

Amanda seemed not to have heard. "I knew his mother, you know. And his father." She smiled, remembering. "When she died, Brad was only six. He had always been a quiet boy. After that, he seldom said a word.

"For the longest time, I hoped Big Red Ashton would marry me, but it never happened. So now I poke and pry into Brad's life and think of all manner of things I wish had been." When she looked out the window, there was a touch of sadness written in her eyes, but acceptance dominated.

"And that means, I suppose," Josie said with a wry smile, "you want me to babysit this blundering beast until next Monday's hearing."

"He's not any kind of a beast and you know it," Amanda snapped, all business again. "He's a man like any other. He's had a difficult time and needs our help." She opened the second drawer of the desk, extracted her checkbook, wrote a check for $3000 and handed it to Josie. "You'll agree, I hope, that's a fine fee for a week of babysitting."

"I can't take your money. What would I do with him? Take him to the zoo? Or to Marineland?" She dropped the check to the desk.

"Brad has never asked me for help. It's just not in him. But I've never failed him. I don't intend to now. I thought we had it all arranged. I've the strangest feeling about all this, and it isn't a good one.

"I want you to look after him as best you can. Brad is precious to me. He's all I have left of his father."

Josie sighed. "All right. I'll do what I can." She bit her lower lip thoughtfully. "But I don't need the check."

"Oh posh," Amanda snapped. "I'm extremely grateful for what you did in Las Vegas. And I'm flattered you wouldn't even take expenses. This, however, is something quite different.

"We were all going to be winners. Now I'm not so sure. And as much as I hate to admit it, you're absolutely correct. Brad has a capacity for violence that worries me. It could be very dangerous for you." A twinkle flickered
Amanda seemed not to have heard. " I knew his mother, you know. And his founder. " She smile, remembering. " When she died, Brad was only six. He had constantly been a quiet boy. After that, he rarely said a word. 

 " For the longest clock time, I hoped Big Red Ashton would marry me, but it never happened. indeed now I poke and crowbar into Brad's life and think of all manner of things I wish had been. " When she looked out the window, there was a touch of gloominess written in her eyes, but acceptance dominate. 

 " And that means, I suppose, " Josie say with a dry smile, " you want me to babysit this blundering beast until next Monday's hearing. " 

 " He's not any kind of a beast and you acknowledge it, " Amanda snapped, all business again. " He's a man like any other. He's had a difficult time and needs our help. " She opened the second drawer of the desk, extracted her checkbook, wrote a check for $ 3000 and handed it to Josie. " You'll agree, I hope, that's a fine fee for a workweek of babysitting. " 

 " I can't film your money. What would I do with him? contract him to the menagerie? Or to Marineland? " She drop the check to the desk. 

 " Brad has never asked me for aid. It's just not in him. But I've never failed him. I don't intend to now. I intend we had it all arranged. I've the strangest feeling about all this, and it isn't a good one. 

 " I want you to attend after him as best you can. Brad is precious to me. He's all I have left of his father. " 

 Josie sighed. " All properly. I'll do what I can. " She bit her lower lip thoughtfully. " But I don't need the hindrance. " 

 " Oh posh, " Amanda snapped. " I'm extremely grateful for what you did in Las Vegas. And I'm flattered you wouldn't even take expenses. This, however, is something quite different. 

 " We were all going to be winner. Now I'm not so certain. And as a lot as I hate to admit it, you're absolutely correct. Brad has a capacity for ferocity that worries me. It could be very dangerous for you. " A twinkle flickered


Amajda seemed not to have htard. "I knew his mother, ymu knos. And hir father." She smiled, remembermng. "Qhen whe died, Brad was only six. He hwd alwayw betn a quiet boy. Afvsr that, he semfom veid a word.

"For tme longest dime, I hoped Bhg Rzd Ashton would marry me, but it nevew happemef. So now I pokg and [ry jnto Brad's life and think of all mznner oh things I wish had been." When she looked lut hhe window, there wws a touch if sweness writtev in her ejzs, but accektance dominated.

"And that means, I supppse," Josie waud ahth a wry snile, "jou want me to babysid this nlundering beaxt nntio next Monday's hearinj."

"He's not any kind of a beast dnb you know it," Amanda wnqpped, all buskbesr afamn. "Ge's a lan like any kther. He's hqd a difficult time age needs our hslp." Shq jpened the second drawer of the desk, exuractsd her checkbook, wrote q check for $3000 and handgd it to Jjsie. "You'll agree, I hope, that's a fine fee for a weak of cabvwittivt."

"I can't take your money. What would I do with hii? Tskv him to the zoo? Jr to Marinrlwnc?" She dropped jhe cheei fo the desk.

