The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-08-27
what little man, angelo"

laughing unsteadily and little bit
terly at herself. what a swell
teacher / ami"
He soothed her like a child, an&
she gave herself to an orgy Of pity
for Mr.. Gates and herself and Denis
Finally he shook her, urgently.
"Climb out of it now. We're going
over to my house. / want you to meet
my mother, and after that I'll read
you a story that came back today
and see if you can tell me why. The
editors sounded half convinced,
| think"
"Then they were probably three
fourths convinced. They don't usual
ly invite more grief, do they?" She
was delighted to shift her thoughts
from her own woes to Denis's. You
could be very judicial and philosoph
ical about other peoples troubles.
Search me. Magazine editors are
an unknown breed to me-"
His house was big and old and
charming. There was no odor Of de
cay about it, she thought as they
went up the walk; the house had
grown old with dignity and without
resentment.
Mrs. Ford was reading in the liv
| ing-room. She looked amazingly
young and alert; younger even than
Milly.
I'm 80 glad to see you," she said,
and her smile was very like Denis's
eve been after Denis to bring you
over ever since he first told me about
you"
They talked for almost an hour,
and Carol forgot her soreness. Mrs
Ford explained Denis. she thought:
her mind was as swift as his. and
the sympathy between them was sur.
prising and rather lovely.
DENIS stood up. ave got a story
- want Carol to read" he ex.
planned. els that stuff still in my
room?"
Mrs. Ford laughed. "Do you sup.
pose I'd touch a piece of scratch
paper? Yes. darling; right where you
left it." She added casually: "Why
don't you go in Harry's den? It's
more comfortable"
Yes. Carol decided, Mrs. Ford and
her son understood each other per-
fectly.
In his fathers study Denis closed
the door and took her in his arms.
81 have to do this first. then l can
last till you read this thing"
He put her in a chair and adjusted
the lamp. Read it, and then I'll tell
you what they say about it,"
She disciplined her thoughts and
took the manuscript; read it through
in silence.
Denis could write; she had discov.
cred that in the beginning. His style
was terse and acid and little crude,
but there were passages that took
you by the throat. This one was in.
credible and pathetic: the unadorned
story Of mill girl who had died of
tuberculosis and left several hun.
dred dollars of insurance, WHICH a
destitute family had spent-gaudily
and avidly-for a tremendous fu-
neral.
She laid the manuscript aside and
stared thoughtfully before her, try.
ing to define the flaw she knew
existed.
"It's heart-breakingly good in
spots" she said slowly. at makes
me want to cry. But l think :.
think you've underscored your
pathos too heavily. The reader ought
to be allowed to see it for him.
self. -"
He looked almost sulky. 81 don't
agree with you"
She stared sharply at him and
then shrugged. "I'm sorry. thought
you wanted my opinion. Hereafter
I'll say everything's perfect and
that the editors are lot of mugs"
His face softened. ooh. Lord. no!
didn't mean to be an ass. Your hon.
esty's one of the best things about
you. and If don't learn to profit by
criticism I'm sunk"
She smiled at him, trying not to
look as fatuous as she felt. "Rewrite
it and send it out again"
Maybe. When it's cooled off,"
"Now. 1t doesn't need to cool of.
Darn you. Denis, don't you know
about following through on your
swing?"
He got up and came over to her.
81 know love you like the devil"
He sat on the arm Of her chair and
tilted her head back: let his lips
move softly over her face and throat.
"If had you I'd be President. %
Pain stabbed her again. What is
there. she wondered desperately. that
makes q weakling so irresistible to
women like me? To all women?
wish he'd get a Job and go, even Sc
he took my heart with him. I'd get It
back. piece by piece. -.
But her arms were around his
neck. and she was holding him
against the very possibility.
Copyright. 1885, by Marian SimsJ