The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-11-17
Two Company
BY MARGARET cuIoN .HERzoc Y Y
By MARGARET CulON HERZOC

blessing, really, because it kept her
busy for weeks.
When Honey and Richard came
home on the same day, there was
| nothing for it, but to face the mu-
sic.f.s slr.asgo gafs ssaza IL 81.
| Nina wouldn't go to the house on
74th st. until the evening, when
David could go with her.. season,
| She was terribly, terribly,
afraid. -4rese-re
He took her In his arms just be-
fore they went, and ruupled her
a httle--a thing Richard never,
never would have done, no matter
at what fever pitch his ardor-and
told Nina not to worry about his
slight contretempS with her step
father.
81 won't insult him, precious"
David promised, looking adorably
little-boy brushed and washed.
Hes probably very fine fellow
-. only the form in which he chose
to express his concern for you,
happened to strike me the wrong
way, that's all. Maybe when he
sees / don't breathe in my soup or
balance peas on my knife, he'll
think more highly of me-"
David, you're a lamb, and he
tDaS beastly, only, you know, some
times when people are perturbed
-" Why couldn't she just let it
go? Why did she have to stand up
| for him? And the old truth came
back to her with astounding force,
because she had not allowed her.
self to think of it. She was stand
ing up for Richard because she was
in love with him, that was why;
and she didn't any more deserve
to be accepting David's devotion,
and his care and hard-earned
money, than than :. Oh, it
was a dreadful muddle.
q. you know they say things,
David dear, that they're sorry for
afterwards.
David's left eyebrow limited at
his doubt Of Richards ever being
sorry for anything !. but he said:
ooh, sure, forget it, sweetheart.
have"
So Nina let it drop.
David kissed her again-causing
another return trip to her dress
ing table for repairs-and they
started off, at last.
The Yellow FrOek
nAVID had asked her to wear
II the deceptively ingenue yellow
froek he had seen hanging in her
crowded closet, and which she had
worn on her fatal last evening at
home. She had started to tell fib
about it involuntarily that it
was torn, soiled, anything to keep
from wearing it. 'Iut then, she
had checked herself There was to
be truth between them in all
things possible-even the littlest
things; so she took it, and pressed
in, and wore it-shivering. If Rich
ard remembered =.
But she was Shivering for more
reason than the wearing of the yell
low dress, as they stood on the
stoop Of her mothers house, and
when Richard himself, opened the
front door, smiling, welcoming,
beautifully groomed - David had
to push her forward actually.
Her feet wouldn't work.
''Well--y u { VIC runaways.
Hellol How are your"
He might have sent them off
with his blessings, the way he be-
haved. Nina was grateful.
(Oh, Richard, you divine, heav-
emily creature. Don't be too nice!
Behave little badly that I
may be--free)
And Honey -. If Nina had had
to give a one-word description of
her mothers attitude, she would
have said: "Fluttery."
Honey cried: MY babyl" and
waved her little plump hands in
the air; and kissed David and
called him every name but David.
apologizing each time; and wept
just the least little bit, so that her
blue eyes looked like rainy April
skies.
twas Richard-who might have
been suspected of causing difficult
ties--wh0 really did the most to
carry things off smoothly.
Honey was unreliable, lapsing
into long. preoccupied starings at
David, and then bursting into ex-
cited chatter, interrupting some
/ one else.
Nina was so troubled by her own
traitorons heart. that she felt sick
and behaved like an absurd pup
pet.
And David :. well, David, was
really all right. 1t was the two
men--disliking each other as they
did-who carried the evening TO
a certain degree of success.
Honey said; Il can't believe iii!
Are you nice, young man? Is he
sweet to you, Nina? can't e-lieve
/ it"
/ And Richard said: 81 behaved
ike a Dutch Uncle, Honey; you
should have heard me! How dare
you carry off this unwilling
maiden -. ? and al the rest of il
He laughed-apparently all hearth
ness, without raneor.
Nina wired you were in a
frenzy
| Richard laughed again.
After all. what's the fun OF be-
ing a Stepfather if you cant 20 on
a parental orgy once in a while7
Besides he glanced aE Nina,
IL didn't make much difference
what said, did it,"