The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-12-29
Chapter 10
THE Wears POND

lhE WYNN = TONO
THE Reverend Hayden Frers sat
beside his pond and stirred In
II with a muddy stick.
From the banks Of the pond,
which was at the bottom of the
garden, he could look out over
Kings Mallard and mediate upon
the fifteen thousand destinies
which. bounded by the golden bay
and the purple hills. woVe their
ways In and out OF that strange
pattern that is daily life.
Round him. as he sat and dabbled
absorbedly. the garden lay neg.
ilected and wild. Fort will not
be known as a sanity old man who
loves roses and children" he would
vow to his intimates. ANY other
kind OF sanity old man, IL you
must but not the kind that dodders
round with a basket and q pruning
knife: and don't like children--or
only very few. very clean ones. /
like the creatures in my pond"
A step behind him made him turn
and his stick nearly slid into the
water.
you know you're being childish,
vicar, and you're ashamed Of your.
self" declared Leila Cane. advanc.
ing upon him.
II say. Leila-watch that creature
behind the big green stone-Pl
send him over to the bank" (The
stick plunged and tapped). "There
nowi There he goes. What d'you
think OF him"
II think he's very well suited to
his disgusting little pool"
"No. no. he's not 80 bad. Watch
him peer at me round that old tin.
Now, does he remind you OF any.
one7"
"Yes. OF father"
The vicar began to laugh again
and laughed until he had to wipe
tears from HIS eyes.
"You are a mlschievous old
thingl" smiled Leila. lighting a
cigarette from q leather case. "But
he certainly Is terribly like father.s
Amusement left her voice Like
father. lodging and hiding and
Sinking at the bottom of his dig
gusting little pool" She 1erxed lser4
neat head towards the town at her
feet
"oh no. my dear Leilal One pool.
you know. is very like another.
Kings Mallard. Toxeter. London,
New York-all much the same ex.
cept for size"
Il wish | had a pond"
Aren't you going TO marry Far.
reilf" asked the vicar.
-No. By the way. he's coming up
presently TO see you before he goes
back to Town." she added. -and Z
want a lift. You don't mind my
waylaying him heref"
"Not at all. was afraid you had
come to tea" The old eyes twinkled
relievedly. The vicar did not IKE
tea but almost every day some
charitable matron or other made It
her business to calland preside over
the tray and the singing kettle.
Il never thought you would catch
Farrell. when II came to the point,n
he added with that devastating
frankness that glinted under bis
amiability like chainmall under q
silken skirt
Leila flushed Q little but smiled.
This mischievous. incalculable. Wise
old man was the only human being
for whom she felt amp depth OF At.
lection; possibly because she was
slightly afraid Of him.
But you'd-you'd have given as
your blessing IT,"
"of course my dear, II you had
asked IT. He touched her hand.
gentieness itself "Now. suppose
you stop running after rich and
wrong-headed -oung men and mar,
~ for love instead. II used TO DO
fashionable. you know: It viii be
again. Fashions. I'm told. always
come back. And you've got too much
money already"
Fathers money. Every time 4
spend twenty shilIings. nineteen or
them-whisper together"
Il daresay they do" The vicar
was tranquil They've plenty to
whisper about
"Vicar. do you know whom Far
ren wants TO marrys--Barhara
Quentin. He's gone quite mad about
her. No. not mad-granIte-hard. I'm.
nlaeablA nuFDosa nava-xnan n