The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-11-16
After A NaegEees EHemz't
by JEAN RANDALL
Chapter %
The Missing Maid

Inn over Lne telephone, II Sne
made up her mind to leave you out
on limb. If you'll take my advice
you'll stay in Denver overnight,
at least. Tell me your hotel and
I'll call you around ten. There may
be some word of her then"
There was no alternative. Tim
gave the name of an unpreten-
tious hostelry which he and
George made use of when business
kept them overnight in the city.
He spent long afternoon in his
room, trying desperately to re-
member any reference Buff had
made to the places she liked to
stay. Gramercy Park, in New
York, had appealed to her. Should
he try her there? But she couldn't
have reached Chicago by now. let
alone New York.
In the middle of the afternoon
he telephoned George in a for
lorn hope that some scrap of news
had reached him. 1t had; a rather
surprising scrap, too.
Iris has checked out at the
Boulderado," Weekes said excited
ly. "And what's more it looks as
if Buff had taken her in her car.
Latshaw was in the office today.
He's pretty hot under the collar as
you might expect. First we busted
up his deal with that Detroit
buyer. and now we've kidnapped
his girl-so he says"
Tim was dumbfounded. Buff and
Iris togetherl He didn't know
which seemed the more incredible:
that Iris would go willingly with
the girl who had exposed her de-
ceit, or that Buff would want to
take Iris. He replaced the re-
ceiver dazedly. But protracted
thought-and he had plenty of
time for thought. protracted or
otherwise. before the call came
through from Tucson at ten
showed him that providing for
Iris was exactly the sort of thing
Buff might be expected to do.
Taking care of people is a com
plex with her And | thought she
was going out of her way to look
after met All that talk of marriage
was simply her idea of the best
way to protect me from" - he
Winced-"the Irises of the world.
Shed have done it as readily for
George-for that fool VanLander.
She selected me because mine
seemed to her a more desperate
case" He thought c. his brotherly
admonitions to her. of his stub
born resistance to her attempts
to help him. and Redeemed. Buff
seemed to stand before him. her
blue eyes gentle. her small slim
figure at once protective and APP
pealing
Somehow the hours dragged
along until ten o'clock. Tim leaped
toward the telephone when Lance
CAROLS call came through
"Pve heard from her." an
nouneed the artist "You can stop
your worrying. She's safe"
"But where is she?" Tim
shouted.
Where she prefers to be for
time. at least; without an address,"
-D'you mean that +"
I'm afraid so. She said partic-
ularly that no one in Boulder was
TO know her destination. Sorry.
but Buff always has a pretty good
reason for " hat she does"
"But-but it's absolutely neces-
sary that THAT | see her" stam-
mered Tim. Look here, Mr.. Car
roll! There are things must say
to her. A lot has happened since
you were here. IT'S vital that / see
Buf-communicate with her, any
way"
Write her in care of my adj
dress" advised the older man
"But don't come down here. She
isn't here-won't be here. No use
TO hunt her either. It's a fairly
large country to hide in, you know,
and Bluffs a seasoned traveller.
Put your troubles on paper and
send the letter here. I'll see that
its forwarded"
With that Tim had to be con-
tent He wrote and re-wrote his
letter: used up all the stationery
in the hotel bedroom and rang for
more. At one o'clock or there
abOutS he came to the conclusion
that the first letter was about as
good as the last; neither represent
ed adequately what he wanted to
say. He sealed the envelope, tore
his other efforts into shreds, and
went YEARLY to bed The next day
he returned to Boulder to await
Bluffs answer.
Tins Turn To Worry
1T WAS Tins turn to speculate.
i TO analyze, to worry. He turned
over and over in his mind the
events of the last few months. He
tried TO convince himself that Buff
had betrayed a personal interest
in his welfare inste sd of the char
acteristic helpfulneSS he really be-
lieved she had shown toward him.
He thought of the soap sculptor
and Bluffs motherly care of him.
He thought of the dozen or more
University students who dropped
in for tea and sandwiches. for
small loans. Cor advice and help
with their work.
Above all. he thought of Iris.
Bluffs action in rescuing the girl
who had been the cause of so much
trouble to everyone was proof pos
tive to Tim of Bluffs intrinsic
kindness. Iris was in tight place.
LatShaw had turned snarling upon
her in the real estate Office. and
accused her of betraying his plans
to Tim.
The story of that hasty trip to
Denver was sure to leak out, Tim
unused. Georges eXultation was
too great to expect complete 81
lence on his part.
"And Buff was quick TO realize
AL that While I was stunned with