The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-02-04

like Leila, was not impressed by the
| denial. "Ah. well, the day vii
come, nevertheless. He added vita
| genuine dignity, you know how
| greatly you could honor me If yul
would crown our collaboration
"Itis 1 who am honored." she ire
piled. "But 1t isn't possible"
| jacques Malavie. Ltd. allowed Z
lsmile to lift his austere lips.
81 congratulate you." he said. "os
Ihaving-ah - definitely eliminated
one Of us"
Barbara saluted the little Joke
gratefully and went back to her own
room. She put on outdoor things
and ran down into the sunshine.
| Beautiful, these October daysl
And on the thought there came
Iscurrying the ghosts. Autumn In
1.-THE west country-the wandering
LEAVES, the snap Of bracken under.
foot, the swelling murmur OF the
sea. And for the first time in, more
than twenty years she remembered,
there in the dirty little London street,
that on such a day as this she had
promised Marks father to take care
Of Mark and that she had had in her
hands q ball, gay, big, bouncing
thing. Her fingers curved, remem.
bering 1t.
Barbara found her thought inevi.
tably swinging from Mark to Farrell,
keeping his steady course, confident
and powerful Barbara told herself
that If. after a year, she could not
choose between these two men she
was answered. She was not meant
to marry at all.
Old maid? Old maid? tapped Bar.
bara's heels on the pavements. She
| shook her head. protesting. She
loved her life. the life OF these last
twelve months, but Just because she
loved it she desired Its fulfilment
"Good-morning, Barbarai"
She checked and turned with real
pleasure. go ~ s
"Mr. Frere!- How in the world
could l have passed you! oh, ] am
so glad to see you! ! suppose you
are staying at Brandish Place with
Farrell?" ~
well. I thought / was" The
bright eyes snapped mischievously
at her. %But I'm not at all sure now
that I'm not staying at Brandish
Place with Mark" +
Barbara looked amusedly at the
distant pile Of Farrell's house. just
visible from this part Of the Park.
"Ah, year ago you would have
apologized for him." commented the
old man. "You would have rushed
to his defense" {
"He doesn't need defending any
more" .sA y
HE never did; but you wouldn't
see I'll Now let rs Just sit down for
. few minutes on this sunny bench.
Don't say that you haven't really
time to stop and talk to me, because
/ know nobody ever has. We're you
going to Brandish Placer"
"Yes. have o bone to pick with
Mark. About the announcement he
put in this mornings papers"
well, then you win be disap.
pointed. because he is not at home!'
Where 10 he. do you know?"
II understood him TO say last
night that he was dining and sup.
ping with Miss Patsy Raonl. Let
us hope" added Mr.. Frere noncom.
mittally, "that her hospitality viii
include morning paper, too"
Barbara watched the wears stick
tapping and churning there In the
loose earth. o poor substitute for his
pond.
mark does almost everything de-
liberately," she said after q while.
"TIe guessed | should came straight
to Brandish Place this morning. and
II expect he wanted to show me-"
She broke OF, retreated along the
ordered line OF her thoughts and be-
gan afresh. Il broke with him, you
know, because felt bored him.
$50 on
at was 0 wrench for me. It had
been so many years that I'd loved
Mark. And Farrell saw 1t and didn'e
want me to feel-rejected. So he
promised me he'd make Mark want
me again. And he has"
Things very often come too cas-.
lily to Farrell. said Mr.. Frere.
"It was my money. at flrst," went
on Barbara. painstakingly clear
about II. when could AFFORD beau.
tiful clothes. when could afford 70
be amusing and careless and really
young. then Mark wasn't bored with
me any more. Then bought part.
nership In Malavie's: thought Mark
would call that stuffy OF me and
drop me again. But he didn't he
| Is spoiled. He can't bear the thought
OF my marrying anyone but him:
whether he really wants me himself
or not. he cant bear II And 90 for
the last year hs has"
"wooed you." suggested the vicar
as she hesitated. "A very pleasant
old word. ! wish I could find a.
pleasant . one for hls-hreakfasts
with Miss Raoul.s
tCopyrieAf. 1854. Julia clsft-AS6dmsl