“SWEET FOR A SEASON”

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 5, 6 January 1940, Page 2

“SWEET FOR A SEASON”

(By JOSEPH McCORD)

Synopsis of Preceding Instalments! Glada Lee worries her mother because she dropped hor university course after two years, went to the State Agricultural College and now is more interested in lior successful chicken farm than her matrimonial prospects. Her father, Ed Lee, a lawyer, is Dale City’s leading citizen. Her older brothers, Bailey and Trevor, are married; Masters, the youngest, is engaged to Evelyn Barclay, and motherly Mary Leo feels that Glada is wasting her time. Mrs. Lee invites their good-looking young pastor, the liev. Lynn Stirling, to dinner. When she suggests later that Stirling would make a good husband Glada says she isn’t thinking of marriage. The next day tho minister appears at the girl’s chicken farm and tells her that he loves her. .Astounded, she is abrupt in her manner, but softens it because of his obvious sincerity. As he goes, he says, “Some day—l intend to marry you.” When he next visits the Lees he asks Glada to be his friend. Cobb Peters, her farm manager, breaks his leg and she gives Gern Jones, a down-and-outer, a job. He gives evidence of culture but has a puzzling manner. Tes Sidbury, heavy with make-up, goes to the farm and tells Glada that Masters has jilted her for “the Barclay blonde.” She can’t face this, she says, must go away and will need 1,000 dollars. When Glada says she hasn’t got that much money, Tess threatens to go to the Barclays. Masters tells Glada he met the girl at a party, there was much drinking and he is hazy about what happened. Noting that Glada looks worried, Stirling follows her and finally she confides in him. He volunteers to see Tess and reports to Glada that the girl said she would go away. Glada hires Gern permanently. She sees him at church, She pales when she opens a letter from Masters. That note from Masters Lee which drained the colour from his sister’s face was brief and to the point. It said: “Dear Glada: A pleasant little double-crosser you turned out to be. Why? I got the cheery news yesterday. “A fellow here, a friend of mine, was upstate over the week-end. Ran into a mutual friend of yours and mine. This party got to bragging how I was chiseled out of a cool grand, and they wished they’d held out for more. That shows the whole thing was a frameup, just as I thought. 4 ‘Puts me on i devil of a spot. I could easy force a return of what’s left, but we’d be right back where we were. If only you’d have told me. I guess you didn’t mean it as a low trick, but it was. I’ll pay it back of course, but can't right off. Unless you’re in a jam over it yourself. * 4 Masters. ’ 7 The information contained in that second paragraph I The words seemed to be searing themselves into Glada’s brain. Money —a whole thousand dollars —paid to silence that girl. Now, she was bragging. A thousand dollars. Mr. Stirling’s thousand dollars! Glada shivered when she permitted that one coherent thought. He had paid it to save them all, paid it and said nothing. He didn’t intend to say anything. A momentary flash of anger came with that. She thought of Master’s accusation —‘ 4 doublo crosser. ’ ’ That’s what the minister was, too. . . .or was he? Glada’s inherent sense of fairness rebelled at that. Supposing he hadn’t paid it? What would the situation be now? Where •would Evelyn’s happiness and confidence be to-day? Or Master’s future? Mr. Stirling must have gone to Kcdron prepared to pay tho money, if there were no other way. There had been no other way. He had paid. How careful he had been when he reported his success. . . .said the girl had 4 4 listened to reason.” Of course sho had. What a laugh that was! Glada’s scant knowledge of legal matters led her to believe that Miss Sidbury couldn’t risk trying to collect any further bribes. But the repayment of this thousand dollars loomed as formidably as if the sum were ten times tho amount. Of course Masters intended to pay her back. But it was her debt, now. She had incurred it. She would never know a moment of real freedom until that money was returned. Masters was right. Any threats or attempts to got back even part of the bribe money would be almost certain to air tho hidden scandal. It wasn’t fair! And, almost the hardest thing of all, she must be the one to face Mr. Stirling. Once more, she must bear the brunt of a situation for which she was in no way responsible. With fingers that were far from steady, she picked up her ’phone and gave tho parsonage number. She must get it done before her courage evaporated completely. As was to be expected, Mrs. Ward answered the ring, but Mr. Stirling was at home and she would call him at once. Glada was hoping against hope that her voice would be recognised and that sho would not have to announce her identity. If any

Instalment 15.

