The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-08-18

Am go1n night, guvnOr!s IN
Iquired the tax-driver.
| The Assyrian in the back
champed again on the cigar. "Yes,
yes. I've already told you that.
! Step on it. man. Step on il. dam
init"
i At about the time that Mafher-
ton, the butler, communicated his
disapproval Of the arrangements
| in the dining room to Mons. Mar
eel Etienne Guillaulne du GUAM
court, the chef, a huge liner was
docking at pier in the Jungle end
| of Brooklyn. Upon one of her man
| fold decks, swathed in a tweed
topcoat and biting furiously on a
cigar. stood Mr. Richard Grafton
bury Adams, oil magnate and lord
| of Saltair Acres.
4 To Mr.. Rich ard CraftonDury
Adams, Europe had been rlanght
but vast pain in the neck. He had
i journeyed thither for pleasure, but
all the pleasure he had derived
from invading the Old World
could have been put in the eye Of
an understood microbe. Accord
| ing to Mr.. Adams, the French had
/ gypped him and put upon him. "A
beastly lot, the French, said Mr..
Adams. The Germans were a par
eel of arrogant militarists, shout
ing and saluting. They didn't know
what they wanted, Mr.. Adams had
been wont to roar to chance ac-
quaintances in the noking- room.
The Italians? BAIL Mr.. Adams had
no words sufficient to describe the
Italians And the same went for
the English.
Well, by Golly, Mr.. Adams was
alive to tell the smoking-room that
he'd done something about Eu-
rope. He'd left it fiat, that was
what. Directly he'd seen by the
paper that the SIS. Dresden was
sailing on Tuesday, he'd made up
his mind. Hadn't said a word to
anybody either. Hadn't cabled
home or anything. And here he
was out in the Atlantic and every
time the engines throbbed he was
just that much nearer to his be-
loved Oil company and the peace
of his Long Island Acres and a de-
cent meal. No, Europe didn't rate
with Mr.. Richard Craftonbury
Adams. In order to find Europe,
Mr.. Adams said unto the smoking
room, one ought to take a strong
magnifying glass and look care
fully down behind the eight-ball.
The SIS. Dresden, assisted by q
covey of butt-ended tugs, eased
slowly into the pier. The gang
plank went down. Mr.. Adams went
dowr the gangplank.
Under the AS in the customs
shed an inspector spoke to Mr..
Adams.
Anything to declare, sir?" he
inquired politely
@Declare?" reared Mr.. Adams.
mo. Why should I have?
wouldn't buy their tinkytopk over
there. Look alive, man. I want to
get home"
Sense OF Remorse
I1NHILE the revels within the
w abode of Mr.. Richard Grafton
bury Adams were at their height,
one Chiseler Jennings sat in the
shadows of a hydrangea bush on
the spacious lawn of Saltair Acres.
It was the ChiSeler's custom,
when not otherwise gainfuliy en-
ployed, to compose himself and
permit thought to circulate within
his massive, dolichocephalic crani-
UNI. Composition of self, however,
was an utter impossibility if one
remained in the vicinity Of Mr..
Ape Coletti. Wherefore, being in
no mind to brook Coletti-isrns to-
night, the Chiseler had retired to
the lawn after first admoniShing
the Ape to remain at his post.
Perhaps it was the thought Of
the broad acres lying all around
him, but belonging to another.
Perhaps it was the tinkle Of glasses
and the sound Of merriment COM
ing from within the house. Per-
hapS it was the covey of shiny and
expensive cars that he could just
see in the driveway. But, no mat.
| ter what its cause, the Chiseler
was being afflicted with a sense Of
wastage and remorSe.
Many years before he had, with
due modesty. recognized that his
was great and fertile brain. But,
too late. he was perceiving that the
fruits garnered by the use of this
high-powered organ might have
been much greater had he en-
ployed it in some orthodox FASH
ion. As 1t was, he had dedicated his
colossal intellect to anti-social pur-
suits with the result that. in that
section of the community known
as the Underworld, he was now
looked upon as kind of benevo-
lent DR.. Flu Manclltl. But, thought
the Chiseler, where had it gotten
him? He had amaSsed no fortune.
He owned no vast estates. When
you came right down to it, he was
nothing but a guy moving couple
of jumps ahead of the sheriff.
A lesser man might have burst
into loud lamentation. But the
ChiSeler was far too practical.
Moreover, there was a bright side.
All was by no means lost. Here he
stood on the verge of a coup which.
II properly executed. would net
him q fortune. Meanwhile, il was
absurd to waste time. Miss Dor
othy South had stated blandly that
it might be at least two hours be-
fore she would deign TO lure Mr..
Van Hardness outside to have his
head careSsed with q blackjack.
And the Chiseler had no intention
OF Suuandering these hours. It was
his intention rather to explore the
upper portions of the home Of Mr..
Richard Craftonbury Adams.
Continued tomorrow.