The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-05-11
G,o!ll'd!:l!!el4M,1! ,.lR!< ainx%*
, byOfcrq0ret CWiddemer

worn out. put hundred in your
handbag. Telephone me when you
get to Persia, and tell them I'll be
coming over for visit soon. l love
you, Iris, and as Camilla said, !
know my road now. Thank you"
MY darling little girl. My dar-
A'A ling" He was crying, near
ly; surely she could cry a little.
"I've come home to stay" she said.
Uncle Will, like Owen, took things
quietly. He did not even ask her
why.
"My darling child, nothing could
make me as happy" he said. "But
you mustn't decide in hurry"
She said no more, then. She let
him take her suitcases upstairs, fol-
lowing herself with the second load
so that he wouldn't have to.
Morgan is out driving your Aunt
Ella hcme from the museum" he
said. They'll be glad to see you"
Presently. still in the old gay
affectionate way, she sent him
downstairs and dressed herself in
an old pink cotton hanging in the
closet freshly ironed and followed
him down.
Morgan was helping Miss Ella
out of the Ford. He turned pale, as
Iris came to meet him. saying rather
TREMENDOUSLY, 1--WE come back, you
see"
Iris" Before he could do more
than hold her hand tight, unable,
it seemed. to say anything at all
for the moment, Miss Ella came
forward and greeted her in a mat
ter-of-course fashion.
Its nice to have you back,
child" she said little reprovingly,
you've made quite a long enough
visit I'm glad we have strawberry
shortcake-" She trotted off in the
direction of the kitchen.
You mustn't mind Ella" said
her uncle, who could not seem to
let her out of his sight for a mo-
ment. "She has what she has always
wanted, though not exactly as she
planned it. She has been given a
room at the town historical museum
TO use as a permanent exhibit of
your fathers paintings. I'm afraid
Morgan made some arrangement. /
wish you could have married the
boy. dear: but that's selfish, young
people have to choose their own
husbands and wives"
Then Miss Ella. always with that
serene air of having attained all
happiness, came in.
Take the child into the parlors,
William, | want to set the table
here for supper. We won't ask her
to help the first night"
1t was like one of those dreams
where you so into known place
and yet everything is different. Her
fathers paintings were gone-of
course, they were in the museum.
All the old beautiful furniture was
back out of the attic. The white
paneling was uncovered: the whole
room was what she had always
wanted to be.
Morgan coaXed your aunt to put
this place in shape" said Uncle
Will
She did not Know how she got
through supper; Morgan, more at
home than she was. facing her
across the table. But she managed
to get through, and later she slipped
out the back door, still to avoid
Morgan. and made her way around
to the garden.
An old Irvine hammock swung as
it always had. between two trees.
She dropped into it. and let herself
relax. And then. tall and striding in
his old blue sweater and loose gray
Stacks. Morgan was upon her.
Well. as well face it first as last.
He was direct.
"Why didn't you stay? You had
everything you'd wanted"
You know why. l was a little
fool who thought she was equal to
handling anybody. l wasn't"
"You were innocent and good and
honorable" said Morgan hotly.
Il was unbelievably stupid" Iris
said, 1t was so good. so wonderful,
to be there with Morgan-Morgan
talking to her in the old angry,
tender way. 1t was too good, too
wonderful.
Il haven't congratulated you on
your engagement" she said, hold
ing herself very still and not looking
at him.
What do you mean? There's no
engagement"
Her heart turned over, then quiet.
ed. 1t might be true and yet they
mightn't want it talked about.
Aunt Ella wrote me you were
engaged to Kay Oliver. And when
you left me that night in Park
Avenue when you brought the music
book. you said, Kay mayn't be bril-
liant and talented, but you know
where to find her."
"Well?"
well, backed up by Aunt Elias
letter, what else did that mean but
marrying Kay?"
Copyright. 1855. Aa,sarss Wid9tme,J
blessed understanding 10
reached. tomorrow.