The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-11-23
;. Company
BY MARGARET CulON HERzoc Y u
MARGARET CulON HERZOC

The Pickering light from the tall
silver candelabraS, shining on the
crystal, and the women'S jewels,
and the bright shades of their eve
ming gowns, gave an unreal air to
the Scenes.. like magazine illus
tration, or the setting for play.
Still glowing from her encounter
with Richard :. glowing with the
knowledge that he did love her. !.
Nina allowed her romantic fancy
to run away with her. She looked
again, at the people about her, and
thought of them in terms of the
theater.
Honey there, on CarIs left,
watching Richard !. s. straining to
hear what he was saying. Wearing
goldy satin thing. with topaz.
the color of her hair :. her name.
Head over heels in love with a
young husband, who, in turn,
loved someone else. How did she
think he felt about her? How did
he? -. That was part of the play.
Tony Leeds, next-So brown and
correct looking - glancing again
and again at the lovely girl beside
him !. in whose eyes, when she
did return his gaze, there was only
friendship to be found.
The girl was Cordelia-dark and
beautiful, in clinging American
Beauty crepe, listening to an anec-
dote, that Carl, at the head of the
table, was recounting. What story
could you weave about her? She
never fell in love with anyone -
perhaps that was it. Perhaps thAt
was part of the plot.
And young Tommy, on her LETT
side Red sof face, eager to please
both Cordelia and Colonel Sell
fridge'S sedate wife :. but mostly
ICofdelia.a 81
tsDAvid then with his adorable,
scrubbed, healthy look -. not in
the least afraid of the Colonel's
wife. and thereby making a great
hit with her. Sweet, funny David,
so very crafty in love with his
wife, who =. Nina laughed at her
plot. It was so intricate.
And next Hester :. There tpdS
a characterl Hester in white,
medieval portrait and Just
about as alive looking. Was there
a story there? Or did she deserve
a good shaking? Was she capable
OF loving-Gnyone?
At her left, old Colonel Selfridge,
the weather-beaten M.F.H.; and
Lilith--so unlike her name-in her
inevitable black lace, straightfor-
ward and friendly, with trace of
powder on the end of her nose, as
a concession to the festive occa-
sion.
And Richard Challoner.
Nina's fantasy play, stopped
there. and became a dream
wicked, lovely dream of being free
to roam the world with him, never,
never to leave his side.
It was shattered by Carl. beside
her at the head of the table
one of the players she had forgot
ten to analyze rudy checked
and handsome, in his full dress
hunt color" Could he be happy,
with queer. wraithlike Hester for
a wife?
He said: dreaming, Nina?"
And she said: YES" without
blushing.
The Sound OF Footsteps
THEY all drove over to the ball
! shortly before IL.
David groaned. as he got in a
car beside Nina. Groggy with
fatigue. his muscles aching from
the unaccustomed exercise of the
morning. he contemplated the APP
preaching festivities. and the fur
ther necessity of heaving his poor
body about, with CONSERVATION.
His thoughts. he told her,
strayed continually to the warm
fastness Of his comfortable bed.
Would Nina be a lamb and sit out
with him, from time to time, when
he simply couldn't carry on?
And 1t tonS because Nina was a
lamb--a willing lamb, as a matter
of fact--that they found them
selves watching the dancing from
the sidelines, in the early hours Of
the morning.
The Hunt ball was being held in
are Of those huge houses, of which
there is at least one in every we'll
to-do community, and which is in
variably called The Manor" or
THE Hail." AL
This one was THE Manor" and
Nina and David were sitting in5the
half-gloom of the conservatory,
from which they could view the
scene.
After a minute. David said:
This comfortable armchair, and
this dark, are having deadly eff
feet on me. sweetheart. Would you
mind If ] limped out and got a
drink and threw some cold water
on my face? :. Shall / get some
one to +. r"
mo. darling. I'm tired. too. I'll
wait here. quietly. Run along. :"
he kissed her and departed.
he had only been gone a minute
or two, when the sound Of slow
footsteps attracted her attention.
Her heart leapt right up to her
throat.
Copyright. 1857 hareares RsrsogJ
Tomorrow, Nina hears the stary of
The crippled young Irishman.