one chanced to be listening in, the urgency of her message would be sure to pique their curiosity. She tried to keep her tone casual. “Good morning, Mr. Stirling. I hope you will pardon my calling so early in the forenoon. But I was wondering if by any chance you might be driving out this. . . .toward the farm. I would appreciate it if you could stop a moment. ’ ’ Lynn Stirling must have been inspired. “Let me see. . . .Why yes. I was just about to have my car sent over from tho garage. . . .going to make a call in your general direction. I will stop at your place first. Probably within twenty minutes. Not at all,” he added in response to a brief 4 4 Thank you.” Then he had recognised her voice. And it was very considerate of him not to reveal her identity, she thought thankfully. That was one thing less to worry over. Twenty mihutes to think over what she would say. She would need that. But when she saw him on tho other side of the desk, his grave eyes fixed inquiringly on her face, all her carefully rehearsed words vanished from her mind. With a hesitating gesture, she picked up the letter from Masters and passed it to Stirling. He read it through without the slightest change of expression, laid it down. “I’m exceedingly sorry,” he said simply. “Why did you?” Glada managed in a low voice. “It seemed the only way out. In fact, it was the only way out. . . .to insure the safety of several people. I can prbmise you that the danger is past. I attended to that. It was part of the price. ’ ’ 44 1 hoped it might never be necessary for you to know, Glada. I shall be perfectly candid about it. I was determined to rescue the prospects of your brother and tho happiness of that very attractive youngster I met on Sunday, if it were within my power. It would have been a tragedy if that blow had fallen. No less tragic for Miss Barclay’s parents and for yours. I would have stopped at nothing to avert such a calamity. And besides. ...” “Yes?” As he hesitated. “There was yourself. A very great reason. ’’ “But you mustn’t. . . J mean I can’t let you. . . .I’ll find some way to repay you.” “I wish it weren’t. • . .well, it is difficult to discuss that. I appreciate your point of view perfectly, yet it is so far from mine that I. . . .” “There is nothing whatever to discuss,” Glada interrupted firmly. “I understand. It shall bo as you wish. But, at the same time, I want to make my position clear. You will not agree, but the obligation is not nearly so , great as you are thinking. I mean by that the money was mine. But it was absolutely unearned, so far as I’m concerned. There was no reason why I should not. . . .and every reason why I should. . . .use it for others. I said you would not agree with mo,” Stirling repeated, noting storm signals in the gray eyes on the other side of tho desk. “But there it is. I am compelled to let you know there was no personal sacrifice involved in my action. I wish you believe it.”

“Of course I don’t agree,” Glada informed him quietly. “I consider it a personal obligation and I will meet it just as soon as I can. My brother will help me, although I know he is not in a position to just uow. You can guess from that letter that I had given my word I paid nothing.” “At least you were truthful,” Stirling observed. “Yes, but I can't explain things to him. I’ll have to let him go on thinking I lied about it. It isn’t very pleasant.” 4 ‘No. I can see that. I suppose you have no idea where that person is. I have a receipt, wnich covers the case very nicely and which she was unwise enough to sign in her eagerness.” “No!” Glada returned sharply. “I don’t know. I never want to. I’ll find some way to manage. First of all I shall give you my note, just in case anything should happen. ...” “Exactly.” There was a stern note in Stirling's voice, one sho never had heard. “For some reason, Glada, I shall tear it up, if you insist on such a tiling. There is going to be no record of it. Your word would be ample, if I wished any security. And I do not.” Glada made no response and her caller rose to his feet. “I suppose there is nothing more to say, except that I hope I haven’t sinned away my day of grace with you. I would do it again, you know.” “It was. . . .was very good of you.” Glada’s eyes were fixed on Master ’3 letter on the desk. Had sho caught the longing in the blue eyes looking clown on her, her words would have been more confused. “And that is as great a reward as I could wish for,” Stirling said slowly. “I must be going. Good-bye.” “Good-bye.” She still was staring at the letter when sho heard the front screen door close quietly. Then the sound of a motor starting, tires scattering pebbles on the driveway. Mr. Stirling was gone. Glada wondered dully if Masters expected an answer to his letter; it didn’t sound that way. And what could sho tell him anyway? There was no defence to make, without telling the whole truth.. And that was absolutely out. As matters stood, Masters would see no reason for her seeming deceit. She didn’t blame him for resenting it. Probably the best thing was to wait until she saw him again and trust to luck. That, probably, would not be for some time. Something might happen in the meantime. She tried to busy herself at the desk, but the air seemed stifling and sho desi ired to go out into the plant, escape from the depressing atmosphere of the | room. Almost at once she encountered Gern. “Hello,” she greeted him with an effort at carelessness. 4 ‘ Going after

pests this morning?” She nodded at the large can of disinfectant he was carrying. ‘‘Yeah. Want your office sprayed ?” “I don’t think that’s very complimentary. ’ ’ ■“Well, you just had a visitor. You never can tell.” “That’s perfectly disrespectful!” Glada’a eyes were smiling. “And the minister, at that. I saw you in church Sunday. Did you like it?” “Not too bad. I thought I’d like to see if your friend really was a preacher. Ho suro doesn’t look it.” “My father said he spoke to you after church,” Glada remarked iy“Yeah?” “He said he recognised you from the description that mama and 1 had given.” “Did he? I sort cf wondered how he guessed. You must be a good describer. | It was very nice of him to notice a stray. By the way, your preacher isn’t tied up with the Inquisition by any chance, is he?” “Why, I wouldn’t imagine he dated that far back. But I’ll bite. What’s the answer?” “I don’t knowr But I do know that' every time ho shows up here, you. . .you look like you’d been run through a wringer. Of course I’m out of bounds.” Glada looked at him soberly If he expected her to be angry, he was no more surprised than she found herself at the moment. She should resent that familiarity and make her displeasure clear. But all she said was, “Don’t you think that you’re letting your imagination carry you rather too far!” “Maybe. Imagination is about the only luxury I can afford. When it comes to you, at least.” ‘ ‘ Oh. ’ ’ Glada laughed in spite of herself. ’’Perhaps that is no more than fair, after alb” “I get you. But that doesn’t change my mind about that preacher guy. It’s none of my business, but it’s getting me. So. ...” “So what, Mr. Gem Liko-in-fern Jones?” “Nothing. Only, next time, I’m liable to try to take him apart. That’s all.” (To be continued.)