The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-11-11
Chapter %
THE MONEY FLIES

THE MONEY FLIES
QUT In marriage. as Give was to
learn. there are no closed chap
tiers.
Perhaps wives with incomes are
naturally secretive. Santa had
formed the habit tn ough living with
Dicky. What the rent OF their
apartment was Give discovered
from the janitor. The wages they
paid their maid he could only guess.
The cost # their housekeeping, II
Santa knew he exact figure, she
never told.
Her extravaganza in clothes was
terrifying. Every day she raided
Fifth Avenue: the result was an
avalanche OF boxes. She flung away
dollars where he would have con.
sidered cents. Since she was spend.
ing her own monev he had no IL.
eense to curb her.
logically, despite her indie
Dendence, her pretence was that she
was utterly his possession. Never
more so than when she paraded be-
fore him. counting his approval OF
the latest addition to her wardrobe.
Once he attempted q mild protest.
Its stunning. But there aren't
enough days in the year to wear
the frocks you already own"
'Tm gathering my trousseau." she
pulled face at him.
$50 that's the idea! But aren't
you setting the pace trifie fast?
What mean is"
'Fm your slave and you're my
sultan. l don't buy them to please
myself. dress for You only"
At the end OF the first month when
he inquired what he owed, she re-
piled. Whatever you choose"
"But won't you show me the ac-
counts?"
"They aren't made up. You earn
how much7 About four hundred q
month. Give me half of It"
That TWO hundred wasn't his
share. he was certain. When he
wrote out his check for three hun.
dred. she tore It up. The second
time she accepted It. but omitted to
cash It.
He took her to task. She placed
him under q crushing obligation.
"As your husband Tm legally re.
spcnsible for your debts. What q
goat I'd look In = bankruptcy-court
IL 1 couldn't state"
She burst ont laughing.
II was during these first weeks
that he arrived homo to find her
reading q newspaper. The sight
was unusual: she rarely read any
thing She was so intent on its con.
tents that she didn't hear his ap.
proach.
Something int resting2" He
perched on the arm Of her chair.
"Let's squirt at It."
The paragraph was marked. It
contained the news that old Mr.. Oak
was dead and that his only son.
Richard. had fallen heir to his mil.
lions.
'Dicky must have sent IT," Santa
commented. "As you see. It's q Chi.
cago paper"
Give rose.
'Tm on to doll myself MP" He
glanced back from the doorway.
"If he really did send It. he had his
nerve.s
Would he never be rid OF that fel
iowf While he tubbeI and during
dinner he brooded over the Incl.
aent.
When the maid had departed and
iunacy was permissible. santa
leaned against his knees, squatted
on the door taiIorfashicn.
Stretching back. she coaxed him.
Whats troubling the old headf"
eff you'd been his wife when all
this money blew In. would you have
divorced him7"
Tickle my throat" she ordered:
BE natural" Then. sensing his
seriousness. Who cares about
money!"
That night she whispered:
when win you believe that rd
rather starve with you In an attic
than travel round the world In q
yacht With Dicky?"
But her protestations only as
sured him while he was alone with
her. He noted. or thought he noted.
that other people regarded their
marriage as catch-as-catch.can--
anyway. as lacking in dignity.
Slips OF the tongue forced on his
attention thar be was no more than
her second husband. Though her
entire happiress was ravencusly
bound up with his. nothing could
sFaee the impression. Friends Wis
Ting. recognized certain objects.