The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-12-06
Chapter Six
Under Her Spell

Under Her Spell
INSIDE the club the musicians
i did their best to get hot. Anne's
tiny feet few, her short dark curls
tumbled forward and she tossed
them back. She was pale, her big
iris eyes little CLASSY. Suddenly
she faltered, swayed and reached
a cropping hand toward Barney.
a'Smatter, honey?" he asked
quickly, steadying her with an
arm around her waist.
Don't ever-do that-on cham
payne: I'm a little tight you
known"
aJust a little, pet" he said sooth-
ingly. well take nice ride N
the nice air, shall WEI"
She drew away from him,
looked back into the clubroom
and shivered in the hot, oppres-
sive night. "Get my wrap, darling.
I'm going to be cold" :.
you're not tight, you're crazy"
Barney said scornfully, then
scooped her into his arms and
bore her down the steps into the
darkness. A car door slammed,
gravel hailed; the sound OF a mo-
tor diminished and died.
They had not seen us. | muir
INJURED, 'Tarzan on the loose
again."
Adam did not answer. He was
staring into the darkness where
they had disappeared. In the half
light his bland, round face looked
troubled.
Il don't like it." he said at last,
as If he were thinking aloud:
'sThat's girls headed for trouble"
with Barney?" / asked in sur
prise. 81 thought he seemed rather
steady"
'iDon't know anything against
him." Adam conceded. Little too
handsome, maybe. But ! didn't
mean Barney. Maybe he can
handle, her if she sticks to him,
I waited. There was more to
come. / could feel Adam making
UP his mind.
"How old would you say she
ISL" he asked suddenly.
II don't know. Twenty. twenty
one?"
aShe's eighteen-and she's a
drunkard."
''But. Adaml Lots of girls
drink"
''Not like Anne Carewe. know.
I'm telling you this because the
kid is so completely alone. Her
mother is an invalid; her father
Is a doting old fool. And she hasn't
got an honest friend"
what about Mrs. Shaw? And
ELIZABETH"
Listen. Anne could have had
nearly any man on this post. I'm
der that chumnny girl-to-girl man.
ner Mrs. Shaw has her claws out.
So has Mrs. Orpington."
@But Elizabeth
Adam knew what / meant. Eliz-
abeth would never descend to
woman fighting.
you're right. She'd simply
crawl into shell. think that's
what she has done where Anne is
concerned"
Destroying Herself
LIE was silent for a while. FL
] 4 nally he went on.
al may as we'll tell you what
evei yone else knows. Barney Mel
son and Anne split up early IN
June-nobody knows why-and
Barney started taking Elizabeth
around. Some said it was bid for
the Old Mans favor. Some said
he was furnishing Anne for dirt
ing with Charlie Spencer. Some
said she only took up with Char
lie 70 lure Barney back.
A couple strolled out of the
clubroom and down the steps. We
waited in silence until they were
gone. was thinking furiously.
Why was Adam telling me this?
Was 1t 10 let me know about Char
lie? Or was he really concerned
about AIMEE
The footsteps on .he walk grew
fainter. Adams low voice re-
sumed.
"A couple of weeks ago they
patched it up. Nobody knows any,
thing about that, either, though
there's plenty have tried to find
out Some say things got too .ri-
Gus around the colonels quarters
Barney was asked his inten-
tons, or some such tripe. Some
say Elizabeth turned him - wn
-
"But why worry about Amer"
! asked patiently. Seems to me
Elizabeth Is the one who needs
the sympathy--that Is, If anyone
does Suppose they both wanted
him. Anne got him. didn't she?
At least the engagement Is an
ncunced and that's something. II
he's what she wante3--and appar-
emily he is-she'll settle down
now and all the Old cats win stop
scratching
Adam said ooubtfully, Sounds
logical, doesn't it7 But ! can't get
over the idea that something is
driving that kid to destroy her
self"
remembered, cSsa. the CONVEX
saslon about her with Elizabeth
that afternoon. ] told him about
IL. and he seemed touched. But ]