The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-08-31
Meet Mr. LOcIiinvur
BY Marie BLIZZARD

IloI" for Doug. She was quick TO
note that Doug's face was tight
about the lips and the cheer in his
voice was simulated. Doug was
definitely down.
whats the news?" she asked
after little while.
Doug lit a cigarette and, appar-
emily not hearing her question, fell
to silence that remained lnbroken
until they had driven out of the
village. On the road through the
dunes he talked about his exams,
about the senior prom to which he
was planning to take Cecily. And
all of his small talk only served to
increase her apprehension.
She waited in fever Of in1pa-
tience while Doug had his shower
and dressed.
'sNow, what is it?" she said when
he Joined her a little while later.
Il know something is up. / know
that Mr.. Lathrop is dead. / saw it
in the Boston paper today. Nat
urally, assume that there is some
tie-up between that and your OBJ
vious state of mind. It is obvious.
you know, that you are considers
ably worried about something. Is
it -. it can't be Mr.. Lathropl"
Douglas didn't answer her.
"But, Doug! We didn't really
know him. After all. it wasn't as
though he were real friend. We
haven't ever seen him excep t
when he's sent for US to come to
his Office to sign for something or
other. Of course. I'm shocked
about it. It is rather dreadful to
think the poor man was so i'll that
he was desperate about it.
"He didn't kin himself because
he was i'll, Cecily."
"Ohr"
'He was in Deep"
with our money!
Every cent of it." he answered.
mot every cent?" Cecily pro-
tested. at was in a trust fund. It
couldn't bel"
Flaty
"TT IS. Only God Knows how he
i did it but there isn't a cent left.
A quarter of million gone and
not one penny to be had"
'Then we're broker"
"Flat," he answered. "We're the
proverbial orphans of the storm,
my gel! We haven't sou unless
you have money in the bank"
Thaven't much, Doug. About a
hundred think. Our next quar-
terly was due the first of June. I've
been spending rather recklessly
but 3. but things can't be as bad
as they seem"
I'm afraid they're lot worse"
he answered dolefully.
'eHow much worse?"
You've got a New York apart
ment on your hands. :. -
The rent is paid until Septem-
Der and l can sublet-so that isn't
so bad"
''We can't even stay on here,
-Cecily, unless / take up a fishing
career. Besides. we owe about five
hundred on this place with taxes
and the bill for putting in a new
bathroom and the paint job. And
there's Libby to be paid"
Cecily was trying to get used to
the overwhelming idea that they
were penniless. She had never in
her life known what it was not to
know where the next sum was
coming from.
Doug, is it really so bad that we
haven't even hundred?"
"Cecily, I'm trying to tell you
that" He looked so abiectly mis-
cradle that Cecily got a firm grip
on herself. She sat up a little
straighter. as though her will was
in her backbone, and her chin
went up a trifie.
"Swell!" she said, much to
Doug's surprise, and explained un-
expectedly, Were free, white
and twenty-one and it's time that
we earned something for our
selves. We've always been talking
about character building and now
we've got a real chance to do it. !"
Doug laughed mirthlessly. "You
might consider hoto. What can ire
do?"