The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-05-21

Legal? Certainly"
eff / should take advantage of
you," she answered, ''if | should do
this Just to For after all. l am
decent"
That's all l want to know" said
Rupert. 1--WE been drinking, l ad
nit. But I've never done anything
when was drunk that l regretted
Much I've done when l was sober
has caused me to get drunk"
She turned from him with a catch
of the breath. gathering the slipping
shawl about her. Rupert opened the
door.
Timothy" he Numbered.
The girl stood looking at the open
door. Rupert picked up the tele-
phone. began to dial. She came over
to him.
Think a minute" she said softly.
why do you want to marry me?"
Ha stood regarding her. In that
moment he seemed quite sober,
quite himself. He drew his hand
down the bright shawl. looked at
the mass of fringe crushed in his
fingers. He laughed.
lis 1t for a joker" she asked.
"a hell Of a joke" he answered,
and turned again to the telephone,
his finger stumbling on the dial.
Let me help you" she said.
He gave her number, and she
dialed quickly. He spoke into the
phone with a certain belligerence.
Connolly? 4. . Well. call him to
the phone. Connolly. this is Joris.
| want a license, a marriage-li-
cense."
He was forced to repeat this.
81 want it now. What do I
care how you get it? It's an emer-
gency. And send Duffield to the
house. Since when? >. Send
Norris, then"
THE girl went over to window
- and stood there. her figure like
flame in the dim room. Presently
Rupert fitted the telphone-receiver
into place.
He went out into the hall.
Through the open door came his
voice. giving some direction to old
Timothy. The girl glanced at the
watch on her wrist.
A little gray woman came into the
library. A little noiseless gray wo-
man in a hurriedly fastened gray
dress and a black apron. 1t was old
Mary. the housekeeper. Outwardly,
old Mary appeared tranquil; she
seemed never otherwise. but the
housemaid and the laundress who
followed her looked white and star.
tied. They stood with their backs
to the fireplace. very close together.
Old Mary came over to the girl.
would you like to go upstairs.
Miss?"
She stopped mechanically and
picked up something from the rug.
It was a small white rose. wilted
and crushed. 1t looked as If Mister
Ruper; might have stepped on it.
Old Mary dropped it into the fire.
place.
will you come, Miss"
Dirk took Isabel to her home in
Hastings. went inside with ner as
he often did after party. and they
| foraged for breakfast-made coffee,
fried eggs. moving stealthily in the
sleeping house.
1t was we'll after four o'clock wher
he reached Lowrie Wood. He opened
the door upon a lighted hall. upor
the sound OF a voice. A group of peo
pie were in the dra wing-room.
Elinor was there. Surely it was
Elinor standing in the bright shawl
standing beside Rupert while the
tall man spoke before them spoke
in stiffness. broken only by his
own closing of the door.
Old Timothy came out. He moved
quickly. noiselessly. making a little
gesture that begged silence.
Mister Rupert's being married,
SIR" he said.
The man who had been speaking
closed his book. The person in the
bright shawl turned about. Rupert
turned.
Come in. Dirk" called Rupert
You're just in time"
Dirk came in. He was looking al
the girl in the bright shawl. and she
having returned his gaze for an In
slant. stood now with her face
turned away His glance travelled tc
Rupert. flushed. but with
smooth nair. wearing dahlia on his
dinner-coat. and torpidly amused by
his brothers stare. He saw Connolly
a heavy. redfaced man. move into
the background.
There were papers lying on the
piano. and the tall man went over
to these. Rupert Joined him there
and presently the girl. The mar
wrote down what Rupert and the
girl said.
(CotyiSht. 1888. Margaret Bsu RoEstos.
Dirk recognizes Rupert's nsH