“It was two to one,” he said heavily. “I done the best I could, Lila, but they voted me down. I hated to have to tell yuh, but they ask yuh to quit teachin’.”
“To quit teaching my school?” said Lila, hardly believing her own ears.
Jim Parker nodded sadly.
“That’s it, Lila.”
“The very idea!” exclaimed Mrs. Parker. “Why, Jim?”
Parker shook his head.
“It was the things they’ve heard,” he said. “They called Angel in on it. He repeated what was in that letter. That made no difference to me—but they’re kinda funny. And after Rance was arrested—they thought they’d change.”
“That letter about my—my father and mother?” asked Lila, a catch in her voice.
“Yeah!” snorted Parker. “One of them old fools talked about heredity. What does he know about it? Oh, I did the best I could, Lila. You can stay right here and live with us until yuh know what yuh want to do. We’d sure like to have yuh, Lila.”
“Heredity?” whispered Lila. “He meant that—my mother was insane. Oh, that’s what he meant.”