The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-09-20

looking for understanding and
sympathy. Then he smiled crook
eddy. "Cecily," he began in a low
voice, "were you ever poor?"
"Pm poor now" she said, WON
dering what he was going to say
next.
II have been very poor" he
went on as if having paid no at
tention to her remark. "For the
first twenty years Of my life lived
in Squalor. After that, the next ten
years were spent working, trying
to get somewhere. That somewhere
was :. well, some place like this.
/ wanted to know people like you
and your lovely aunt. ] wanted to
be part of life like yours"
"But what about all the people
you must have known since you
have become successful author.
You said that you had friends in
London. Paris and Hollywood.
Surely -
Her question faded, waiting for
him to answer. She had a feeling
that he was displeased with it.
He lit another cigarette. "I've
known lots of people. But I repeat
that / feel closer this sounds
maudlin, doesn't it?"
She said politely that it didn't.
He shrugged : his. shoulders.
That's all there is. Perhaps you're
right about my not being quite
gentleman because admit / have
taken advantage Of you and your
hospitality. I'm too weak to resist"
"Then you don't intend to re-
sist?" she asked calmly.
He smiled broadly then. NO."
he answered promptly. "It's near
ly over and | mean to finish my
holiday. Have you any plans?"
Il don't know" she said weakly
and felt exasperated. all her SYM
pathy dissolved.
"As a matter of fact, while we
are having our rare little tete d
tete, suppose we continue on a
more personal basis? Have you
ever considered me as suitor?"
"Never!" she replied with I'M
"fattering promptness.
Wave OF Dislike
YOU might" he answered
L blandly. IF you continue to
grow any prettier. I'm going to
find it hard to remember that you
really aren't my little fiancee. As
matter of fact Pm not a bad fell
low. Had you thought about it?"
I'm afraid that anything
might think about you would be
colored by my first opinion" she
said and pushed her chair back
determinedlY It was heavy chair
and didn't move easily. Cecily
lost her balance as she rose. Philip
had got up at the same moment
and Cecily found herself caught
in his arms She struggled back
ward. her arms pinioned in his
grasp. and turned herhead to avoid
him. A wave of dislike engulfed
her.
Then suddenly she felt his arms
loosen, heard him laugh softly.
apologetically.
She turned her head when she
was free and found Philip looking
toward the door where she caught
quick glance of Olivia's disap-
pearing train.
FOOL" she said.
He laughed again. Don't be en-
barrassed, Cecily. 1t was only your
aunt and she must expect that |
make love to you sometime"
Cecily, her flaming head held
high, had stormed out of the room.
She didn't want to go up to her
own room. She didn't want to face
the others. She went out the back
way and perched herself on high
bench overlooking the vegetable
garden.
After a little while her sense Of
humor got the better of her. She
thought: This is where belong.
When she returned to the house,
the others were playing bridge.
Gloria and Allene Bixby. who had
come back to Maine a few days
before, were playing with Olivia
and Helene Fernandez. Manuel
was deep in newspaper. Philip
was not to be seen.
Philip was waiting for Cecily at
the turn of the stairs.
He had a subdued expression on
his face. He rose at once and held
out his hand. eff | say I'm sorry
and I am sincerely-will you for
give me, .Cecily? You're so very
pretty, Ilost my head. Men do, you
know. promise you it won't
happen again."
Cecily couldn't avoid his hand.
Its all right" she said. "Good
night"
Pretty. Appealing. Soft. Warm.
The words rang over and over
again as she pulled off her clothes,
stacking them neatly on the chair
beside her bed.
She tried to put them out Of her
head as she got into her pajamas
and wrapped herself in her woolly
robe. She sat down before her
dressing table and dipped her fin
gers into the cold-cream jar. Then,
in the light of her small kerosene
lamps, she looked at herself in the
mirror.
Her hair was tousled, framing
her face softly. The pink of her
robe warmed the color in her face.
The lamps on a lower level pointed
up the long lashes above her eyes,
lent them sparkle.
"Cecily Stuart, you're con.
ceitedl" she said to the girl In the
mirror. you're a crazy little fool
for thinking you're pretty. You've
got freckles, and who ever heard
of freckled face being pretty?"
Her question led to another: Did
she locke pretty as this to Locker
Continued tomorrow.