The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-02
Chapter II
FROM DENIS

FhOm OENi0
NTILLY gave a buffet supper the
4F1 next night ito start the ball
rolling" as she put it, although the
ball usually rolled in their direction
without assistance. She and Carol
spent the morning cutting up hens
for creamed chicken while Annie.
the Negro cook. "did tie house"
They talked steadily and happily,
about small, unimportant things.
Annie popped in and out, beaming.
inventing opportunities for CONVEX
sation with Carol. whom she adored.
"Lawd. Miss Carol" she had said
in greeting. you looks younger an
prettier than ever!" -
Carol grinned skeptically and at.
fectionately. "You darned liar.
How's that no-'count husband Of
yours?"
Annie shrugged Olithely. Il ain
even speakin' to i'm rat now. ex'
cusin' when I tells i'm to bring in
some stove wood"
Annie and Bud led a tumultuous
life, alternating periods Of fierce
loyalty with interval of very ar
ticulate contempt. and Armies &C
counts of their battles were well
worth preserving.
Milly cut the conversation short.
"Be sure and go over the furniture
well. Annie"
Annie departed reluctantly.
"Yes'm. wuz jus fixin' to do that"
At seven the guests began to ar
rive. and the house became noisy
and alive. Like most small town
groups the crowd" was heteroge-
neous: friends of Jill and Pat and
Carol. and one or two of Milly's own
contemporaries who mad Milly's
youthfulness of spirit. They were
very glad to see Carol and their wei.
Acome fitted her again into a niche
of her own. niche she could never
occupy as a teacher in ASHORE.
Don came a little late. and Carol
guessed that he wanted the imper-
sonality of a crowd to help him over
the first few minutes. She met him
exactly as she had met the others.
and then resumed an interrupted
conversation.
His eyes found jill and greeted
her above half a dozen heads. then
swung back to Carol. Over the
shaker Pat watched him unobtru.
sively; saw him weighing and COM
pairing; saw uncertainty mirrored
for a moment in his candid face.
Carol chatted gaily on. ignoring
him. and the uncertainty began to
fade. He greeted Milly warmly.
squeezing both her hands. and then
began inexorably to forge his way
towards Jill.
Across the room Carol and Pat
exchanged a single expressionless
look. so brief that 1t scarcely lived.
Pat bent over to fill glass. but in
his heart the gesture was an obet
sance to his older sister
They played bridge for a while
after supper. and then deserted the
tables for the hilarious unity of
guessing games.
The party reluctantly broke up at
midnight. With his overcoat on Jim
Stamper grumbled: 1--WE haven't
played no Thumbs Up all night"
Pat leaped into the breach with
both thumbs upright. and Jim in
turn elevated his.
"Simon says thumbs up Simon
says 'wigwag.' Stop!"
tJim obediently stopped. and
Louise sniffeds aaYou'rs not SO hot.
Come on. idiot: you'gesgot to drive
the sitter home. and tomorrow's
your week to take Muff to Sunday
school. It's been perfectly elegant.
folks. :"
They all drifted out. and the
house was suddenly very still. Carol
smiled at Milly.
at was a swell party. darling"
And very different. she thought.
from Alice and Tom Harrison's at.
fair that had been her introduction
to Ashboro's social whirl. Leave
the house as it is" Milly had begun
Strengthening things-"Annie can do
It all before we're even awake"
THE days before Christmas were
L crowded and swift. dropping
away like beads from a broken
string. There were hurried trips to
town: Milly ran short of tissue and
ribbon. everybody ran short OF
Christmas cards.
Carol groaned as the cards poured
in. This business is running Christ
mas for me. Instead of being pleased
and touched at all the people who
remember me, my first reaction IS:
oh. Lord. didn't send them one!'
Pat shrugged. "Do you get all