The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-12-17

AS a matter or TACT, that thought
had very probably been in Chal-
toner's mind, when he saw his
stepdaughter dressed for the
street but it certainly wasn't
in Nina's. She had avoided him,
studiously, all the morning, and
had begged for a cup Of tea at
Honey's bedside. rather than have
lunch with him. alone.
Nina said, to David: "Oh, hello,
darling! What a shame Honey just
went sound asleep, 10 minutes ago
-. You were sweet to come, but
] hate to wake her"
David was looking from one to
the other.
Afternoon, David" said Rich
ard.
Hello" and to Nina, "Too bad.
I'll run along, then" He turned
toward the door.
He didn't ask her if she were
going out-though he must have
seen that she was, and if he hadn't
thought she was going with Rich
ard ne would certainly have sug-
geSted walking few blocks with
her, since he had the time.
Since he didn't suggest it, Nina
had to. Il was just going to do an
errand for Honey. Walk a ways
with me, darling?"
David glanced at Richard, who
put his hat down on the table. It
was a significant gesture. It said:
Il see I'm out of It, then -
"Sure," David agreed, and held
open the front door.
Nina went through it with the
barest nod for Richard and
afterwards she wondered if she
had seemed too cool. Suspiciously
cool. Would David think -. :?
The Apartment Situation
THAT'S what the days were full
Il of now: fears and wonderings.
1t seemed to Nina that, at the
height of her infatuation for Rich
ard, she had never appeared so
guilty as now =. when all she
wanted was to be rid of him, to
make a fresh start.
There was something very fun
ny about it. Wasn't there a play
about man who wasn't caught for
the crime he did commit, but was
hung for one that he didn't?
She really prayed, sometimes,
that David would come out and
accuse her, or make real row, so
that she would haze to tell every
thing. That was what she longed
for-but, even now, she wasn't
sure enough that confession would
be the right thing.
She was afraid that some of her
fears were merely Pigment of her
overweight imagination. David
didn't do anything that you could
put your finger on. He just didn't
seem as-close.
He seemed to want to have peo-
pie at home, more than he used
to--Cordelia, Jack !. Even Fran
cine, the model, and Bill +. and
of course, Oracle. It didn't seem
to be enough seeing her all day at
the salesrooms.
And about the apartment, he
had given up the idea of hunting
for a new one. He came home
about the third day of Honey's ILL
ness and showed Nina a floor plan
of an apartment on 53rd street.
"A fellow in the office-Melton
may want to sublet for a year,
on the first of the month :. May
be going out west, and his lease
has another year to run. It's a
knockout apartment, as you can
see. and he'd be willing to let it
for $50, if he could use the SER
wants room, to store some of his
things =
Nina grew enthusiastic. The
floor plan tUuS awfully attractive.
Sounds like simply marvel
Gus chance, doesn't it, sweet
hearth"
YEAH" he agreed. "But Mel
tons not absolutely sure yet !.
what do you say we let it ride for
a few days, till he makes up his
rnind2 We still have nearly three
weeks of our months notice"
Heavens! Only 10 days since she
had journeyed up to Tarrytown
with Richard and hated her
self andf-found herself, and fall
en- in love with David? It seemed
more like 10 years!
So David had apparently
dropped the idea of hunting fur
Their. For several nights running,
Nina asked him: what about the
apartment, darling? Has Melton
made up his mind YETI"
But Melton didn't seem to be
able to and David didn't seem
to care.
He said: Plenty of time,
vet !" and, at first, Nina thought
it was just masculine carelessness
about household arrangements.
She thought he didn't realize
what big Job it was to move
and then, gradually, another dis
quoting thought crept in. Was he
putting It off, deliberately? Was ii
possible that maybe he didn't
want to--go on with her? Oh
Lord, what should she do?
Everything seemed TO be COM
ing at once. Honey's illness; the
decision about moving; worrying
and wondering about David
Nina was nearly frantic. And
| Oracle, too what about herr
Was Oracle trying to turn David
/ against her--Nina7 Was he falling
Ia love with the girl -?