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I didn't realize then that by occasionally calling Jory's twins by the na fuel to the fire--a fire that was already, unknown toup small red sparks of brimstone

Comes

a Morning Dark

A storm threatened a perfectly lovely summer

day with dark o flohile they were still fresh with dew I drew up short when I saw Toni snipping yellow and white daisies that she brought to Jory in a slass vase She put the on another watercolor showing a lovely dark-haired wo flowers I was hidden by the dense shrubbery and could take a peek now and then without either one seeing e reason,

Jory thanked Toni politely, gave her a brief smile, swished his brush in clean water, dipped it in his blue mixture and added a few 'touches here and there "Never can seem to mix the exact color of the sky," heoh, what I could give to have Turner for my teacher"

She stood watching the sun play on Jory's waving blue-black hair He hadn't shaved, and that h not as fresh Suddenly he looked up and noticed her overlong stare "I apologize for the way I look, Toni," he said as if e before the rain sets in and spoils another day for me I hate the days when I can't stay outside"

Still she said nothing, only stood there, the peekaboo sun glorifying her beautifully tanned skin His eyes drifted over her clean, fresh face even before he briefly dropped his eyes and took in the rest of her "Thank you for the daisies They're not supposed to tell What is the secret?"

Swooping down, she picked up a few sketches he'd tossed at the wastebasket and ave the subjects her attention, and then her lovely face flushed "You've been sketching me," she said in a low tone

"Throw theood I can paint flowers and hills and ood landscapes, but portraits are so damned difficult I can never capture the essence of you"

"I think these are very good," she objected, studying theain "You shouldn't throay your sketches May I keep them?"

Carefully she tried to flatten out the wrinkles, and then she was placing the heavy books upon them "I was hired to take care of you and the twins But you never askfor you And your ives s for you What can I do for you?"

The brush dripping with gray colored the bottoms of clouds before he paused and turned his chair so he could look at her A wry s Now I suggest you leave ames, I'm sorry to say"

Appearing weary with defeat, she cru to me what Bart does all the time--`Go away,' he shouts, 'Leave me alone,' he yells I didn't think you'd be the same"

"Why not?" he asked with his own bitterness "We're brothers, half-brothers We both have our hateful moments--and it's better to leave us alone then"