The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-16

too gentle on her shoulders. "Sit
down, darn yon!"
In the end they compromised, and
she washed them while he dried
them and put them away. Then they
came back and sat down and had an.
other liqueur.
"Read the paper while" Carol
ordered. There's letter here from
Jill and I want to see what's in it."
"Why on earth didn't you say so?
The dinner could surely have waited
that long," 80
at didn't matter"
She wondered afterwards, If she
could have been psychic about the
letter. If she could have postponed it
deliberately, in order to hold as long
as possible an hour of contentment
Jill detailed the family news first,
conscientiously.
And finally: 81 don't suppose,
after our talk Christmas. that you'll
be surprised at this. Don and l are
going to be married. Not till spring,
but l wanted you to know it as soon
as I'd made up my mind. ...'
CHE dropped the letter and stared
- straight in front of her. Don and
Jill. Jill, who was nothing but a
baby, was going to marry Don. A
Don who, just year ago, had been
shaken and desolate because he
couldn't marry her!
Blake abandoned the pretense of
reading. what is it, Carol?" There
was concern in his quiet voice.
"Jill's going to be married. :"
She tried to laugh, but the laugh
caught in her throat. 81 knew it was
coming, but | hoped it wouldn't hap.
pen quite yet"
"Why?" He was looking steadily
at her, wondering, perhaps. why she
didn't react as most women did to
the news Of an imminent wedding.
Because she seems such a child.
OF course she's twenty-five. :"
Blake, she remembered suddenly,
had been twenty-five when he mar.
ried Irma.
He said expressionlessly: THAT'S
pretty young: but not too young, l
guess-for a girl. :"
"She isn't really too young" Carol
admitted honestly. "And she always
knows exactly what she wants and
goes after it. She'll be happy,
think"
"Then it sounds like good news to
me-"
at is-for JILL" She met his look
and confessed: 'My regrets entire
ly selfish. AS long as she and Pat
were at home my absence didn't
make such a gap. Now Milly will be
more alone"
His mouth twisted. "You've got a
conscience, like I have-God help us
bothl"
He laid his hand on hers and she
noticed for the first time how good
his hands were: thin and straight,
with broad palms and long sensitive
fingers. She turned her own hand
and gripped his.
swell. He probably won't. Well
have to help ourselves-if we can"
He stood up and pulled her to her
feet. Come on and let's drive a
while; it'll cool us off. Don't bother
with a hat" He shrugged into his
coat and went to open the door for
her. She found the key and handed
it to him.
PUT this in your pocket. / don't
want to carry bag"
He took the key and followed
her with unsmiling eyes as she
stepped past him into the hall. The
thought pricked his mind that she
ought not to be leading this lone
wolf existence; she ought to be the
one who was marrying and not her
kid sister.
And in the same instant he knew
that he had no business being so
glad she wasn't.
They drove for an hour, and let
the warm wind brush their faces and
rumple their hair. When they had
stopped again at the Sherwood she
made herself look at him and smile.
He sat still. his face blur in the
dark.
Don't bother to come in with me.
It's been nicer than l can tell you"
He stirred. "It's been the best eve
ming I've ever had" he said soberly.
and gathered himself together. "Oh.
here's your key. -"
He held it out carefully, and she
took it without touching his fingers.
The car moved reluctantly away in
the night.
"And that" she said finally, under
her breath, will have to be all Of
that"
But the next morning, when Blake
said in his usual pleasant voice:
There's new mems tailoring shop
opening next month-very swank.
They want an announcement" she
knew she had been conceited. ro-
mantle fool. There was no trace Of
self-consciousness, in his voice or
his manner.
Copyright. 1856. By Marian Sinrs)