Newspapers / The Alleghany News and … / Oct. 31, 1946, edition 1 / Page 7
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CHAPTER X Dr. Clifford Bronson, an in at Cosmopolitan Hos ts Utterly disappointed Janet Harris, a nurse, Dr. Eynon of the hos staff, after she has inher Oakhart Estate from old r. Hartigan, who had been a itient at the hospital. At the Ration of Dr. Eynon Janet Oakhart into a home for [convalescent children. Dr. (Cliff) for whom Ja I net has the highest resard, and I who had arsed Janet to marry believes Dr. Eynon mer Icenary, and that this was for I-him a wedding- of convenience. I Janet is greatly surprised when ]Dr. Eynon suggests building a Wing onto Oakhart and taking out a mortgage to do it. She visits the hospital where she used to work and has a talk with Dr. Bronson. She asks him to drive out and have Sunday dinner with them. “No, keeping her away from ie. I’m sure she doesn’t care 'or me and I want to avoid a icene. Richard is very fond of r. and Mrs. Farquhar and I’m iure they’ve no idea of the way aomi is acting. In the morning hen she’s teaching the children !’m in the laboratory, but I’m (afraid a whole day of Naomi and ichard fawning over each other |is more than I can take.” To her surprise. Cliff frowned. “I think you’re being unfair. From what I can gather, the infatua tion is all on Naomi’s side. But if it will mean being with you, Janet, I’ll come, of course.” When she returned, it was to find Mr. Prentice’s tonneaued town car at the entrance to Oak hart. As she walked by it she was startled to see a thin, white faced, little boy peering from the back seat. He was almost lost in the heavy folds of a steamer rug. “Well,” she said, “who are you?” 'Jonathan Prentice,” he said feriously. “You are? Is Mr. Prentice your grandfather?” Before the child coultt reply, the liveried chauffeur turned Stiffly in the front seat. “Mr. 'Prentice is Jonathan’s father, tna’am.” He smirked at some hu morous secret of which Janet was evidently supposed to be aware. She ignored him and stared at the child. He was very delicate >n appearance, his skin so thin and clear that the veins at his temples were a deep blue. He ipouldn’t be more than nine, yet Mr. vrpr' r'c.z\?v r**Trt” T* Was all very strange, somehow Janet had never thought of Mr. Prentice as having a family of any sort. As she turned, Richa"d and the lawyer appeared at the front door. Mr. Prentice hurried over to the car and stared anxiously at the child. “Not too cold, are you. son?” The youngster shot him a wan smile and shook his head. “I didn’t even know you had a child, Mr. Prentice,” Janet said. “Yes,” he said, “Jonathan is my entire family—he’s all I have.” Snow began to fall before noon on Sunday. Not a gentle, slow fall of a temporary, quick-melt ing coating, but the thick, swirl ing hard-driven kind that swift ly formed a new layer over the two-foot-deep crust surrounding Oakharl Janet wondered, even hoped, that it might keep Naomi in the city—but promptly at twelve she and Cliff arrived. Naomi was ex cited. “Isn’t this weather' thrilling! If Cliff hadn’t had chains we’d never have made it—we passed dozens of stalled cars.” It was plain that Cliff didn’t share her enthusiasm, he even seemed worried, an unusual emo tion for him. “If it keeps up we may have to ski back,” he said half jok ingly. “We can always put you up,” Janet said politely, though the thought of Naomi and Cliff being snowbound at Oakhart appalled her. Naomi smiled a little secretly, but didn’t reply; instead she spun around, in a circle until her dark hair stood out like a shimmering fan. “Cliff, come and see my school room — it’s about the prettiest one a teacher could have.” Cliff followed ’ her obediently into the playroom. “How is your work going at the hospital?” Richard said. “Much against my will, I’m ap parently slated to become a pedi atrician,” he grinned ruefully. “My greatest accomplishment is telling mothers different ways of disguising castor-oil.” Naomi raised her eyes. “What’s wrong with that?” “Cliff has his heart set on be coming a surgeon,” Janet inter posed. “Is that all? Maybe I could fix it up with Dad, Cliff — he could have you transferred to another department.” His face reddened. “No, thanks, Naomi, this is my own private battle.” “But it’s silly to waste your life doing something you don’t like.” * ‘iMaJtbe .its - silly,” Richard said, “but a great many people do it. Seriously though, Bronson, why don’t you have a talk with Windell?” “I had one talk with him be fore you left the hospital — that was enough.” His eyes blazed and he began to concentrate on Mrs. Miles’ ap ple pie. Janet knew he was re membering the scene in the op erating room and was still half blaming Richard for the senior surgeon’s criticism which fol lowed. Hastily her mind sought to introduce a new topic of con versation. They sat around the den after dinner, desultorily making con versation. Several times Janet saw Cliff’s eyes stray to the win dows and the ominously gray skies and dizzily whirling snow. She knew he longed to leave and was only staying because of his promise to her. Once when she caught him he flushed painfully and stared across the room to where Naomi was discussing one of her new theories about child psychology with Richard. At last he got to his feet. “I hate to break up what I can tell is a highly scientific discus sion, Naomi, but we’ll have to be leaving soon and Fd like to aee Dr. Eynon’s laboratory before we Richard seemed surprised and pleased and the two disappeared into the lab. Janet felt uneasy. What was Cliff up to now? He had shown no interest in the alterations at Oakhart when she had wanted to show them to him a month or so ago, yet he looked very deter mined