The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-04-23
Chapter II
Enter-.-The Bride

Enter-The Bride
D EUBEN'S trip west heightened
N from days into weeks. About
the failure of the Lutte Justis he
was not convinced.
with up to the minute machin-
cry the vel. will produce better
than ever" He believed that. He
had to believe it.
"Pm not sending one more of
my good dollars after bad ones."
Glenn told him fatty.
"I'll 60 it alone" Reuben said.
want to buy my Share?" sheer
ingly.
ness.
That was that For better or
worse the well was all his. The
installation of expensive new
equipment began. The expense
'.t. was appalling Reuben's assets be-
: gan to melt as snow before an
L. April sun. He must have ready
J t. cash. He sacrificed some securities.
: He sacrificed his yacht
- ~, lie iqe Each, day he wrote her short
iCbkCLOs atS
.up painting out all right" he per-
himself they were, "but
TIL be working man when come
home. darling-I wish could
come today"
During his absence q private
wire had been run to Reuben's
house A ticker installed. Secre-
tary engaged Typists, clerks. The
library was turned into an Office.
Telephones rang. Messengers
came and went Reuben came
home busy man of affairs, with
his finger on the pulse of things.
Gone was his leisure. His
dreamy contentment.
He was in a frenzy to recover
his losses. This was not entirely
due TO the natural craving of
fighter for victory l. gained inn
petus whenever he thought of the
Goo Hoes and he thought of them
almost C instantly They respected
hlm-rich. Poor? He thought of
Gary Brent too-an added spur.
He plunged into some not quite
sound investments with the reck-
lessneSs of desperation. depend
ing upon his luck to see him
through. II he could stay on the
job s.9s.t
Would you mind postponing
our trip awhile. JUDITH" he asked
the day he arrived home.
Her vivid face betrayed how
devastated she would be. She was
holding TO that trip around the
world with the same tenacious
tensity with which an aerial ar
fist clings to his trapeze. Il was
the fragile span-with its color,
excitement. change. that was to
carry her through the first hazard
Gus months Of her marriage. "Of
course, If you can't leave. Reu-
ben"
Il can" Why worry about a
bridge he might never have to
cross? Each day was bringing or
der out of chaos, and when the
good old Lutte JuStis started
again
But--he knew he should have
told her the true state of affairs.
He was afraid TO tell her. Who
ever said love made men strong.
lied. Love made men weak.
wedding Or Funeral?
THEIR wedding day, One of
those perfect days that Sep
TENDER brings TO Maryland.
- - While il was still morning Bid
.tedy laO.Hare presented the bride
taasiwith a leggy, wobbly. sorrel colt.
aeh judith !" dsdainnng the ueauty
sleep a,bride is supposed TO get.
~ hurried TO the paddock TO web
come thee newcomer. so
ii q - ''Oh, you prcciouSl" She went
down on her knees. helped the
new sorrel l. las wobbly legs and
kissed the Slate-gray muzzle.
Reuben watched her with a
queer tightness in his throat.
''What viii you name him. JudyP"
Paddy O'Hare"
Wen chriSten him with we'd
ding punch" CiSsy suggested,
With a smile on her lips. dark
despair in her heart. CiSSy had
arrived that morning. Her pres
ent-a mammoth old Sarouk had
arrived ahead of her.
eff its q wedding. let II be a
wedding. II it's a funeral, let it
be funeral. Never mix the two. ="
II was good motto. She said
II over and over to sustain herself
She felt like a traveller in the
desert lost in an endless stretch
of hot. shifting sand And RUDE.
the poor sap-Sitting over an
earthquake and pretending not to
know.
The sooner this wedding was
over the better, then she could SO
off somewhere and vowl her foo.
head off