURSDAY?BOONE. N. C Vic slowly shook his head. "It's the cra/iest thing I ever- heard of." "Just the same, it appeals to you." "In a way. 1 don't think you appreciate the reputation your father has in this state as a jurist. Ti wouici be quite an opportunity for any cun like myself to be associated with hum. That's the only reason I'd ever f consider it . . . not ai ali r the [reason you have in rr.Lnd That's crazier stiii." "Phase think it over carefully. Vic. You can save the happiness ! several people I swear." "I wonder. It will take a heap of consideration. See me next linte ! you're up. I won't promise a thing. 1 snh think it's crazy.*' Jeffrey Castle's suggestion that Victor take his place in the bffie; while he would be on bis honeymoon brought the consideration the young lawyer promised, and a great deal more. Victor realized that he was yearning to accept it because it would bring him so near to Audrey Swan. Now he cursed himself help | lessly for having told her of his love. | Desperate, he put in a call for! Audrey without any ciear idea of| what he was going to say. Hej would have to Irumo no some ex-! cusc for an interview; then what? ! Unfert itnaloly. the operator re-i ported that his party v.-as not at the number given. Would no talk to; anyone else? It was Mrs. Sw an who1 took the call. I wanted to speak to Audrey just a minute," he attempted. "will she be at home after dinner?" "I doubt it." Martha replied. "An drey's in the eity. She broke a filling yesterday and left early thi morning. She hoped the dentist would be able to take care of her today. If not. she said she would stay over. Her dentist is Doctor Llewellyn. lie's in the Medical Arcs. You might just happen to c.'.teh her there. I know she would lie glad to see you." "Thanks a lot I'll do that. Good by." He found Audry there. "Were going some place to have lunch," Vic enlightened her as he led the way to the elevators. A: a small table in a secluded corner of a grill room Audrey said. "iVvv. tell me what it's all about." "Well, it has to do with our old eat. del What's lie done? Trying to back tut o? things?" "N'e Trying to hack in." Victor [.briefly sketched the situation. "He ! I males lie's stuck for a lengthy UOtieymoon and he's begging rr.e to | pinch hit for him with his father. , "Why don't you?" "Let's skip that one for a minute.' Victor pondered a littic over his (next words "If the situation were different l li admit I'd jump at the chance to be around the old Judg more or less. It would be the post? graduate course of a lifetime." "What's holding you back?" (Continued Next Week) * * * Harrisot To one and all we sei W best wishes for a CI SP rich in contentment, ure and affectionate H? ship" May this Christmas 1 ^ enjoyable one you v< l -SjT s ?* E. L. TEAGl. | GULF SERVICE 5 | gL GULF GAS AND OILS . . . LUBR1CATIO THE REINS-STURDIVi ASSOCIATIOr TELKPHONF, 24 . . . B< PROTECTION FOR 1 Joining Foe 25c Each Member . as Follows: Quarterly One to Ten Tears JO Ten to Twenty-nine years CC Thirty to Fifty Years 40 Fifty to Sixty-five Years 00 , hank You-Am erica / i Chevrolet Con BOONE, N. C. DECEMRRfi 9K 1Q4rt MINtVj j| nd our very *33 iristmastide 5 and pleas- Js: companion- jfifc le the most 2 ever had! ,/g JE'S ^ STATION | ACCESSORIES $5| \NT BURIAL ^1, Inc. lONE, N. C. HE FAMILY . . Dues Thereafter Yearly Benefit .40 x so nr. SO lOOOO 1.60 100.00 2.40 10000 1 t * * * rvpany
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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Dec. 26, 1940, edition 1
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