The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-10-21

the rfgnt TO.
She took fun advantage of the
handsome offer. She was homesick,
lonely and unbearably depressed.
She wanted Lance's big arms about
her, Eleanor's soft voice to speak
soothing words, Failing these, Tim
did pretty well as a substitute.
When she raised her head at last,
she looked definitely more cheer
full. She blew her nose, gave final
mop to her eyes and leaned back
on her pillows. Then It occurred to
her to ask:
"How did you know? Did he
they - write you? But, no, Of
course they didn't. They don't even
know you're here. That you exist,
so far as that goes. How did you
known" she repeated.
II heard you crying. figured out
the rest. It wasn't hard. A girl-a
pretty gir1-at least, George says
you're pretty. What does a pretty
girl usually cry about? A love af-
fair gone wrong. So I.eame to offer
my sympathy"
He got to his feet with the air
Of man who has performed his
whole duty.
"Wait a minute! You're wrong
you've got it all wrong. The letters
from Eleanor"
Eyes, you told me. suppose he
thinks he's IN love with her noW?"
well, of course he's in love with
barf Gba'c bic xry;fatH
Look here" he began sternly.
you don't want to be mixing up
in a think like that. If he's married
to her, you keep out. I'm surprised
at you, Buff. didn't think you
were that sort of girl"
They Don't Want Me-
WILL you let me explain?" It is
Ndifficult to be icy when ones
eyes are pulled and red, and
ones cheeks still glazed with tears.
but Buff managed it. "Eleanor's
my mother. The man who encour-
aged me to write is Lance, my IA
ther. Now will you stop this idiotic
babble of triangles? You've been
seeing to many movies" she said
disapprovingly.
"Mother?" he said, astounded.
Father? But why are you crying?"
They've gone off on a motor
trip" 1t was the only explanation
she could think Of but even to her.
self it sounded woefully made.
quate.
Good gosh!" he commented
slowly. "Good-gosh. So that's It'll"
Whats what?"
you've stayed here to look after
me; given up something you'd set
your heart on doing. Buff. l.
i"
1--WE done nothing Of the kind"
she snapped. "You could have
stayed here with Mrs. Webb and
Atkins to look after you. It's just
that--that---" She felt her chin
beginning to CULVER and she took
herself resolutely in hand. She had
cried enough for one day. They
don't want mel" she burst out.
That's what Eleanor said in the
letter. They want to be by them
selves for a while longer"
He sat down again, puzzled gaze
on her. LET me get this straight.
There seems to be more here than
meets the eye. Why shouldn't they
like to be together? Why should
you weep buckets of tears because
your father and mother :. Was it
a trip you specially wanted to
take?"
mot thatl And of course it's silly
of me to go on like this. It's only
that / thought they needed me-
that they'd be unhappy without
me; and Lance does put off things,
and Eleanor'S headaches are so bad
when they come"
Il see." The first smile she had
ever beheld on his face twitched at
his lips but he suppressed it man
fully. well, that's pretty bad, my
dear, but it might have been worse.
You'll all be better, | think. for a
little change from each other. Peo-
pie often are"
That's - that's what Eleanor
said"
what do you plan to do when
this trip is over? When you've
fired or re-hired Atkins, whichever
you deeide?"
Il don't know" she told him in a
small voice. Something - some
thing that keeps me busy. that's
that's independent of them. know
they're right; / know should be
leading my own life. The question
is: what shall do?"
He gave the matter frowning at.
tention. Write? You could take an
apartment somewhere and devote
yourself to writing"
Il suppose could. Sounds pref
ty dreary though. Eleanor says
they'll be in Chicago in three
weeks and I'm to meet them there:
that we'll stay all winter in an
hotel apartment. But Lance won't
stay all winter there. He'll get a
yen to sketch something in some
outlandish place-shadows on the
snow in Maine. or humming birds
in Peru-and off they'll 60"
of you'll 60, too?"
mo. That's partly what I was
crying about. / I'm homesick
for them for next winter. if you can
understand what Pm talking about
mean. it's no good going through
this separation and then Joining
them again: like-like water clos.
ing up over a stone thrown into it.
/ shall have to stay put. making a
life for myself. I can, of course"
she said proudly. 'Tt's just the
the getting used to the idea"
II know what you mean" His
voice and eyes were kind. we'll
have to talk-Hellol there's a
car coming in!"