The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-19

cIiCCb OoAs IL pin yOu up OA my
way in"
She didn't look at him. Does he
think Of everything? she wondered
wildly. Aloud she said:
Thanks; that would be a help
| was going to take taxi"
He shook his head. Rank extrav-
agance. I'll come a little early
about quarter past eight. if that's
all right. That'll give us plenty Of
time. And-Pd be glad to take you
to the train"
She wanted to cry: Blake. you
mustn't :. and knew that to refuse
his offer would be to invest it with
undue significance. And so she &C.
cepted.
The girls in the Office were excited
over the wedding too. They asked
innumerable questions. and Freddie
begged for piece Of wedding cake
to sleep on. "I'll bring you a whole
slab" Carol laughed, land you can
all sleep on it-you optimistsi"
"And remember all the details"
Laura insisted. $50 you can tell US
about it."
''I'l try. But I'm not very observ-
ant about things like that"
She and Blake were silent dur.
ing the drive to the station. They
seemed to have lost the knack Of
casual interchange, she thought
regretfully, and was afraid to spec
ulate on the reason. She tried to tell
him goodby at the Terminal en-
trance but he shook his head.
"Wait for me while | park"
IN a moment he was back. Give
l me your check" he ordered.
land I'll get your bag while you're
buying a ticket"
There was a disturbing intimacy
in departure like this. In the midst
of hurrying strangers you were too
completely alone with a companion.
He came back with the suitcase.
smiling a little. Il never saw a
woman travel as light as this.
Irma'd have two bags and a trunk"
Not for three days, surely. Be-
sides. everything I've got wouldn't
fill two bags and a trunk" She
gathered up her change and ticket.
Get porter for that. Blake"
mo need to-" For the barest
second his eyes were naked. I'd
rather carry it myself"
He went with her to the Pullman
and saw that she was settled.
What time will you be back
Sunday" he asked.
She was startled. You can't meet
me! she almost protested, and re-
allied that he had not suggested it.
AT fourteen" she said.
well" he held out his hand.
have a hell of a good time, Carol.
and forget the Office"
Tears scalded her eyes again. l
am getting maudlin, she thought
furiously. and gave him her hand.
"I'll try, Blake. But-well. this
sort of thing isn't quite my lay"
1T ought to be. You're getting too
bloomin' serious-minded."
The conductor was yelling "All
board" in a voice that rolled like
thunder under the sheds. He crushed
her hand and ran down the aisle as
the train Iurched.
He was conscious during the drive
home of an unwonted lack of pur-
pose in his movements. His exist
ence and his surroundings were
gray: grayer even than usual: and
the house seemed empty in spite Of
Irma's presence and his own.
Irma was more difficult in these
days than he had ever known her to
be. She made frequent mysterious
trips to DR.. Freeman's office. and
told him nothing of what happened
there. She seemed always to be rest
ing. and refused his every sugges-
tion that they go out in the evening
OF Invite people III.
1t mattered little to him that she
refused, because the suggestions
came from sense Of duty and not
from his heart. He had an uncon.
querable sense of disaster impend-
ing. and was trying in the only way
he knew to ward it of, but he
was incapable of fighting it single
handed.
He knew the root of his fore
boding and still denied his knowl-
edge. The gray fabric of his life
was shot through with an occa-
sional golden thread, and though
he plucked out the threads and
threw them resolutely away they
appeared a day or a week later.
brighter and more precious than
before.
One day. unless Irma stretched
out her hand to help him. he would
/ destroy the warp and cling to the
bright weft-to discover perhaps
that what he cherished was after all
fools gold.
Copyright. 1885, By MdridH SiBlsJ
And Monday, Carol helps with
somebody's else wedding.