The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-11-16

1
be an adventures.
Tim learned that Mrs. Webb was
returning to the ranch.
He went into the kitchen of
Bluffs apartment to say goodby.
She had been good to him, and she
had watched faithfully over Buff.
Tim shook her hand cordially.
"No word, | suppose, from Miss
Buff" He did not pause for an
answer but hurried on: "Webby.
| want you to promise me some
thing You have my telephone
number, both at the laboratory
and the clearinghouse. / don't
like the idea of your being alone
at the ranch. Tou might fall i'll.
Will you call me if YOU need help
of any kind? I'll come right out"
Her broad face, rigid at first
with some emotion he did not I'M
derstand, showed a wavering
smile.
"PIl call you, Mr.. Tim. You'll
you're a nice man no matter what
they say"
He nodded absently. He was past
caring what they" said by now.
The answer to his letter to Buff
was due, and over due. Each night
he searched the table at his board
inghouse, hoping to find the girls
small firm handwriting on one OF
the envelopes in the pewter plate;
and each night he was disap-
pointed.
He questioned George cautious
ly.
Il don't suppose you happened
to have heard-er-from Buff? |
meanrit's only natural she would
write you, considering how friend
ly you two were"
mot word" was the crisp re-
joinder. Georges sympathy with
his partner famed as bright as
ever, but he considered Tim need
ed to learn his lesson thoroughly
this time. pretty dull old town
without her, isn't it? No tea-time
chats, no dinners. Worst of all, no
Buff in that blue velvet thing she
wore, curlcd up in the big chair to
listen to US CAB about our work.
For such a young thing, Buff is
pretty much of a person. A lot of
us are just beginning to find it
out"
I Can Do Nothing
TIM assented unhappily. He had
passed the stage where he
cared what Weekes thought of
hin-at least where Buff was con-
cerned.
When it became evident that he
could no. longer expect an answer
to his letter-that stifIly apoIoget-
lC, almost incohetent letter he
had written in the hotel room at
Denver-he wrote Lance Carroll.
He said simply chat he owed Buff
great debt and would never be
easy in his mind until he had at
least acknowledged it. Would the
artist give Bluffs address since she
chose to ignore both him and his
apologies? t~,- s.. t.a
Carroll took his time to reply
and when the letter came it con-
tanned only two lines. Sorry, but
if Buff chooses to disappear from
your life. can do nothing"
Winter which hao withheld its
violence until now swept down
on the little town. The snowplows
were busy every day clearing the
roads. The winds came straight
from the peaks and were knife
edged.
There was little work for either
of the young men. Tim had time
on his hands; time to miss a
straight little figure with blue eyes
which looked directly into his, not
dropping like Iris's dark ones; time
TO recall a uozen uJrle gestures. a
hundred infections of the boyish
voice. Bluffs own contagious
chuckle.
He missed her sorely, and as the
winter wore on his longing to see
her grew almost hourly. Iris faded
completely from his mind; or if
he remembered her at all it was
with the instructive recoil of a
healthy mind from recollected
pain Night after night he lay in
his bed, his eyes fixed on the CELL
ilS Jul MS INV dl II NlSLtii OliSN VIII
Buff; loyal little Buff friendly
and kind little Buff. Buff whose
courage was great enough to offer
herself in marriage to a man in
trouble, since it seemed to her
there was no other way to help
him.
His infatuation over Iris De-
Muth~ had given him a facility in
terms of endearment He had
called her darling" and dear
est" sweet" and hearts de-
light" Foam on the wave, he knew
now Even in his thoughts he could
say no more than the crisp little 8
nickname; Buff. Buff He threw
into it enough agoniZing longing
to more than fill volume of love
poems.
He woke one morning with a
strange purpose. He would drive
out to the ranch and see how
Webhv was getting along.
You're crazy, man." George
told him fatty Il doubt if you can
get through on the highway this
early It's sure thing YOU couldn't
make the road TO the ranch. Webby
would have called you if anything
was wrong, You told me yourself
she promised"
''The lines down." Tim an
swered. 81 tried last night to get
her, tried again the first thing this
morning. Even if she's we'll. she
may have run out of supplies in
that out-of-the-way place"
well" George sighed. eff you're
dead set on going. suppose / may
as well go along"
mo, you stay here" There was
brusk note in Tins voice which
surprised the other man. AT the
best. it'll be no pleasure trip. At