The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-01-23

Mrs. LodeIy. who had dragged a
coat over her kimono and now pre-
sented an even more strangely aRo-
hemian" spectacle, battered past
her and led the way upstairs. Here
a faint light guided them. light
that set Barbara's nerves on edge,
for 1t was sickIy yellowish green.
@There! I said they were dancin'.
didntI?H
Barbara pressed steadily forward.
She was now In a small upper hall,
over which occasionally the yellow
green radiance glimmered and
threw into relief the forms Of pao-
pie sitting or standing round her,
servants, probably, for the erratic
illumination revealed tired. impas>
siVe faces Of contemptuous cut. The
guests were evidently on the fur.
Their side of an open door. rs.
She went cautiously on and found
herself on the threshold of what
must be Marks studio. The sickIy
light bit her across the eyes for a
second and she could distinguish
nothing. Then her sight was re-
leased and drawn to the center OF
the big room, where a woman was
dancing.
Barbara felt her face scorch and
burn. She was not prudish-it was
not that. But there was about this
posturing, these soft padding move
ments, something inherently ami.
NAL; The woman wore 2 mask, and
little else,
"My world" breathed Mrs. Lode.
ly. "Bit darin'-what2 2"
Before she could say more, the
music shrieked and blared and in
great curving leaps the dancer
sprang towards them. fleeing for
the door. Barbara. clover than 9TH
ers to give way. was for q moment
in her path and, ducking her head,
she let the sickly light food full
upon Barbarais face.
There was screech OF laughter
from somewhere and then lights
sprang up inside the studio. and
Barbara looked over the heads and
recumbent forms Of q small crowd
Of people. straight across the space
Of the room to Mark.
Mark! Her first thought was that
he was Ill, for he was all askew
upon couch. his fair. tousled head
in q womana lap. Then he put up a
long hand, seized her hair and drag.
ging iewehed Glide from It threw
1t into group Of squatting people.
She struck at him. freed herself
and made after It: and Mark. turn.
ing on his side to watch her 90,
caught sight Of Barbara. Mrs. Lode.
" had disappeared in the wake of
the dancer.
Barbara looked back at him, wait.
Ing for him to welcome her to this
gathering of his friends.
A young man had captured the
plano stool and was playing loudly
and formlessly. Mark sat up on his
couch and reached to a table behind
him. He appeared to be writing
something--no. he was drawing.
His hand lowered. swooped. curved,
as though 1t had separate life Of
Its own. Barbara could not look
away. Her eyes we're still fixedly
upon him when he spoke smilingly
to a lovely Girl whose head was
near his shoulder. She Jumped up
and drew from the wall an easel.
She arranged It and he handed her
q white sQuare--eyidently a sketch
Ito prop upon its ledge.
Barbara saw the girl look at the
sketch, then towards herself in the
doorway; she hear her squeal Of
silly laughter.
Barbara backed, turned and ran.
Mark was going to be cruel in front
Of those people. No. she couldn't
stand thatl She couldn't stand
that!
She plunged IN panic towards the
stairhead. pushing aside vague, Oh.
structing shapes-for this landing
was still in darkness. Just at the
turn Of the staircase, she paused
and peered back.
She had heard q voice say some
thing about "Shows him up pretty
plainly, the dirty little bounder."
and there in the doorway where she
had stood was a tail mans form.
big shoulders bearing a brown
headi all else was in shadow.
She plunged on. ignoring the fact
that there was an elevator. almost
slipping and falling in her anxiety
to DO gone from his house. She
gained the big haIl-there was a
servant here, elderly, upright.
Where Is my suitcase. please9"
she gasped at him, But before he
could make any answer she had
seen It half behind . couch. she
snaehed Il up. pulled open the door
and ran out.
fcopgrtsAs, 1855. Julia cleft-AddamsJ
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