The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-01-24
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
GODDESS

by Herbera Jensen

. OOooOOooO0oO .
isn't dead. See" He shook the
paper. They've found a bottle pa
per. Washed ashore on an obscure
reef in the Gulf. In Bills handwrit-
ing, If it's not a hoax. Maybe he's
alive-after all these months-down
in the jungle somewhere. But
why" His brow drew together in
frown, little tanned corrugations,
Janice thought, that made him look
curionsly like a boy with vexing
school problem.
but why a drift bottle. There
are no rivers down there to float a
bottle out to sea. None mapped as I
remember that coast. wonder. -"
Janice felt an odd sensation Of
excitement and Of unease. Frank,
she remembered, was an explorer,
familiar with jungle trails. Could 1t
be that he was considering that this
story in the evening paper might
contain a clue that would induce him
to leave Hollywood for the south to
search for his lost friend?
Her heart beat a little faster. Per.
haps she could suggest that he go.
1t would bean admirable solution of
her problem, or rather the problem
he might prove to be.
But Frank" she said. Hes dead.
They proved that months ago. If he
was not drowned when his plane
went down into the sea, he must
have been killed II 1t crashed in the
jungle. This happened months ago.
II he survived, surely he could have
reported"
What was the matter with her?
This was not what she had intended
to say. She wanted to encourage him
to CO.; yet her words would indicate
nothing to him except that she did
did not think there was any use for
him to believe Langdon alive-and
leave Hollywood to search for his
friend.
CHE continued, "Mr. Myberg is hav-
y ing a contract drawn for you, I
heard. We are about to begin pic.
ture. You are needed now that Mr..
0rtega-"
He tossed the paper onto an ada.
cent chesterfield. He said something
to the effect that evening paper
had just the bare details Of the bot.
tie paper-he would know more in
the morning.
He smiled and stepped toward
her; had her life depended upon it
she could not have moved. She stood
transfxed, looking at him. His arms
were about her. She suffered him to
tilt her chin and kiss her.
Remember. last night? | knew.
you cared. You don't want me to go
away. do you? Oh, Janice, love you
sol"
Words tumbled from his lips.
Strong words, masculine words.
Something about the non-marriage
clause in her contract being drivel,
that the idea of her working was
drivel, He had enough. money for
both of them.
Love. Love in cottage. A gay adj
venture. He would take her to
strange places he had been. Where
he'd been lonely. Where they could
sit under the stars before a camp
fire dinner over. and the dishes
washed
She was away from him. The
width of the fireplace was between
them. Almost Historically she real
ICED that she had struggled out of
his arms and had struck his cheek
with her open palm.
She saw the bewildered hurt In
his eyes, and the unconscious ges-
ture he made Of lifting his hand to
touch his cheek. Her palm burned
from the slap; her heart pounded
with o curious and delicious excite
ment, her lips still tingled with the
firm warmth from his kiss. And she
had struck him! She wanted to cry
out, II didn't mean IT," But the
words would not come.
Frank said. "oh I'm sorry"
Even in the firelight his face looked
pale beneath the tan. It was as II a
mask had been put upon him. so still
were his features. The blue OF his
eyes had become deep gray. Only
his mouth had a strange twist to 1t.
3 She was conscious that he was
leaving, She was unable to do or say
that would prevent him
from going. But he was gone before
she realized how desperately she
had not wanted him to go.
The need for activity descended
upon her. She few upstairs to her
boudoir. She dialed a telephone
number. There was no answer.
She realized that Frank could not
possibly have arrived back in his
apartment in this short time. She
thought Of telephoning the apart
ment manager. and leaving q mes
sage. But she would try again in half
an hour. During the interval she
walked about the upstairs door: she
descended to the drawing room and
flung herself upon the chesterfield.
She phoned again. Still there was no
answer.
(cefyriE4f, 1854. - Fsrssyf IsssssI