The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-07-27

hurst out. Then she hastily tried u
cover up her break. 81 mean, hi
| must be mixing Ted up with some
| one else"
| mot on your life he wasn't,
| Tom declared positively. He wa.
right there in Kelly's joint wher
| it happened"
'Kelly's joint" Kay echoed in I
relieved tone. ooh that wasn't
Ted! He was waiting for me out
side the bank. I remember now he
did say something about having
seen a fracas of some kind al
Kelly's."
Seen It'll" Tom scoffed. .T'Il
say he saw i'll He was the one who
started i'll"
'But--how-why-" Kay bit her
lip and broke off short. The last
thing she wanted to do was to dis
cllss Ted, and she still felt sure
Tom Runyon was mistaken.
That's just what / mean, Tom
leaned forward and shook his fin
ger impressively at her. There's a
lot you don't know about that Gay
nor guy" Tom Runyon was so
positive, Kay felt it would be bet
ter to sift this rumor to the bot
tom.
He was fighting with a fellow
named Scrap Johnson, about
some girl" Tom answered. II
reckon that's why he wasn't so
keen about mentioning it to you'll"
His tone had malicious edge,
but Kay hardly caught his words.
Her mind was flashing back to
the events of the morning. It
might have been possible, while
she had been in the bank, for
this to have happened. She had
been so preoccupied with her own
troubles when she came out that
she had not noticed Ted particu-
IarIy.
She suddenly remembered some
thing Ted had said when he had
announced on the mesa that he
meant to fight Scrap johnson. He
had said he was going to give him
a second" lessonl Kay had no.
ticed this remark at the time, with
a wondering conjecture, but in the
fast moving events afterwards
she had forgotten it.
Yeah, the two of 'em had 1t
out, hot and heavy" Toms voice
was recountSug the story as he
had heard it. Everybody thought
this Scrap fellow was going to lick
the stuffing out Of him, but Gay
nor got him down by a trick twist.
Then he threatened he'd kill him
il he ever heard him mention his
girls name again..
A Black Haired FiIIy'
TOM paused to let this piece Of
! information sink in, his eyes
never leaving Kay's face.
Feeling his gaze on her, Kay
steeled herself to hide her SUR
prise and confusion. Pride came
to her aid. and helped her con-
ceal the hurt feeling that Ted's
lack of confidence gave her.
There was no reason why he
should have mentioned it If he
didn't want to- she observed
lightly. Perha ps as long as he
won out, he might have thought
it would have seemed like boast
ing"
HE probably won't m n d
hoasting about II to the black
haired beauty he was fighting
forln Tom ehuckled as he scanned
Kay's expression for her reaction
to this remark.
"Eow do you know she was
black haired?" The involuntary
question burst out before Kay
could stop it.
Because Scrap johnson had
said something about d black
haired fillyl' Tom Runyon went
on. deliberately giving a garbled
account Of the information he had
received. his eyes narrowing as
he observed the flush that spread
over Kay's cheek. That's what
started the fight
Well, he evidently had his rea-
sons for not mentioning i" Kay
tried to speak lightly and indif-
ferently, but something seemed to
give way inside her. She felt she
couldn't possibly 20 on with this
conversation. She simply had to
be alone.
She abruptly stood UP. and held
out her hand.
sI'm afraid III have to say good
night With the greatest effort OF
VIII, Kay kept her voice from
trembling. i've had a strenuous
day, and / guess ! haven't en-
tirely got over the shock Of yes
taraay
poor little grill" Tom Run
yon's voice was d trifle over -syrn-
pathetic as he took her hand IN
both his. and bent his face close to
her, You 10 and get a good sleep.
and any time you need any help.
you call on Tom Runynn! just you
forget ahotIt this investicafinr
eSs-leave that al to me"
Thanks Kay smiled family at
him as She drew her hard away.
II hope you'll come over any time
you feel like il.
Trust metz Tom Runyon
doomed heartily. You're going to
be seeing q whole lot Of me, young
LADY, and don't you forget itl''
Feeling 4 weak dizziness gradu-
ally overcoming her, Kay turned
without further ceremony and
bolted into her cabin.
Tom Runynn strobe OF 70 the
bunk house with q half smile az
satisfaction.
fcopsriaks. 1871. Marie a. Nsrvawdj
Scrap Ishnsan aEssiEna. and maksa