The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-07-11
TWO AGAINST LOVE
by Frances Hanna

she went on through the house to
the back door. Mr.. Jones an-
nounced his intention Of walking
in the fog and went upstairs for
his overcpat. Thorndyke replen-
ished the logs IN the drawing
room fireplace, drew up q card
table, and suggested three-hand-
ed bridge.
Jocelyn could not concentrate
on her game. After losing three
contracts she gave up. leaving the
two men at the chess board.
By midnight everyone had gone
| to his room. The house was dark
and quiet. Jocelyn, unable to
sleep. lay staring into the black
ness which was relieved just .
little by fog sWiriing through the
windows. She felt its dampness on
her face, in her nostrils, against
the roof OF her mouth. Il de-
pressed her. She was grateful for
Sandy who lay sleeping at the
foot of the bed, half Of his small
body across her feet. His alive
L was k1llks
She n Us { have dozed, for
.Sandy's low growl startled her
from a depth of unreality. He
rolled to his feet and, growing all
Of the while, caught the bed COW
ers in his teeth and tried to pull
them from her body.
stop it. Sandy" she scolded.
Il never knew you to want to play
in the middle of the night Stop.
you crazy pupil"
Hearing her voice, perceiving
she was awake, he jumped from
the bed and ran to the window.
barked with low warning yips.
Fearing he would wake someone,
Jocelyn slipped to the floor intend
ing to grab him. but he evaded
her and began barking loudly and
furiously.
Then, through the fog, she heard
voices. Unlocking the screen and
pushing it outward she leaned
over the windowsill. It was the
cook who was screaming. Shout
ing :. shrieking: "Firei Fire!"
Wailing Siren
NOV through a sudden rift in
Y the gray mist Jocelyn saw
flames squirting from the rear of
the house where the additional
rooms for the servants had been
built of wood.
Switching on the bed lamp she
took her Stacks from the closet
and put them on over her pajama
trousers, then drew heavy
sweater over the tops. She slipped
her feet into fieece-lined moe
caSins and sped out the door.
Running around the side of the
house she nearly collided with
Tally who was attaching garden
hose To the outside water faucet
He. too. had dressed hastily in
overall pants and a thin cotton
shirt. His hair hung over his fore
head: his lips were set tightly.
How bad is it2 .Joeelyn cried.
"A couple of rooms at the back.
Your servants got out in time. II
can only check it before 1t
spreads any farther ;. ] wish Bob
would get home.
"I'll call the fire department in
Santa Barbara, she said, turning
back to the house. Shouldn't take
them more than ten minutes to get
here"
Good .:irl."
Rushing outside again she saw
Tally, almost IN the flames, swish
ing the hose back and forth. The
stream of water seemed a futile
weapon against the fiery monster
which grew in size with every mo-
ment.
"The fire departments on the
wayi she shouted at him.
Mrs. Mack. her gray hair hang.
ing In q ridiculous pigtail over one
shoulder. kept pleading with Tally
to get away from the fire. Geof-
frey charged around the house
with the speed of one of his ponies
and started ordering everybody to
stand back and not become ex-
cited. He was careful. Jocelyn
noted. to keep well away from the
flames.
why don't you find another
hose and help Tally?" she de-
manded Of him.
IT wont do any good; he de-
ciared Might as well wait until
the firemen arrive"
Where is Thorn Ncla?"
Dragging furniture and cloth
ing out Of the rooms
Then 90 and stop them" she
ordered. IF you had eyes in your
head you'd see that Tally will be
able 10 keep the fire from catching
the main rooms until the $. oh,
Geoff. it's spread to the fence 4. !.
it's burning the gardenl"
A second she froze with terror.
then tore TO the stables, flung open
the doors and began throwing q
halter on the nearest horse. Ia q
moment The wind might change
and drive the FIRE toward the in
fiammable hay bales next the
stables.
The wailing scream Of q siren
stopped her. She hurried, painting.
toward the helmeted men who
sprang from the truck. Tally, his
face blackened by smoke, his
mouth cracked and parched by
heat, directed them. II seemed like
a space Of mere seconds until the
last angry flame had sputtered out
under the heavy chemical spray
from the FIRE truck.
~