Read Online Clair De Lune by Jetta Carleton - Free Book Online Page A

trouble.”
    â€œSafety in numbers!” Gladys said, with her usual zing.
    â€œIf there’s anybody still hesitating, maybe we can discuss it further. How do you feel about it?” He looked out over the group. “Anybody not prepared to sign it today?”
    There was an awkward silence. No one met his eyes, instead everyone looked at the floor or the blackboard.
    â€œIf there’s anybody not ready, would you please hold up your hand?”
    Allen hesitated, then held hers up. Timidly, Mae Dell followed. And there was one other hand raised somewhere in the back. She didn’t dare turn to see whose it was.
    â€œWell!” said Pickering, sitting down with a thump. “I see there are a few of us haven’t made up their minds yet. That right, Miss Liles?”
    â€œI think it’s made up,” she said in a small voice.
    â€œBut you don’t want to sign. Is that it?”
    â€œI’d rather not.”
    â€œShe’d rather not. Would you care to give us your reasons?”
    â€œWell, I think Mr. Frawley knows what he’s doing, and I guess I think it’s the right thing.”
    â€œYeah. Well, I’m not surprised you’d feel that way. He let you have that course you wanted and money for the books.”
    â€œThat’s not the only reason.”
    â€œI don’t know what you wanted with more work but … how about your reasons, Hudgin?”
    Meek little Mr. Hudgin spoke right up and said he thought a good basic education was more valuable in the long run than specialization, and a small two-year college could not offer both.
    â€œI thought we’d been through that.” Pickering smoothed out the petition and twisted his neck over his collar a time or two. “I was hoping to get this thing settled today.”
    Somebody else said it wouldn’t hurt the three of them to sign as long as the rest of them did. Allen figured it would hurt Mr. Frawley, but she didn’t say so. She didn’t say anything. While Pick went over the arguments again, and Verna put in her two cents’ worth, Allen was thinking of the blacksmith she’d seen in church, now and then, as a child. Sometimes on a Sunday night, under the sallow lights, while the choir sang “Jesus Is Calling,” the preacher came down from the pulpit and whispered in the smithy’s ear, while the poor devil stood red and hangdog and stubborn as a post, refusing to be saved.
    â€œAw, you just like being the dean’s pet,” said the sociology teacher.
    There was more good-natured ribbing and a good deal of laughter, which irritated Pick half to death. Then Dr. Ansel stood up and said he agreed with Miss Liles heartily, but went off on a long spiel that proved he didn’t, and said that if they would all sign the petition and listen to him the school would turn into the University of Chicago.
    The meeting finally broke up for lack of consensus. Pickering packed up his petitions and stomped off, leaving the rest of them to straggle out and make their peace with each other.
    Mae Dell hooked her arm through Allen’s. “You sure got us in trouble!”
    â€œGladys and Vernie are mad at us, aren’t you?”
    Verna shrugged. “It’s your business. You can do as you please.”
    â€œI just didn’t think it would be nice to do that to poor Mr. Frawley.”
    â€œLook what he’s doing to us,” Gladys said, grinning.
    â€œWhat is he doing?” Mae Dell said. “I just don’t understand all this.”
    â€œThen you should have kept your mouth shut,” said Verna.
    â€œDon’t be mad at me, Vernie. Please?”
    â€œOh, come on, let’s go eat and forget about it. It wouldn’t have done us any good anyway. You comin’, Allen?”
    â€œNot this time. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
    â€œWell, you asked for it, starting that extra class.”
    â€œBut she wanted it,” Mae