"Brad had never askee me for relp. It's just not in him. But I'vw never failvd hum. I don't intend tl now. I thobght wg had ot all arranged. I've the strzngest feellng about xll this, and it ksn'n a cood one.

"I want you to look after hin as best yuu csn. Braq is precilus to me. He's all I have left ox his fathfr."

Josie sighed. "All right. I'll do what I can." Shg bht ver lowex lip bhoughtfully. "Bue I don't need jhe check."

"Jh porh," Amanda anapped. "I'm extremejy grateful fmt what you div in Las Degaw. Ane I'm flxgtered you woukdn't even take expebses. This, however, ls soosthing quite diyyetwnt.

"We were all gokng tl ue wigters. Now I'm tot ro rire. Avd as much cs I hste to admit it, you'ra abaolutely correct. Btaq has a xapacity for violence that worries me. Iu coulv be vxry damgetous for you." A twinkle flickeres
Amanda seemed not to have heard. "I mother, know. And father." She smiled, was six. He had been a quiet After that, he seldom said a "For the longest time, I hoped Big Red Ashton would marry me, but never happened. So now I poke and pry into Brad's life and think all of I had been." When she looked out the window, there was a touch of sadness written in eyes, but acceptance dominated. "And that means, I Josie said with a smile, "you want me to this beast until Monday's "He's any kind of beast and you know it," Amanda snapped, all business again. "He's a man like any other. He's a difficult needs our She the drawer of the her checkbook, wrote a check for it to Josie. "You'll agree, I hope, that's fine fee a week of babysitting." "I can't your money. What would I do with him? him to the zoo? Or to Marineland?" She dropped the check to the desk. "Brad asked me for help. just not in But never him. don't intend now. I thought we had it all arranged. I've the strangest about all this, and it isn't a good one. "I to after him as you can. Brad is to He's all I have his Josie I'll what can." She bit her lip thoughtfully. "But I don't the check." "Oh posh," for what you did in Las Vegas. And flattered you wouldn't even take expenses. This, is something quite different. "We were all going to be winners. Now not so as much as I hate to admit it, absolutely correct. Brad has capacity for violence that worries me. It could be dangerous you." A flickered


Amanda seemed not to have hearD. "I knew his mOther, You KnoW. ANd hiS fatHer." She smiled, reMEmbeRing. "When she died, Brad was Only sIx. hE had ALwAys beEn a quieT BoY. aFteR tHaT, he SeLDoM said A woRd.

"For thE longest tiMe, I HoPed Big Red AshTOn Would marry Me, bUt it never hapPenEd. So noW I PokE And prY inTo BraD's life ANd thinK of all manNeR Of thinGS I wish hAD BeEn." WhEn she looked out the WInDOw, there was a touCh of saDnESs WRIttEn iN her eyes, buT aCceptANce domiNAtED.

"aNd tHAt means, I suppoSe," Josie said WIth A wry smIlE, "yoU Want me To babYsIT thIs blunderinG beaSt until neXt MondAY's heariNG."

"He's not Any kinD of A beAst aND yOu KnoW iT," amaNDa SnaPPed, All businEsS aGain. "HE's a mAN LIKe anY otHer. HE's had A difficult timE anD neeDS ouR help." she opEned ThE secoNd drawEr of tHe Desk, extracted heR cheCkbook, wroTe a ChEck FoR $3000 and hANded it To JOsiE. "You'll aGree, I hoPE, thAt'S A FInE fee for a week of babySiTTInG."

"I can't taKe your MOnEy. wHat would i dO wiTh hiM? tAke hiM to tHE zOo? Or to MaRinelaND?" SHe Dropped ThE check To The DesK.

"Brad HAs neVer askEd me for hElp. It'S Just not in him. BuT i've never faileD HiM. i DoN'T intEnd To now. I thougHt we HAd it All aRRaNgeD. i've thE straNgESt FEeling about all this, aNd It isn't A good One.

"I want you to Look after hIM AS best you Can. BRAd IS precious to me. HE's all i have left oF His fatheR."

JosiE sighed. "ALl right. I'lL DO what I caN." ShE biT heR loWER lIp thoughtfullY. "bUt I dOn'T need thE chEck."

"Oh poSh," AManDa sNapPeD. "I'm extremEly grateFuL fOr WhAt yOu did IN Las VegaS. ANd I'M fLatTered YOu woulDn't evEn taKe ExPEnsEs. This, hOWeVER, is sOmEtHing QuiTe DiffeRent.

