The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-12-23
7 (Buying Barbara
Il VIZ sun. CsaGs.Aaaans A.ex .vss e., s.s.z.


| the business head of the family.
AS a matter of fact, next Thurs
day"
He paused for so long that Armi.
tage was on the verge Of some saw
ing commonplace.
CAS- matter of fact" insisted
Mark, suddenly and violently
throwing aside the rug, II can come
up on Thursday, if you're still kind
enough to ask me. God knows
when I shall ever get the chance
Of holiday from Toxeter, once I'm
therei {. It's most extraordinarily
decent Of you to be willing to put
up with me-"
Armitage took a deep breath. He
drew away from the fire, which
seemed to be making the room far
too hot and took another breath,
even deeper. 1t meant such lot.
this postponement of Thursdays
ceremony! 1t meant, among other
things, that one need never, what.
ever happened, feel any compunc-
ton towards Mark Lodely.
"I'll send car down, them" he
said cheerfully. you'll prefer to
travel by road; less fatiguing. BY
the way, what do you consider your
real work'?"
"Caricature," answered Mark.
He had drawn himself up to
sitting position and pitched the rug
to the floor. His pale eyes gIittered,
his hair struggled over his fore
head, his shoulders twitched. He
looked, Arm ftage thought, as
though he had been hurled earth
wards from some distant star and
had fallen crumpled, but defiant
still.
"Caricature," he repeated. 81 sup.
pose it'll sicken you, but I'm good
at savaging people. / like it, it's
meat and drink to me. There's
something in my psychology"
"Then you must meet McLough.
lin," suggested Armitage, lodging
discussion of the artistic psyche.
"You know his work, Of course. I'm
fortunate in possessing two of his
most slashing efforts at myself:
also, his friendship. i. We must
arrange something"
"Tin Thursday, then"
Making his way gingerly down
the ill-lit, cluttered staircase. Armt-
tage began to lose his sense of sue.
cess. Barbara's' smile, the smile
she had given Mark was before his
eyes. 1t shut him out completely.
OF what significance was it to
cause the marriage to be postponed.
SO long as Mark alone could call
that sweetness to her eyes and
lips? :. He turned the last corner
and saw Barbara below him in the
hall.
She was standing with a hand
raised to her breast In a curious
gesture of pride and pleading, her
head a little bent, her eyes upon
the open sitting-room door. 1t was
evident that Mrs. Lodely was
within, for her hoarse drawl came
up to .Armitage as he hesitated
upon the stairs.
Its appallin' waste, that's what,
1t is and I'd like to box his ears for
1t. AS for your keepin' 1t, you'll be
out Of your mind If you do, my dear
gel. All very nice, feelin' the bet.
ter part of three hundred pounds
swingin' round your neck but you
were sayin' yourself only an hour
ago"
Armitage continued to descend
the stairs and the voice stopped.
Barbara, turning gravely-all her
movements seemed slow and grave
Looked up at him as he ap.
preached her. She said nothing but
he had the impression that, in
businesslike way, she presented
herself for his approval.
Armitage possessed an eye for
women's clothes and he saw at
once that her dress was OF very
beautiful material, very wonder
fully cut. It was silk, he thought.
opaque and heavy and what he be-
lieved was called "watered." At
least, there were wide ripples of
light and shadow sprayed across
its suppleness and yet it was all
white: pearl-white. notetrimmed in
any way save that at neck and hem
there were uneven stitches OF sill
yer.
Above this CLEAN OF sheer white
ness her pointed child.face and her
grave eyes waited; her gilded hair
leaped into fame as her head Tilted
mp towards him. She looked like a
little girl who he's been told to run
and find clean frock and hopes
she Is now tidy enough. This Is she.
-. ThsS is SHE
Then her hand fen away from
her breast and Armitage saw an
emerald swinging on the slenderest
possible chain and canningIy set in
web-ane platinum.
"Oh. not" he exclaimed.
(coagsiaAt. 1859. Jmisa cleft-A66smsl
But Barbara and Farrell decide
net % GaneA aIEar al teraarrnsae