The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-02-06
'&Buying Barbara
WEE ~ o.A,s1a-. A.~ -. $500.


a car drew up DeSlue uSI 90 oAS
waited to cross Piccadilly and a
voice spoke her name she wondered
only which T. was of the De Capo
dragon.fiies that lowered for mo-
mept to tease her and then be gone.
"Get in, please, Leila!"
1t was Mark. AS she got In she
reflected that she had no. seen MIN
for months. She sank back upon the
pale cushions of his car and. push
ing her hat further from her face
passed her hands over her face in an
effort to rub away some OF her Ia
tigue.
"Whats the matter?" demanded
Mark, instantly querulous. you
aren't going to cry, are you? II you
are, get out again, that's all! Or"
ing women look like hens"
"I'm moved, but not to tears
Leila assured him. II sent my con-
gratis by Barbara, Mark. Did you
get them?"
Mark Immediately became angri-
err.
"Are you talking about this?" He
thrust a crumpled paper at her.
"This mornings paper? D'you
know I'VE only just read it"
Leila eyed him overthe top OF her
powder-puff.
"Well, another time ask them to
wake and call you earlier, call you
earlier, mother dear"
He flung the paper to the floor.
"You stupid fool, was with Patsy
last night at the De Capo. and we
went wandering off into the country
afterwards, / forgot why. Only
came back to st. Johns Wood an
hour ago. I've been trying to get
hold of Barbara"
"You sound as though you weren't
pleased that she has chosen you,
after all"
Chosen" Mark was livid. "Of
all the blazing, sickening insolence,
whistling me up in front of all my
friends like that!"
"Are you trying to tell me that
you didn't send that announcement
to the papers?"
II certainly didn't"
"But you've been hanging round
her ever since your cure, you've
been trying to cut out Farrell Armi'
tage, you've been Don't you want
to marry Barbara"
"Yes, I do. At least I suppose
do. In way. But when choose.
Not when she chooses"
Barbara didn't send that an.
nouncement, Mark. She thought it
was your doing"
Mark gaped. For a moment he
looked like his mother.
"She was angry about It," contin-
ued Leila slowly. $50 angry that
she went of early this morning and
definitely promised to marry Far.
rell."
That's lie!"
mo. It isn't. And, anyway, you
won't help any by hurting my wrist.
She 'phoned the senior partner at
jacques Malavie's and asked him to
tell me. Apparently she and Farrell
are going to join Kenneth Poole in
South Africa. :. oh. Mark"
Mark had let her wrist go and was
budding into his corner Of the car.
His shoulders trembled.
"Oh, Mark, don't! Are you crying.
Mark?" Sight and sound became
fluid for Leila, merging into her
desperate hope. Don't care so
much. Markie; marry me instead.
we'll have lots OF fun yet. You
won't find me boring. you know"
"Get out!" ordered Mark thickly.
He swung open the door, but he
did not order his chauffeur to stop.
Leila, her eyebrows very arched.
waited. Mark shut the door sulkily.
"All right" he grumbled. "Well
get married, then. and before they
do. That'll be something. Did you
know Armitage has gone broke? He
told me yesterday. Do you imagine
he sent the announcement"
EMO, l don't"
"Who, then?"
She shook her head. Patsy ?
Judy? No. No. Her chaotic mind
rejected both OF them. Mr.. Frere ?
Just possibly, Mr.. Frere?
Then Mark, too. was saying some.
thing about Mr.. Frere.
told me | ought to marry you.
not Barbara. So that naturally ]
decided I'd be damned II | did. But
probably we shan't have enough
money to stay married long. It's q
pity you threw away that emerald.
l might have sold it back to Bar.
bara."
Copyright. 1859. Julia CIstt-Addamsl
The End