The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-09
Chapter %
NEW HON &

NEW HOME
THE air In apartment $40. wal
thick and warm and still. Caro-
followed the Negro who carried bel
bag. and was about to say: "Jusl
put 1t in the bedroom" when she
remembered that this was the bed
room. The boy flung open windows
bowed over her tip and left, closing
the door softly behind him.
She stood motionless for a long
time. with her head def1antly lifted.
This is mine. she thought passion.
ately: nobody can come IN here I'M
less open the door and invite him:
nobody can say: Il believe I'll 60
with you. :"
She took OF her hat and began to
unpack her dressing case. The box
containing her pictures and books
and linen stood in the middle Of the
room. conveniently opened for her:
the Sherwood's service was no
empty boast. When she had fin
ished with the bag she began on
the box. and emptied that
The books and pictures worked q
subtle change in the room: they
oVerlaid its impersonality with a
veneer Of herself. Surprisingly there
was a low bookcase. painted cream.
and she filled it promptly. The neu.
trail walls accepted her prints
gladly even-as If they too disliked
their own monotony. The couch and
the big chair would have to be GOV.
cred: that was the one extrava-
gance she had decided on.
She realized suddenly that she was
being determlnedly. ostentatiously
busy. and faced the reason. She was
trying to forget Milly's pathetic cour.
age. her gallant and determined in
terest in this new move. Milly had
been rather magnificent about the
whole thing: She had matched Car.
OILS frankness with an unwonted
frankness of her own.
las much as I'll miss you." MillR
said at last. 81 know why you're do
ing it. and don't blame you. I want
you to be happy and to marry. of
course. and | know now that you
probably won't do either IL you stay
here. / hoped you might :" She
left the obvious hope unsaid.
On the question OF Carols small
income. too. she had been uncom.
promising.
"Of course you'll take it," she said
firmly pat and Jill have the advan-
tage of the house. and living together
is much less expensive for all of Us
than living alone will be for you. 1
wouldn't consider taking it, and
there's no use arguing it."
Thus Milly had settled the ques.
ton and dismissed it. And when
Carol had appealed to Pat and Jill
they had been equally firm. .
Don't be a jackass." Pat said
roughly Can you name one good
reason why Jill and | should live OF
your money when we've each got a
like amount and salary? Thirty.
five dollars isn't much. but 1t may
mean the difference between living
in fair comfort and living like a
church mouse. Forget it." And she
had forgotten it" with a lump in
her throat.
There was. finally. nothing more
to unpack. She bathed and went to
bed. and lay for an hour listening to
the muffied sounds in other apart.
ments.
MORNING was still and hot and
1NA brilliant She had breakfast
downstairs. an0 during the meal
made a list of groceries to be or.
dered. In spite of Harry's prediction
she was determined to do at least
a part OF her own cooking. You were
less a vagrant when your food was
prepared within your own walls;
there was something stabilizing In
the idea of being self-sufficient.
The car was warm and crowded,
but not even the indifference of its
passengers could entirely crush her
sense OF ad !enture.
The asphalt pavement. when she
descended. was already velvety be-
meath her feet Heat poured itself on
to the pavement and rose again In
shimmering waves. There would be.
she realized. almost three months of
this. and she was passingly grateful
TOR the weeks Of quietness that had
fortified her for the ordeal OF a sum-
mer OF real work-the first such
summer she had ever known.
Many of the women. she noticed
with relief. wore cotton dresses:
evidently the custom OF dark silk
dresses for Office work was passing
with other. worthier traditions.
She entered the elevator and tried
to quiet the pounding OF her heart.
I'm scared stir. she thought: sup