The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-11-19
Two > Company
BY MARGARET cuoN HEROIC
EFT CuION HEROIC

that he might fancy himself bit
of a playboy :. but he wasn't. He
was schoolboy.
He was utterly natural. and in
love with life.
slow about a little panther
sweat?" he suggested, after the in
Productions had been mades and
the party was on. 4s III =
The biggest surprise of the eve
ming, was GEacie's perfectly deli
cious dinner cooked and served
bysher own hand, from a kitchen
cite that, made Nina's look like a
ballroom - s
and Oracle meandered back and
forth with one scrumptious dish
after another unhurrled, at
ease, keeping up running fire of
conversation all the while.
Nina marvelled at her.
Fruit cup. Cream of mushrooms.
Chicken Maryland -.
''How do you do it, Gracie?"
"Oh, it's nothing, my dear, moth
ing. Just a little something l
whipped up out of left-overs. No
trouble at all I've only been
preparing this little snack for the
last two Weeksi"
She was wonderful.
you know, Mrs. Day." began
Jack.
"Why Mrs. Day?' Have you any
objection to 'Nina'?"
mot a one in the world! You
know, Nina, you deserve to be con-
graduated ;. no, I'm not going to
say anything nice about that mug
of husband of yours was
going to congratulate you, because
you're the first person who hasn't
made some crack about Day and
Knight =. Night and Day, get it,"
well, had narrow escape. It
occurred to me, all right"
Nina" put in Francine, would
never think of being so-obviouS."
ut was pure luck" said Nina
modestly.
Francine's Broad A
ERANCINE had a slight ten
L dency, at first, to be social.
Il saw young Willie so and so,
the other night, at the Paradise.
Amusing place to go, about once
winter, don't you Think"
But Oracle wouldn't let her get
away with it.
What are you trying to do, pal
sic? Impress Nina? You liUe
at the Paradise, you know you do!
Put your broad A back in moth
balls, kid"
David smiled at Nina. His eyes
said: Il told you she was great,
didn't II"
Nina smiled back at him.
Oracle went on.
''You should have seen us, Nina,
reading all about you in the pa
perS. The former Nina Stafford as
the eye-compelling Ice Maiden, in
such and such a pageant, Were
we impressed How do you
like cleaning David's razor, and
putting the top back on the tooth
paste, after him?"
The boy" said Nina. is neat
ness personified, and we have tho
tubes of toothpaste, I'll have you
knowl"
what swankl :. and thought
you were one of usp
David said: nina is a wonder.
Nothing about housekeeping faxes
her. When she ran out of butter,
one Sunday. she fried my eggs in
cold cream. That's initiative for
YOU"
When dinner was over. Oracle
whisked up a screen, and the mat
ter Of dishes was not referred to.
Nina's heart ached for her.
Wouldn't you let me - help,
Gracie?"
But her hostess told her: when
you've been poor a little longer,
darling, you'll learn to treat dishes
with a beautiful disregard. Right
now, they're probably the biggest
thing in your life. But you'll get
over it."
They played red dog. for penny
chips.
Oracle said: "You've gotta get
used to it, Nina your Monte
Carlo days are over, baby!" If
anything, Oracle rather harped on
the subject of Nina's being poor
now.
She sat by David, opposite Nina,
and kidded her - all very good
naturally, of course - about her
steady losing.
Here, here bridel Them's pen
MES you're throwing aroundt"
She whispered with David a
good deal, and constantly referred
to amusing experiences they had
had together. in the past.
Nina began to have a vague
and then very definite feeling,
that Oracle was not as friendly as
she appeared.
Suddenly, her continued talk
about Nina'S elegant past and her
new poorneSs, took on different
note.
II was as though she was test
ing David'S wife seeing if she
could take it.
Nina became self-eonscious and
then uncomfortable.
She readjusted all her previous
ideas about Miss Nolan. and de-
cided that, beneath her apparent
openneSS, she was clever and
Shrewd, and could make a plenty
mean enemy. - f3@ III + &
Copyright. 1897. Nar0arei Hsrsoal
lkG 1853 ft