The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-09-11


in India. She'd heard all she want
erd to hear. and all she wanted
at that moment was another ball
Of white yarn which was in the
shop.
Philip had gathered his little
audience about him and was deep
in a tale of the night that he was
lost in the mountains when Cecily
got up and stole softly into the
hall.
She slipped on her sturdy boots
and threw raincoat over her
frock, caught up an umbrella. She
opened the door quietly. With her
fiashlight, she picked out her way
through the pines to the road to
the village.
1t seemed to her that she was the
only person out that stormy night.
The village was dark as she ap-
preached it with her head down.
Nearing her own shop she saw
that there was light burning at
the back. She made mental note
to remind Laura to turn it off
when she left. Laura was darling
but she was absent-m minded.
Cecily opened the door which, as
usual. she had left unlocked, took
two steps inside and stopped
where she was.
There was man seated in her
wicker chair calmly reading a
book!
Hello" he said in voice with
draWl. He rose and stood towering
but with no menace--above her.
Cecily saw in a quick, appraising
| glance that he was not frightening
for all that his clothes were shah
by and his hair tousled.
Can | do something for you?
The proprietor isn't in and ] don't
know much about the place but"
I'm the proprietor Cecily said.
"Oh, really?" | thought you
might be somebody's little girl"
he answered. His aplomb was I'M
shaken by her announcement.
Thanks" she said. and after a
moment Il don't suppose you
mind telling me if there's some
thing can do for your"
well, now" he said thought
fully, "Pm quite comfortable, but
am hungry. Just a touch of
chicken perhaps?"
Definitely Pleasant
HECILY recalled herself. "Just
~ what are you doing here?"
He tried to smooth his rumpled
hair by running his fingers through
it and Cecily saw that his hands
were nice. Not the rough, unkempt
hands of a tramp. She saw also
that he did look hungry. Perhaps
| that was because he was tall and
gaunt, because there was kind of
usefulness about his face for all
that he was entirely at ease and
more in command of the surprising
| situation than she was.
Then he looked at her with a
| glance that said plainly that he
knew she understood. His grin be-
came a wide smile. His white teeth
lighted up his whole face and
brought crinkles to the corners of
his bright. brown eyes.
of course, ! owe my hostess. an
explanation" he said then. Here
it is, lady: / got into town after the
telegraph Office was closed, discov-
cred my luggage hadn't arrived.
that / was momentarily embar-
raised for funds and therefore
didn't wish to register at the hotel.
just naturally gravitated toward
bookShop, discovered that the
light was on and.the door open and
took it for an invitation. It's very
comfortable here. like it. Do you
rent rooms by any chance?"
mo, just books"
Well" he said, indicating a
chair for Cecily which she sat on
at once. He returned to the one he
had vacated. and continued, "Tve
often felt that a book was more
necessary than a room. Although
| there are times"
Cecily thought: This is ridicu.
lous. This man is treating me as
though ] were his guest. And I'm
taking i'll Then she wondered if he
really were hungry. She kept a jar
| of cookies, tea and coffee in the
cupboard. The girls frequently had
their lunch or tea in the shop. Per-
hapS she ought to feed him before
she turned him out into the night.
"I'll make some coffee" she said.
"Let me" he said, taking the can
from her hand, and went at the
coffee-making as though it were
| the most natural thing in the world
for. him to be doing it.
trna;Ixy fhnV,nbk. Tf 4 x,,1v~ %L.~
open mouthed type, I'd be gaping.
He's the most impudent. presum-
ing
She couldn't think of anything
unpleasant to add to her summing
up. He was such definitely pleas
ant person.
Interestedly, she watched his
complete depletion of the cookie
jar while she slipped her coffee.
Excellent coffee.
She said it was.
He said he had learned to make
it on the desert. Cecily knew then
where the drawl had come from.
He was a Westerner.
She said again, "Who are your"
There was a crooked little smile
at the corner of his mouth. His
eyes swung around to the book on
her desk-Ride the Rdinboac. She
had put it there that afternoon in
tending to ask Philip to autograph
it. The crooked smile became
broad grin.
Her unlimited guest took a rag
ged package of cigarettes from his
pocket. The names Callen," he
drawled. Philip. What's yours?s
Continued tomorrow.