The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-10-19
Chapter Four
Buff Becomes A Nurse


MRS. WEBB was innocent of any
4fA participation in the affair, Buff
soon discovered.
I'm sorry Mr.. Corliss hurt him.
SELF" she said, "but I'm glad he's
going TO stay here while longer.
] said TO Atkins he done right well
for Mr.. Carroll to find a boarder Sc
soon, and one as nice as MIR. Cor
HSs."
Buff visited the injured man
about noon Of the next day. Atkins
reported that he had had a fairly
good night under the influence OF
the doctors little pills, though his
ankle gave him some pain. He
looked up with a twisted grin.
eco on" he advised. "Say It'll"
"Say what?"
'That classic observation of your
sex: I told you SOP You did, as
matter Of fact. acknowledge il
freely. If I'd waited till this morn
ing I'd have been in Boulder long
before this"
1T never occurred to me to say
II, was the girls indignant retort,
I'm sorry terribly sorry - this
had TO happen to you. I feel like
apologizing for our road. Atkins is
going to have some of the worst
boulders aiken out Immediately"
atkins is staying on then"
She flushed. For the present,
yes" She grinned a little. MY IA
Their says he's an able man."
TOO darned able. I'd call him!
Still -" He glanced down to
where his bandaged ankle was
protected from pressure of the
bedclothes by an ingenious frame
work of the toreman's devising,
'Ifs lucky for me he's here. Doc
tor coming out today?"
Eyes. Why? Are you in so much
pain?" Buff asked anxiously.
mo pain to amount to anything,
] want to ask him how soon I can
move, that's all"
She was too good a nurse to pur-
sue the subject, knowing what the
doctors verdict would be. Instead
she darkened the loom and slipped
away with no more than friendly
nod toward CorliSs.
For several days the patient was
kept under the influence of soda
tives Then they were withdrawn
and both Atkins and Buff had their
hands full with their patient. Rest
ed. his ankle giving him no pain,
he was determined to return to
Boulder.
"If l could hobble from the car
20 the house with Atkins help and
this ankle not even strapped,
there's no earthly reason why ]
shouldn't be driven to Boulder, a
matter of two hours, at the most"
ne argued.
You might tear the ligamentS
loose again." Buff said. She tact
fully refrained from pointing out
two facts he had chosen to ignore:
that she had helped Atkins on that
painful journey from car to hoase,
and that Corliss had collapsed at
the end of it.
See here, young man, you don't
know when you're well of" DR..
Westland scolded. You're getting
the kind of rest you've been need
ing for months. / talked to your
Boulder man and l know the sort
of fix you were in when he sent
you out here. You promised him to
stay at least a month. Well, you're
Z ding TO keep that promise. or get
another physician, understand?
Aside from any other considera-
ton. ] don't want you rarin' round
on that ankle. Relax, relax, fellow,
and thank your lucky stars you
landed here where you have one
of the best cooks in the state, your
own private valet, and Miss Buff to
look after you
Tim ceased his protests but with
. return of that lassitude and in
difference which disquieted the
two women.
Buff had thrown herself into the
care of the invalid the more hearth
~ because the kilograms and let
tiers from Canada, although they
were exactly what Eleanor had
outlined to Lance, hurt her I'M
bearably.
It was not alone the realization
that her parents wished to be by
themselves; il was her own knowl-
edge that she had reversed the old
theme Of the 'possesSive" mother
or father. She had few interests of
her own and they were by way of
being by-products of Lance's. To
anuse him when he was recover
ing from an attack of influenza. she
had written a one-act play about
two Of his cartoon characters. I'm
mensely delighted, he had submit
ted it to a producer and it had been
q hit.
Protectiyeness
NOV she could look back and see
~ how he had encouraged her to
do the satirical bits which had gone
70 smart magazines; the serious
short story which she had begun
this summer here at the ranch. II
was not, she knew now. so much
fatherly pride in her cleverness, as
& wise attempt to help her to q life
Of her own. Lance in the role OF
wise fatherl Eleanor, the farSeeins
and therefore troubled motherl
Buff could not find her amusing i
talented charges in these adults.
She was bewildered, cut to the
quick even though she realized
they were right and she had been
on. so wrong; most Of all she felt