The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-05-08
Chapter 81.
MoRGAN'S SHARE

Chapter 81.
MoRGAN's SHARE
MoRGAN's voice. deep. beautiful.
little roughened, came over
the wire like a remembrance of
everything peaceful and safe and
lost.
well. Iris. my dear. how's every.
thing?"
ITO begin with, you were right
and l was wrong. l wasn't wise
enough for the game was playing.
Morgan-is it a private wire?"
safe as churches"
"Morgan-Phina and my mother,
it seems. were immigrant girls from
Ireland. Don't misunderstood. I'm
prouder of Mother than if she'd
been a queen. making good as she
did. I'm proud of Phina. too; but she
made up crazy story about being
Southerner with an aristocratic
Civil War background. I'd never
lived with anybody who made up
things for their own advantage. /
can see now l was dumber than
twenty rabbits"
There was a little affectionate
laugh at the other end of the wire.
81 was singing, in a concert that
was all tied up with social stuff and
getting into the Junior League. And
one of the girls made things seem
so that I'd been lying right through"
"YoU poor baby. " ant me to come
over and kill herr"
81 want you to come over and
tell Mrs. Morgan that L honestly
didn't know anything about Mother
and Phina."
There was long silence at the
other end of the telephone. Then:
Tell whom. did you say?"
MRS. Morgan-Mrs. James Ogden
Morgan. She's been so good to me,
and like her SO. Come to the Com
munity House here" Iris's voice
grew sharp with terror. "for il you
don't. before seven tonight"
81 know. / understand. You're
asking good deal more of me than
you can tell. Iris. But l won't fail
you. Goodbye" He hung up.
Camilla touched her. Come. you
can't stay here. Iris. Shall drive
you homer"
mo. mol couldn't go home.
don't want to see Aunt Phina or
anybody till it's over. And Allan
might go there to find me. Let me
stay here"
mo. Get hold of yourself" Camil.
la put heavy coat around her.
"I'll drive you back to my place;
there's nobody there but the SER
wants. Mothers away. you know"
She put her arm through Iris's and
drew her out through a basement
door and to her own runabout.
Camilla. be honest with me.
What did people think?"
Everybody always knew Phina
was climbing. OF course. Owen could
go anywhere"-a twitch of pain
came over Camilla's face-"but he
never would. 1t has all seemed like
game Of paper dolls to me. And
then. when you made good with Mrs
Morgan and Allan began rushing
you. people began to take you seri
ously. and Georgia, being what she
is. had to strike. Not that it matters
l think it will all pull straight"
"CAMILLA. you're being so splen
~ did to mel"
Camilla spoke through the rush
ing twilight not turning her face
from the road. harshly:
ooh. had my ak to grind, too
at first. You were Owens sister
Owens nothing to do with it now:
you've been splendid to mel love
you. Iris. you have To- tell me the
truth. Is what Georgia said about
Owen caring for the Silverwheels
girl-true?"
tits true that Owen did love
Sigrid Swenson. but it's broken of
and she's gone abroad. Oh, you're SO
splendid, Camilla. Owen must love
you."
Camilla made no answer to that.
After a silence. she said: did you
ever hear of my father. old Johnny
Wendell? They said he was made
of iron. I've always hated being like
him-Mother always used it as a
reproach. But I'm beginning to think
it's not bad. I'm not breaking stuff.
l Finland I'm rather glad. wish
l remembered him."
Presently they had arrived. and
Camilla left Iris in a distant. silent
bedroom. Her own room was next
door. Iris thought she heard Camilla