The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-11-09

Buff swallowed again, with more
difficulty this tim e.. Iris had
trapped her neatly. She had all the
curious ability of helpless and
lovely thing to protect herself, it
seemed, Where truth and honesty
best served her, she used them; and
relied upon the same qualities in
those to whom she had confided,
to protect herself. Buff attempted
feeble protest.
Il, didn't worm anything out Of
you! Whatever you've told me to-
day was of your own accord"
mo, dear" The sweet, drawing
voice was like a bit of cotton
soaked in ether, Buff thought. "You
set out to find, out about that busi-
ness with Tim last summer. Oh,
I've. known all along you knew
about it! Lots of people here in
town have told me that he was ill
at your fathers ranch. I knew it
was a sort of breakdown, poor
Tim! I hated to let him down, but
LatShaW-"
Buff interrupted her coldly.
you're confessing to me that you
fooled Tim-Tim and George-de-
liberately? That you knew what
you were doing when you obeyed
LatshaW's instructions:
"Confessing? Darling, no! Conf
ding is the word I used, believe.
And you're not the sort of person
To bptrav a confidence"
Nor" Buff told her pointedly,
"the sort of person to stand by and
see friend tricked twice!"
Iris yawned, stretching her arms
above her lovely head.
"Calm yourself, sweet I come,
to paraphrase something I once
learned at school, 1 can't remember
just where, not to trick dear Tim
but to marry him! There, does that
make everything right?"
"M-marry him! Iris, why?"
"You do ask a lot of questions,
don't you, infant? Perhaps because
I'm fond of him. Women often do
marry for that reason, I've been
led to believe. Perhaps because I
think he has a future-a business
future, I mean. And perhaps" she
said in a changed voice, a white
line appearing suddenly about her
mouth, because I'd be safe with
him. Tins wife would be safe from
everything and everybody, don't
you think, Buff"
My Chosen Wife
A FTER that, things happened
"A with terrifying rapidity. To be-
gin with, the next evening but one
after Iris's visit to Buff, Tim. ap-
peared, pale and grim.
"You asked me to wait a while,
Buff, few days, a week, before I
-. asked Iris to marry me. Well,
I've, Waitedp He scoWled at her de-
family and something in his ex-
preston made the girls heart turn
over. Unconsciously one hand stole
up to her heart as though to steady
its pounding.
And now you are going"
mo" He shook his head. tive
done it. Last night. We're engaged.
It'll be in the paper tomorrow. ]
wanted you to know first. That's
why I'm here"
The room was swinging in slow
circles about her. She could not
have spoken at that moment if her
life had depended on it. With the
superb self-confidence of youth she
had counted. on Tins seeing Iris
with new eyes; as George saw her,
as Buff herself saw her, as every
body but Tim, in fact, saw her: a
girl with beauty and charm but ut
terly without integrity; lacking in
the fine honor which was the foun-
dation stone of Tins life.
Buff, sitting there dumb and sick
with misery, knew now that her
Imagination had played her a ia
miliar trick. 1t had run gayly on
ahead of her mind, picturing
events which would never come to
pass. She thought grimly of certain
bits of advice advocated by the
new" psychology: to think sue
cess and not failure; and thus
achieve success. Well, she had
thought success-if by success was
meant convincing Tim that Iris
DeMuth no longer counted in his
life.
"It's not" Buff told herself with
anguish, "as if I'd been selfish
about him. love him, yes; I do.
did want to marry him; but I'd
cheerfully have given him up if it
seemed best for him. But this i. !.
but Iris. -" q
Tim was cycling her narrowly.
my dear child, what's the matter?
] thought you and Iris had grown
to be good friends. Surely you're
not going all pale and shocked be-
cause of what I've just told you'll"
She spoke through stiff lips. 81
am. Tint And not for the reason
you might think either. mean
crimson suddenly replaced her pal
lor, clear to the edge of her low-cut
frock-"it isn't because T.. well.
you know I'm fond of you, Tim.
I've made no secret of it. But I
don't want to marry any man un-
leSS-well, unless he's fond of me.
too. But this-thiS is terrible, nv
dear" she went on more naturally.
Iris is ! can't put 1t into words.
If you don't know by now, I sup
pose it's no use for any Of us.
George or all your friends, to try
t. persuade you that Iris is-she
isn't
That's enough" he said sharply.
eff you can't congratulate me, Buff,
or wish me happiness, at least you
can refrain from criticism Of my
chosen WIFE"