The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-09-19

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ness had fallen and the meal was
ready.
Butter dripped on their chins.
Cecily had smudge of black
across her cheek but neither Of
them noticed it.
The paper dishes were burned
in the fire which Jared up and had
burned down to a pleasant glow
of embers. The forks and spoons
and cups had been washed at the
waters edge and put back in the
tin box.
The twin lights of their ciga-
rettes glowed companionably as
they, stretched out on the sands
with their backs resting against
the log. Back of them was the still
night of the forest aid the road
back which would oe lighted lit
tie later by the full moon. In front
of them was the ocean, beginning
to glimmer where the rising moon
picked out a path of chartreuse
and silver The rhythmic tDhrrSSh
of the waves on the smooth sands
played an accompaniment to their
contentrnent.
Cecily leaned her head back
against the log and looked at the
heavens. She spoke softly. hesitant
to break the lovely silence Of the
night. 'You were right"
"Umm?"
About the heavens. You said
they looked like a bowl Of stars.
You didn't say it was a lapis lazuli
bowl filled with diamonds. Such
lovely diamonds! I never cared for
them before"
do you like them?" he asked.
Then, I'll pick a handful for you
and make you a crown of them.
Then you'll have diamonds and
sapphires:"
"Sapphires?"
Eyes, didn't you know that your
eyes are som etim es like sap
phires?"
"I didn't know that you'd ever
looked at them." she answered
| softly.
Her head was close to his. He
turned his face toward her slowly
and Cecily felt that he must hear
the pounding of her heart which
beat unanimously in her breast.
She thought: He's going to kiss
me! In the darkness, she could see
that he was looking long at her.
Abruptly, he turned away. II
did" he said. That was all.
Cecily stomped out her cigarette
in the sand
Wed better get along. he said
then. We've got a three hour
hike ahead of US"
Cecily felt that suddenly the
night was chill.
Cold Girls
ICECILY turned the pages Of a
~ letter rapidly, reading slowly.
utterly absorbed in the occupa-
ton. the room about her forgotten.
1t was lengthy letter. unusually
lengthy for Doug. and filled with
amusing anecdotes of his travels
in France. When she came to a
passage in which he mentioned
contretemps with a mule on a
highway in Brittany, her ripping
laugh broke out in series of trills.
Selfish grill"
Philip Callen spoke from across
the room. Cecily hadn't heard him
come in. She had left him with the
others on the veranda. She had
wanted to enjoy Doug's letter by
herself.
COR is it something personal?"
Philip persisted.
He drew a chair up and sat d.
rectly in front of her, only short
distance separating their knees.
Cecily wanted to draw away; in
stead. she stiffened slightly. Then
she relaxed.
ats a letter from my brother"
she said, not wishing to seem un-
gracious. She added, "He met a
mule as stubborn as himself on a
country road and. for once. the
mule won."
Tell me about your brother"
Philip asked. winning her with his
remark.
"I'm prejudiced about him,
Philip. ! think he's the grandest
in the worldl He's my twin. you
know. but much more clever. He's
going to medical school this year
and become great surgeon"
Clever men are all right. ! don't
like clever girls"
Don't your" Cecily returned,
unable to think of anything else to
say. Philip had a way of saying
things that left her at loss for
| further conversation.
II mean that / don't like obvious
cleverness," he continued at once.
"Am obviously clever?"
He hesitated a moment, then he
said, II thought you were at first.
Isn't it clever for a little girl to
assert her independence by going
into business and making q success
of it when she doesn't have tor"
What makes you think that ]
don't have to?" she asked quietly.
Perhaps ne thought that she was
an heiress. Perhaps that was why
he -.
II shouldn't have used the word
clever. Perhaps meant something
else"
Cecily waited, wondering il he
were going to explain himself.
Perhaps ! should have said I
don't like cold little girls"
| Cecily wondered If he had ever
seen her look quite as cold as she
did that moment.
"You see? Just when thought
you were melting a trifle, you
freeze UP again."