The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-04-25
Chapter 20
QUARREL


QUARREL
ITO TAKE off your coat and sit
- down." Iris smiled. Tell me
all about everything. Is Aunt Fila
better? And how is Uncle Wits
knee? And"-her mouth was sud
denly dry--"how is Kay Oliver"
He dropped his overcoat across
one Of the slim silver chair-arms;
b, sat easily down in another chair
and lit cigaret.
Uncle Wills knee is in very good
shape: we're trying a sun-ray lamp
COR it, and it works wonders. Miss
Ella is very busy and excited over
her plans for your fathers perma-
nent exhibit. She is really getting
somewhere with it-Persia feels 1t
had a celebrity and Is cooperating.
"As for Kay, she seemed all right
twenty minutes ago A crowd of us
ran over and took in show; they're
waiting for me now at Fifty-One.
We're driving back tonight-rather
q brain-wave of somebody's, don't
you Think"
He had said to her that he loved
her: that he would wait for her. He
hadn't waited. 1t was her own fault.
"Then the news Uncle Will passed
on about Kay-was true?" she asked
through lips that she hoped would
not Cuiver to betray her.
News about Kay? Oh" Morgan
laughed. "Oh. yes. True enough"
She'll be a very lucky girl" Iris
said quietly. And then. before he
could reply-she could not stand
any raptures about Kay. she who had
had her chance and tossed 1t away
because she was a little fool: by
the way. Morgan. your tragic warn
ings about the little country girl
adrift in a great city haven't come
true. I'm having swell and grand
and smooth time"
Morgan's face darkened; It was
almost the old Morgan who laid
down the law tc young shabby Iris
OF the old Lanning house.
TELL me some Of your friends"
"Dicky Hamilton. Georgia Blair.
Jimmy Wills. Natica Schuyler. Allan
Beckley. Lorimer Browne" She was
a little proud of Them.
His face set: it flushed for a mo-
ment. and then turned white; he
spoke more sharply than he ever
had to her; and yet she could not
help feeling that back of it was still
some of the affection he had had for
her.
You're crazy. You'll get into
trouble. l suppose. the way you were
brought up, you're trusting them all
to the bone: you think they've taken
you up from romantic and emotional
motives; hat Georgia Blair and
Allan Beckley are unselflsh. trust
worthy people like yourself. They
aren't"
How do you know? Did you know
them? Or have You simply been read
ing the snappier society columns?"
She threw back her lovely young
head and stared at him.
Never mind, Iris, you're not able
for Them as Molly Williams would
say. You can't play their game with
Them on equal terms"
Country Blossom Wilted by
Bright Lights of Broadway" she
Knocked him. "Only it's Park Ave
Lue. Sorry you think so i'll OF me-"
Its because think we'll OF you!
Well. never mind. There are the
books told Kay I'd be back in a
half hour"
THE mention OF Kay stiffened her
l. still more.
81 suppose you came over to warn
me-"
81 did. partly. And to say that they
want you back. and that"
at isn't for you to say. was their
niece before they ever saw you. Sor-
~. Morgan: go back to Kay and give
her my love. wish you both luck.
Kay's better girl than was. Gunga
Din"
Kay mayn't be brilliant and tai
ented. but you know where to find
her." Morgan answered. They were
we'll embarked on one OF their old.
fashioned Quarrels. withou the hon
est brother-and-sister quality TO
make It stingless. After all. that's
what you want most in people. Good
by"
He had rung for the elevator while
they stood there-he was in 1t. was
gone.
Iris threw herself down. holding
the old music books tight. sobbing
now nobody was there to see. He
was gone. She had lost him. Shed
thought she could have both him