The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-01-23


drove up with the station. wagon.
On the way. sitting beside Allan
in the front seat. Noel asked sud-
denly:
st didn't see Mr.. Sheldon"
Allan's face was serious. HE
didn't want to come. / feel sorry
for that youngster. There's some
thing tragic about aim"
During the beautiful solemn
service Noel found herself think
ing about Door young Tommy and
his strange aloof behavior.
Back in the house after church.
Allan served sherry. Jimmy could
MT be dragged from his toys but
his mother had gone upstairs inn
mediatel7 and when dinner was
announced and Mrs. Marchand
went up to her room. she said with
pathetic apology:
Jimmy and / can eat in the
kitchen-and then we'll be going"
you're both our guests"
And so they al, gathered round
the long table in the tremendous
old dlnlng-room. the strange as
sortment of guests who would
otherwise not have known this sort
of Christmas.
II was wrong" Allan told Noel
afterwards as thew had coffee in
the living-roem "My mother al
ways knows best. / should have
known that. too"
Tomorrow we'll talk about YOU.
lwant Jimmy and you to stav over
tonight" Mrs Marchand insisted
when Mary Johnson spoke again
of leaving
Mrs. Barton was being maternal
toward Janice whose eyes still fol-
lowed Allan's movements.
She's tn mixing IF her own
daughter. ] guess" Elsie Grant
suggested to Noel while they were
talking together. MRS. Barton told
me last night her only child's mar
ried in Honolulu and she hasn't
seen her for two years"
Warmth OF His Voice
T ETS talk about you," Noel re-
- marked and listened to Elsie's
half confess ed story of her dreams
OF New York. success. Noel could
guess at the failures.
Il know several people who
have shops. she suggested. "When
we get back to New York well do
something about finding you
place that you'll like"
Tommy Sheldon and little
Jimmy went out on the grounds
and later when some of the others
put on their coats they found the
taciturn Young man knee-deep in
a snow house.
HE seems contented now" Noel
remarked to Allan as they watched
from the porch.
well. he's interested: that's
something. Later ] intend to have
talk with that fellow and find
out what's wrong"
Noel knew. if he found out, he'd
do something about it.
Hours sped by in leisurely con-
tentment. Janice and Elsie were
leaving on the night train. Janice
had to be at work early next morn
ing. Elsie and Noel could meet in
New York: Elsie seemed cheered
by the prospect of Noel's help.
The other guests would 90 back
to town the next day.
You must stay while: we don't
want to lose you," Mrs. Marchand
told Noel. who agreed to stay on
another day. There was nothing,
except waiting, back in New York.
When, finally at the end of the
happy day, "Goodnights" were ex-
changed Allan said to Noel:
Wont you stay up and watch
the fire go out with me?"
Across from each other with the
burning logs between them, Noel
and Allan talked internationally.
1--WE never been so happy on
Christmas day" Noel told him.
She was relaxed. Problems
seemed far away. Even the play
was remote and she remembered
guiltily that she hadn't been think
ing much of David, either.
That's a beautiful ring" Allan
said suddenly, his eyes on the
cleaning emerald that seemed to
catch the heart of the fires light.
1T was :. Christmas present
from a dear friend" Noel couldn't
help blushing. Allan knew who
had given it, she was sure.
Il Later she couldn't remember all
the things they had said to each
other. But the warmth of his voice,
the keen straight look in his eyes
that could soften so with his
panpIc fho rx,ox, hsc vol ha;,r S~~o,,,
away from his nice broad forehead
these things were with her as
she stared out of the window of her
room.
Hes different from anyone
else" she whispered to the night
that crept up to her window. And
wouldn't let herself think farther
than that. When he had held her
hand in his clasp before he left her
on the top of the stairs, he had
looked down on her so strangely.
She couldn't interpret his gaze.
She didn't dare.
A knock on the door interrupted
her thoughts. When she opened it
/ to Mrs. Marchand. she knew some
thing was wrong.
81 don't want to disturb you,"
her hostess explained. @And ! don't
want Allan to know until morning.
won't have anything spoil this
lovely Christmas.
whats wrong?" Noel asked
fearfully, yet relieved that it had
nothing to do with Allan.
MY sapphire bracelet IS gone-I
had it on my dressing-table this
morning"
| copyright. 1888, Angelo Lordeal