The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-01-26
Chanter 40
FINDING BARBARA

FINDING BARBARA
IT was a month later that Armi-
\ tage again came to the West
country. He drove the beautiful
,DeEalet tenderly, because IL was
one day to be Barbara's; but he
drove resourcefully, demanding
every ounce of power and speed,
because he was in q hurry.
He remembered with detachment
how he had been in no hurry at all
on his first journey down. He had
almost dawdled on the road, post,
poning the moment when he should
present himself, the conventional
weekend guest, at South-the-Wa,
ter; wishing that It was the Upper
Mallard vicarage to which he was
going; wishing that he had stayed
at home. Not even dimly sensing
what havoc was to be made Of him
by a girls upturned face, pearl-clear
In the dusk.
He entered Kings Mallara on
this second occasion IN the late
afternoon and found his way at
once TO the house where Barbara
had had her lodgings. He knew he
would not find her there, but he
hoped for information
Mrs. Lodely had frightened him.
Mrs. Lodely had complained to him
loudly and irrelevantly Of the sud.
den silence OF Barbara. "SlippIn'
away that party night without say
an good-byel
~And only Q line since TO say the
Way End house Is sold furnished
and my poor old belongings stored
In some furniture warehouse that
IN bet Is damp and costin' me
don't know what IT'S selfish Of her.
putin me 70 expense like that.
And Mark smiIin' to himself when.
ever I ASK him where she ID and
what she's up tol No use ever try
En- to get q scrap OF news out Of
Mark"
Armitage had politely commend
Cd her patience whilst his own had
Immediately and entirely deserted
him. He had ordered the DevaIet
and . packed bag and had left Lon
don within the. hour. &. .u.eA 60.
~No. SIR RarbaTa's landlady
lsEned her shapeless bulk against
thu door-post. Miss Quentin amt
been IN Mallard, not sence she TUX
Mira Lodely's boxes away. TO
T0xeter, she'd be. likely"
mo. rye inquired IN Toxeter.
Netting is known Of her at the
house she had there and her shop
Ia sold to q comparative stranger
Armitage reflected. His mind
was blankly silent. The Yarn Mar.
ket lay unanswering under the win.
ter wind. He sighed. re-started the
Devalet-and found that he was
muttering eat DOGGY Cove.
Barbara there7 It seemed non.
sensical. he glanced az his watch
IL was not yet six o'clock, not too
late. really, and not too cold for q
healthy girl TO walk by the sea-
shore. The bay could not be far
from here.
He was there In four minutes. for
the stony road OF his memory had
been replaced by very fair paving.
There was even q parking.placo
where he could leave the Devalet.
do you know IL there Ia q lady
on the shoref" he asked the man
who came to collect the fee
up towards DOGGY Head she
vent she didn't ought to 60 fur
ther. Tides coming in."
~Fll bring her back"
Armitage stepped out on TO crisp.
solid single The moon was young
and faint IN an uncertain sky. He
strobe towards q group OF rocks
that awakened childish memories.
A he rounded the rocks. he saw
her. She was standing with bent
head. kicking . hole in the sand
with her heel she was hara.Asaded
and. under the cloud-hung moon,
her hair looked like Q crest Of foam.
She had not heard him come and,
AFRAID OF startling her. he stopped
ami attempted 70 light . cigarette
He knew exactly when the ahortiya
squirt OF fame caught her gaEa and
he threw away the cigarette and
moved nearer.
-Barbarai"
~who-who Is it?" And then, as
though ashamed e. the evasion