The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-09-12

Another Penny

looking down the room. She
, r stripped off her bathing-cap.
a Siag mass Of curling hair as
AMY as a ripe chestnut. and seen
thus the likeness to the dead Eve
had lessened considerably
She came slowly towards the
BAR, her face thoughtful. her dark
eyes remote. It was obvious that
something quite other than the i'm
mediate question Of drinks Cccu-
pied her mind, but as she halted a
yard away from us and the bar
man hurried 70 meet her. a sud
den gay and charming smile lit her
face. / caught lay breath again.
ne likeness, when Il came. was
almost painful.
"Grapef uit juice for me. please.
Charles, she said. And rye as
usual for Mr.. WINS, only 90 slow
with the angostura tins time" She
paused, hesitatlng perhaps. on
me whole, I'd better mix 1t my
self"
Very please, Miss Wills"
Charles agreed afably, and as he
set the bottles on the counter be-
fore her the girl rolled up her
sleeves IN q WOrkmanlike manner.
she Vas so near that the soft.
creamy stuff brushed my arm. and
stepped back q pace to make room
for her. As l did so. my elbow
caught Hugo's wrist, in the act Of
raising his glass to his lips, and
sent the best part OF a drink cas-
cadlng down his shirt.
He gave an angry grunt and
whipped out is handkerchief and
IN doing so he ficked from his
pocket something which fell with
uakle on the floor and rolled
straight 10 the feet of the girl
She had watched the accident
with an amused impersonal little
smile, but as she sighted the small
brown object the smile faded. Civ
ing way 10 a look Of sheer amaze
ment. She stopped, quick as a
flash, and snatched il up. My
lucky ent-plecei' she said Nov,
now in the world did you come to
pick il up? l 1idn't know | had
lost II
Neither did !" said Hugo dryly.
He took a step forward so that they
were facing each other, and so tall
was she that their eyes vert al
most on level, wide. soft, dark
ones staring into chilly blue. He
leid out his hand with IN unmlS-
taxable request. Actually said
he. its my lucky cent. 1t was
gwen me only this morning"
The girl looked from him 10 the
little com lying on her open palm
] could have sworn there wasn't
another cent in the world bored
that way. except" She paused
and caught her breath. and a sec
ond time her expression changed
The rounded chin hardened. the
red lips shut firmly.
Just minute. She said "WeU
look into thu, m after. If YOU
please"
a Matter OF Life And Death
CHE snaiched up her big beach
- bag. rummaged in its interior.
and drew out a smaller one OF
white kid. She felt in this and drew
out, with look Of surprise that
Was almost comical. what might
have been the very twin Of the
CON that lay on the counter.
Well she said. isn't that the
queerest thing,
She looked up ST Hugo with
shamefaced smile I'm terribly
sorry, But you see-thcre was
some excuse You'd never know
them apart. except that mine IS
little bit superior. You see. il has
my name engraved on lt-one let
ter on each of the Redskins feath-
eTs. but they're so small you want
a microscope 70 see" She picked
Qp one coin. holding II against the
Eght ~IOoki" she said. There it
is
She stopped abruptly. and for
az instant stood immovable. her
eyes riveted on the coin in her
hand Then slowly she turned to
as, and il seemed 10 me that every
tnge OF color had been wiped
from her face Tell me" she SAID
harshly This isn't a time for jok-
ing Tell me az once where you
Got this coin
Hugo gave her one long. slow
look. then deliberately picked up
the other One-Cent piece and ex-
amlDed t.
"Ott.ae wills" Ae READ our
slowly. ard ..en ha'f Is himself
Yes. YOU picked up the WRONG
com. They IL 50 alike vou d.d0 &