as Richard led him out of the room. She and Naomi didn’t attempt to talk. There was a little left to say when they saw each other nearly every morning. They each selected a magazine and began to read. Fifteen minutes later the two men returned. There were grim white lines around Richard’s mouth and Cliff looked sullen. “Come on, Naomi, we’ve got to be leaving—it’s been very nice, Janet.” “I’m glad you came, Cliff, make it again soon . . .” Her voice trailed off—a queer, muffled explosion had come from somewhere outside. They all stood silent, waiting . . . It came again, louder, and this time it was followed by the brit tle tinkle of breaking glass in the kitchen. Richard’s face turned red with anger, h i s mouth tightened. “Someone,” he muttered, “seems to have forgotten that the hunt ing season is over.” He dashed into the kitchen and they heard the back door slam. Janet’s heart began to pound with fear. They stood there in the hall listening, the three of them — Janet, Naomi and Cliff. Abby came out of the playroom and hurried past them; they were hardly aware of her. Janet’s pulse was throbbing in her throat; she put out her hand. “Cliff, I’m afraid, I'm afraid “Easy, Jane.” His fingers tight ened on her arm. He picked up his coat. “I’ll go outside and see if I can help." He looked away from her to hide the uneasy pre monition in his eyes. They followed him uncertainly into the kitchen. One of the small leaded panes was lying in frag ments on the floor and already snow was drifting through the gaping hole. Mrs. Miles came in from the cottage, her gray hair so powder ed with flakes that it resembled an old-fashioned wig. “I thought I heard a shot,” she said, and stared at them, a question in her eyes. “Someone broke the window,” Janet explained. “Richard has gone outside to investigate. Mrs. Miles, please go in and stay with the children — we’ll be right Veterans, Farmers, Teachers, Business People, vote for Paul Swanson, because he offers to help you if elected to State Senate. 10-31-ltp Mailed Checks Prevent Double Checks It’s indisputable proof of your payment and an efficient time saver. You’ll never be “caught short” when you have a check book. Open a checking account now! The Northwestern Bank Sparta, N. C. Serving Northwestern North Carolina back." Rfchard and Abby had preced ed them, their floundering steps making a blurred, indistinct pat tern in the new layer of snow, rhe trail led around the house, away from the kitchen. They trudged along in single File and just as they turned die corner near the children’s sun room, another shot rang out. It was followed by a shout from Richard, muffled and angry “Put down that gun, you fool! You’re going to do some real dam age.” ‘ It relieved Janet so to hear his voice that she almost smiled. The man must be crazy, she thought. What would anyone be shooting at in a snowstorm? Then a new fear seized her—not crazy, but foolish, childish! Not responsi ble .. . "Richard! Richard!” she called frantically, but the storm dead ened her words as though a blan ket had been tossed over her head. They almost collided with Ab by. She was standing stolidly under an apple tree and slowly beginning to look like one of the children’s snow statues; her homely face was red with cold. It’s my poor brother, William,” she said through stiffening lips. Their eyes followed her pointing finger. Richard was standing about forty yards away, and beyond him, a large figure in hip boots and a well-padded hunting jack et was menacingly waving a rifle. His wild, dark face was not threatening, however; instead, he scowled and smiled alternate ly like a child guarding a new toy. “You leave me alone!” he shouted, “this is my gun.” “You’re going to hurt some one,” Richard said gently. “You’ve already broken a win dow.” Abby moved forward a few steps. “Let me talk to him, Doc tor.” William was distracted mo mentarily by the sight of his sis ter and Richard took advantage of his inattention to inch nearer him. (To Be Continued) HAS f STOOP THE TEST OFTIME Fine Furniture To Suit Every Taste - - Fit Every Home It’s Yours For The Choosing! Beautify Your Home With a New Floor Lamp 3-way reflector type, providing a world of con venience. And it’s exquisitely styled $16 50 The Ideal Christmas Gift Cedar Chest $37.50 Buy it now and lay it away for Christmas A Necessity For Every Home Utility Cabinet Wooden Double Utility Cabinet with glass front $29.50 Single Metal Utility Cabinet $14.95 JUST AKKlVED! Electric Churns, with 3 gal. jar $17.50 Edwards Vote For Republican Candidate for Congress Ninth N.G District 48 Years Old Farmer Merchant Teacher S4 Clyde R. Greene Being an active merchant he understands the problems of the businessman and the re strictions, regulations and controls of the New Deal. He is opposed to them. He taught in the public schools of Watauga, Wilkes and Cabarrus Counties for seven years. He knows the problems of the underpaid teachers and he believes that our schools should be improved. Teachers must receive higher wages to the end that teaching may be elevated to the status of a profession. A child in North Carolina should have the same educational opportunities as a child in New York, Illinois, or California. He was reared on a farm and owns and operates one now. Hits gives hhn first hand in formation of the many problems of the farmer. He is President of the Watauga County Farm Bureau and is interested in everything to better the conditions on the farm. No Permission Is Needed From The OPA Or Other New Deal Agencies To Vote Republican
The Alleghany News and Star-Times (Sparta, N.C.)
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Oct. 31, 1946, edition 1
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