The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-01-21

DdtiiteT and beftefdctOf on an
equdbte. basis.
Chapter SO
UNWANTED GUEST
1EERk y'are. miss" said the
= ! taxi-driver.
Barbara got reluctantly out. dis.
missed the cab and stood at loss
In front OF Farrell Armitage's
house.
It was evident that there was
merry-makiHg within. The house
was brilliantly lighted. Barbara
gripped her suitcase firmly and at.
tackled the front door.
"MF. Arnitage?"
"Mr. Armitage IN not at home.
madam"
She had put down the suitcase
and now suddenly wished that she
could sit down on 1t.
Then | should like to see Mrs.
Lodely."
A woman in {. wonderful evening
coat was talking to someone at the
back of the hall. someone who
CLEANED and glittered and who
seemed family familiar to Barbara.
How wonderfully these two were
dressed! Her own grey tweeds and
the pretty scarf that had looked so
charming on railway journey now
seemed merely dowdy. The foot.
man was cycling her doubtfully.
Mrs. Lodely has retired, mad
am"
Then please tell Mr.. Lodely that
Miss Quentin Is here"
Barbara, growing irritated, had
given her name with intense clear
ness-and one OF the gorgeous fig
ures In the background turned.
Barbara. What In the WORLDLY"
II was Leila who came darting
towards her, a very magnificent
Leila In filmy green gown pow
dered with gold.
II came because Mark wired for
me-" explained Barbara, feeling
more than ever out OF place as the
sound of music came throhbing
down from the upper part OF the
house. "He said he wanted me to
come at once Your father was aw.
fully kind; he sent me by road to
Taunton"
'Mark said he wanted you? What
the devil fort"
ut Is not unusuah Tor q man to
want to sec his iancee,s Barbara
reminded her coldly. Why was
Leila so Hostile?
Barbara followed Leila's straight
bare back into a room full OF beau.
tiful things, shabby things, piles Of
books and two dogs. all in q com.
Portable. interesting muddle. She
knew at once that these surround.
ings could never In this world be-
long to anyone but Armitage. She
dropped into an enormous wicker
chair by the FIRE aud the two ter
riers came up to inspect her.
"You look tired out" commented
Leila. very nonchalant on the OPP
posite side of the hearth. II mag.
Inc you'd like to rest here till the
party has gone home--if you insist
on seeing Mark tonight. You know
IT'S midnight already?"
Barbara's annoyance grew.
''If It Is Marks party. don't SEQ
why I shouldn't &c TO It. He prob
ably expects me-"
Have you brought a gladder rag
than that with your" Leila's glance
at the tweeds and the scarf was
quixzical.
"No. / haven't"
"Then ! advise you to stay down
here. my dear. Mark has no use
for the stains OF travel at the mo-
ment Let me tell him you've ar.
rived.s
Very welli" Barbara knew she
vas being ungraclous. but she did
not care "Pil wait here TN be
comes. Judy's In bed. | hear3 Is
she ill?"
"Not In the slightest. She was
hurry because Mark wouldn't intro.
duce her TO bis friends. III 20 and
tell Mark"
She lounged OF and the terriers
simultaneously leapt on To Bar
hara's lap. turned round three
times and settled themselves 20
sleep.
She must have dozed. too. under
the warm burden OF the sleeping
dogs. For when she struggled pp.
right In the ereaking old chair the
clock on the mantelpiece told her
that Il was nearly two.
The ere had gone out She shiv-
cred and pulled on her coat again.
She felt angry. furiously humIllat.
ed, and decided tina. trayel.staiued