The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-10-16
After. a Mans Heuz.t
Chapter One
No Nurse Wanted

"\HE famous cartoonist
spoke with decision.
People! must have
- people about me. I
need to rub shoulders
with my fellow men!"
eyes, darling" his wife
agreed absently.
81 see now I wasted months at
the ranch. Still, perhaps not
wasted. The Cowboy Cartoons-er
were not exactly a failure" He
paused expectantly. He had a
child's lovable desire for praise.
But since Eleanor, his wife, and
Buff, his twenty-year-old daugh-
ter, were deep in their own
thoughts, he went on, a tinge of re-
preach in his voice. Every so
often need to learn the same les
son over again: that the creative
artist cannot afford to diSsipate his
energies" He lighted a cigarette.
half closing his eyes against the
ascending smoke. Simply wicked
extravaganza, my devoting all that
time to domestic dutieSl"
Eleanor started. It was not often
that Lance surprised her. She had
had many years in which to grow
accustomed to the big mans eccen-
tricities and contradictions.
Domestic duties, Lancet In
heavens name"
Buff, leaning against the door,
frame, regarded her parents with
1ndulgent amusement. She knew
where all this talk was leading.
Presently when Lance had aired
his theories and her mother had
agreed without really hearing
them, it would be time for Buff to
lay hold of the situation.
Domestic duties" Lance was
saying firmly. "Daily orders to the
foreman. instructions to the house.
keeper"
The conjugal worm turned, as
toniShing herself almost as much
IS her listeners.
Lance CARROLL You never in
structed a houSekeeper in your life.
! doubt if you so much as remem-
Der the name of this one. AS for the
4oreman-"
He ignored the first part of her
speech, to pounce triumphantly on
the unfinished sentence.
you'll admit ! saw Atkins every
morning"
Mrs. Carroll made a desperate
snatch at her usual poise. Lance
could argue a bird from the bough,
as no one knew better than she;
and how he enjoyed It'll Useless to
point out that Atkins had been
his model during the past three
months.
"Of course you saw him every
day, DEAR" she said practically.
S@And il you like it here in the
hotel, there's no reason why we
shouldn't stay on. What about the
ranch, in that case? We came away
in such a hurry nothing was de-
cided. Shall we put it up for sale.
or simply close the house?"
Her husband carefully inspected
the end of his cigarette.
Neither" he said iudicially.
We'll let Atkins carry on-for this
year at least. Able man, Atkinsl
And Mrs. Webb"-he slowed gay
~ humorous glance at his women
folks fairly competent house
keeper"
His chastened wife accepted de-
feat graciouSly. "You always see
more than I give you credit for,
Lancet
ooh, WE'LL The artists quick per-
ception-but here's this, Eleanor.
It's only the first of September; too
warm to stay here in Chicago.
What plan is"-he threw away
his cigarette, fitted his finger tips
together with an air of having
spent hours in anxious considera-
ton Of the future-"a motor tour
through Canada. The tourists will
have gone by now, praise bel Well
Jog along in leisurely fashion. A.. /
The only thing is" he interrupted
himself, Il left lot of stuff at the
ranch which must be sorted: sorted
and stored. As you say, we came
away In a bit of hurry"
Dozens OF Reasons
ELEANOR forebore to remind
II him that the hurry had been of
his own making.
81 suppose I'd better
Buff reused herself. mot you.