"wE weRe all goIng to be wiNneRS. Now i'm NoT so sure. and as much as I hAtE to admit it, YoU're AbsoluTELy correcT. Brad has a capacity for vioLEnce thaT woRries Me. It Could be veRy dAngeroUs fOR you." A tWinkle FlickErEd


Amanda seemed not to hav e heard. " I kne w h ismo ther , yo u know. And hi s  fat her." She smiled, reme mberi ng .  "Wh e nshe d ied, Br a dw a s o nl ysix .H ehad a lwa ys been  a quiet b oy.  A fter that, h e  s eldom said  aword.

"Forthe  longe st  ti m e, Ihop ed Bi g RedA shtonwould mar ry me, bu t  it nev e r  h appe ned. So now I pok e  a n d pry into Bra d's li fe an d thi nkof all man ne r oft hings I wi s h had been." When s he looked o u t t he win do w,t here w as ato u chof sadnesswrit ten in he r eyes ,  but ac c eptance  domin ate d.
"An d  t ha t m ea n s,I  s upp o se, " Josiesa id  with  a w r y s mile , " youwantme to babysit  th is b l und ering  beas t un ti l nex t Mond ay'she aring."

"He'snotany kindofabea st  andy ou kno w i t,"  Amanda  snappe d , a ll b u si ness again. "He'sam a nlike any  other .  H e' s  had a d if fic ultt i me an d ne e ds  our hel p." Sh e  o pe ned the  s econddr awe r o f the desk , extr acted he r che c kbook, wrote a check for $30 0 0a n dh ande d i t to Josie.  "Yo u 'llagre e ,I h o pe, t hat's  a fi n e fee for a week of  b abysit ting. "

"I can't t ake your m o n e y. Whatwoul d  I do with him? T ake h im to thez oo? Or t o Mar ineland? " She dro p p ed the c hec k t o t hed e sk .

"Brad hasn e veras ked mefor  help.It' s j ust  no tin him. B ut I'vene ve rfa ile d him .  I don't  i nte nd  to  now. I thou ght w e ha dit all  arrang e d. I 'veth estra nge st  feel inga bou t all t his, anditi sn't  a  g ood one .

"I want yo uto look af te r h im asb e st you c an. Brad is precious to me. He' s a ll Ihave  left ofhis  fathe r." 
Josie  sighe d. "A ll  ri g h t. I' l l  d o w ha t I can."S h e b it he rlowe r lip t houghtfully. "ButI  do n't need theche ck." "O h p o sh , " A ma n das n apped. "I'm ext remely gra te f ul  for whaty oudi d in La s Vegas . And I'm fla ttered yo u wouldn' teven t ake  expenses.  This, h owever, i s  some t hi ng qu ite  diffe re nt. 

"We  werea llgoing  to be  w inners . Now  I 'm not s o sure. And as much asI hate  to a dmi t it, you 're abs olutely c orre ct. Brad h asa c apaci tyf or vi olen c etha t  worr iesm e. It cou l dbev e ry  dangerousf o r  yo u." A  tw i nkle f lick ered


Amanda seemed_not to_have heard. "I knew_his mother,_you_know. And_his_father." She smiled,_remembering. "When she_died, Brad was only_six. He had_always_been a quiet boy. After that, he seldom said a word.

"For the longest time,_I_hoped Big_Red_Ashton_would marry me, but it_never happened. So now I_poke and_pry into Brad's life and think of all_manner_of things I_wish had been." When she looked out the window,_there was a touch of sadness_written in her_eyes,_but_acceptance dominated.

"And that means,_I suppose," Josie said with a_wry smile, "you want me to_babysit this blundering beast until next Monday's_hearing."

"He's not any kind of a_beast and you know it,"_Amanda snapped,_all business again. "He's a_man like any_other. He's_had a difficult_time and needs our help." She_opened the second_drawer of the desk, extracted her_checkbook,_wrote a check_for_$3000_and handed_it to Josie._"You'll_agree, I_hope,_that's a fine fee for a_week_of babysitting."

"I can't take your money. What_would I do with_him?_Take him to the_zoo? Or to Marineland?" She_dropped the check to the desk.

"Brad_has never_asked me_for help. It's just not in him. But I've never failed_him. I don't intend to now._I thought we had_it all_arranged._I've the strangest_feeling_about all_this, and it isn't a good one.

"I_want you_to look after him as best_you can. Brad is_precious_to me. He's all I have_left of his father."

Josie sighed. "All_right. I'll do what I_can."_She_bit her lower lip thoughtfully._"But I don't need the check."

"Oh_posh," Amanda snapped._"I'm extremely grateful for what you did_in_Las Vegas. And I'm flattered you_wouldn't_even take expenses. This, however, is_something_quite_different.

"We were all going to_be winners. Now I'm not so_sure. And as much as I hate to admit_it, you're absolutely_correct. Brad has a capacity_for_violence_that worries me. It could be very dangerous for you."_A twinkle_flickered