The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-11-08

wait to be sure!"
So Boulder was treated to the
unusual sight Of Buff Carroll and
Iris DeMutf1, Tins erstwhi1e
fiancee and his present friend and
comrade, going everywhere to-
gether. Buff lunched at the Boul-
dorado with Iris. Iris, with Tim
and Georgia George who exhib-
tied an unexpected suavity toward
the girl he disliked and diStrusted
-dined with Buff at her apart
ment. The quartet took in a weekly
movie together. They drove, when
the roads were clear of snow, up
into one after another of the sew
eral canyons opening out of the
University town.
Team Bluffs living room became
a daily function; with Iris, always
lovely, always a trifie mysterious
and remote, lying back in the chair
which best framed her dark head,
while Buff presided oyer the table,
and the towns younger set came
and went.
mo chance at all to see you
alone these days." George grlim-
bled. 1--WE been wanting to tell
you that the land still stands in
Iris's name. Whatever her game is
she's going to play it slowly and
cautiously this time. She needs to,
in view of the rumpus that bust
ness kicked up here last summer"
you're still convinced she's
playing a gamer" They were talk
ing in undertones in the small din
ing room. Buff had slipped away
to stick her head through the
swinging door and ask Webby for
more sandwiches. George had fol-
lowed her, and detained her in
consultation.
Thrill OF Danger
TxIHAT else?" he inquired SIM
w ply. "It's not in her to love
Tim, or any other man. She might
be devoted to bully, the sort of
man LatShaw is, for instance. but
it's more fear and admiration, the
thrill of danger, than it is affection
she feels, even for him. She has no
inner resources, if you understand
what Imean. Two steps lower in
the social scale and she'd be the
typical gangSter'S mol" She loved
the feeling of power it gave her to
be catspaw for LatShaW-golly, it
rhymes! Sorry, Buff! If she had
more brains she'd make a dandy
spy for some European country. AS
it is, she's not bad, she's not clever.
She's a darned sight closer to be-
ing the sweet clinging vine she's
always portraying than she real
ICES"
"You think this man Latshaw
sent her back here? Gave her in
structions to make it up with
Tim?"
| Exactly. They figured he fell so
hard for her last year that it
wouldn't be a big job to get hold of
him again. It's exactly the sort of
thing to f1atter Iris's vanity. Lat
shaw knows that and is making use
OF 1t. For some reason best known
to himself, he wants that land
back. .. =. I wish to heaven knew
whyl If it is merely to get possess
sion of it legally, he could have
bought it at the price Tim and I
had set on it. But no, Iris must
needs pay what we'd lost, and
therefore renew her hold on Tim.
] Tins the keystone of the deep
dark plot--if plots have keystones.
Latshaw. n ee d S him for some
thing" He scowled all the way up
to his rapidly retreating hairline.
Il wish / knew what"
Buff put a question she had long
hesitated over. Tim what do
you think about Tim, George?"
you mean, is he back in Iris's
toils?-We sound like characters
in a melodrama, Buff! - That's
hard to say. If had had the sense
in the beginning not to sail into
her, that internal chivalry of his
wouldn't have been aroused. AS it
is he's looking for trouble every
time open my mouth about her.
You two are queer" he unused
aloud. "You and Tim, / mean.
Neither one of you is happy unless
you are protecting som e b ody.
Tins doing a knight-in-armor act
for Iris, you're on guard for Tins
sake. / wish" he finished plaintive-
ly, somebody would yearn to
look after me while. Is it because
I'm not tall and sort of gaunt look
ing, like Tim? Or is it because his
hair is so thick and u.lruly? Why
does no one long to rush to my de-
fense?"
She patted his arm soothingly.
You belong to the League of De-
Tense yourself, George dear! Who
saw Tim through that bad time in
August2 Who came out to the
ranch and fused anxiousiy about
his health, his mental state? You're
worrying now, you just said sol"
He grinned sheepishly and Mrs.
Webb appearing at that moment
with replenished sandwich plate,
he took it from her and went about
the living room, offering susie
nance to Bluffs guests.
The first part of Bluffs problem
was solved for her unexpectedly.
and by Iris herself. It was a bitter
day in February, with a wind that
howled like an agonized soul about
the campus, hard pellets of snow
driven down from the high peaks
making walking almost impossi-
bic. The two girls had lunched to-
gether in Bluffs dining room and
afterwards Iris had appropriated
the SofteSt chair and drawn il close
to the fire. She had a cats talent
for making herself comfortable;
also cats daintiness about her
person, Buff thought, watching her
touch her hair with def fingers.
smooth the folds of her wine-col-
ored corduroy velvet, relax in lust
the position which best displayed
the crossed slender ankles.