The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-10-24
Chapter Eight
The Siege {

The Siege
ALONE in the dining room, Tim
"A and Buff were joined by Mrs.
Webb.
SHOULD I take her up some
solar" asked the anxious cook.
"Or mebby we'd best get DR.. West
land out right away" She added
the exclamation she employed
only in times of crisis. "Mygood-
nessgracioussakesalive!"
Tim mopped his forehead. Il
shall burst myself, just thinking
about it."
"Oh, don'tp Buff pleaded. II feel
absolutely suffocated. Still, her
parents didn't seem alarmed. And
she hasn't put on all that poundage
nibbling away on a lamb chop and
pineapple diet. Tim, I'm sorry
TO leave you alone, but I've got to
get some exercise-at once! ! shall
take a long tramp-climb Audu-
bon and Longs and Pixies, per-
haps."
He caught her arm. mo, you
don'ti / can get about pretty well
on these Internal clutches, and I'm
not going to be left alone here with
that-that anaconda. It might oc-
cur to her to come down for a
mid afternoon snack. Take me
along, Buff, of your charity. Mrs.
webb"
The cook had sunk into chair
and was staring at the table. Il
wouldn't a-believed it if I hadn't
seen it with my own eyesl Four
chickens, and a good size they was,
tool-besideS all them vegetables
and things. You sure amt going to
make money off these boarders,
Miss Buff"
mo-" the girl assented, 81 sure
anti Webby, about supper now
] hope you heard me say support!
Webby nodded, her eyes glazing
IS she made mental inventory of
the food consumed. 81 amt no
murderer, Miss Buff"
The Hunts were still in posses
sion when Buff and Tim returned
late in the afternoon. Mrs. Webb
reported that there had been sew
eral calls for Tim from Boulder.
He applied himself to the tele-
phone and came away, looking
troubled.
"We can do nothing about it this
afternoon, Buff. Worse than that,
II looks as if Hunt has real case,
IL you try to put him out. He rented
the ranch in good faith, as he says,
from man who was, to all intentS
and purposes, your fathers legally
constituted agent. Johnson says
Johnson was the name of the law
yer-"that it will be a couple of
weeks before you can get rid of
them If you can at all. How
ever" he came closer and sank
his voice. There are more ways to
kill a cat than by choking it with
butteri II the table you set fails to
satisfy Maudie May"
Mischief danced across her face.
81 get you!" She flashed out of the
room and into the kitchen.
When the strangely assorted
family assembled for the final meal
of the day, Maudie May looked
about her in panied surprise.
There was a bowl of blush milk at
each plate: crackers-and none too
many of them-in bowl on the
table. Nothing else.
where's the soup?" she de-
manded. 81 never heard of starting
dinner with crackers and milk"
No More FOOd?'
DUFF explained pleasantly. eve
ID dined at noon. We're simple
ranch folk, you know, and keep to
country ways"
Maudie tipped her bowl and
swallowed the last drop.
Il hope there's plenty to make
up for this silly start"
Have you all finished?" Buff
was urbane. Then shall we 60 in
TO the living room?"
"But-but-" Maudie Mays
eyes were popping. "We haven't
had dinner-supper yet%
"Oh, yes! ! thought you under
stood. We have our big meal in the
middle Of the day, as I told you.
Just a snack at night"
"No more food?" The Hunts
were plainly incredulous. "But this
is outrageous Maudie Mays hum
cry" her father announced as one
explaining that his child had been
on a forced starvation diet for
days. She'll be i'll if she doesn't
have solid food"
aPm sorryi / thought this morn
ing you wouldn't like staying here.
Mr.. CorliSs," went on Buff primly,
''has a bad case of dyspepsia
she refused to see his start of angry
surprise-"and DR.. Westland pre-
fers that he have a light meal at
night. have to watch my own diet,
too, so that's all right. I've ten
dency to StoutneSS," said Buff;
Buff who was as slim as one of the
aspen trees now shaking its golden
leaves outside the window. She led
the way into the living room, and
the Hunts trailed disconSolately
behind her.
There, petty, there! I've just re-
memberedI" Mrs. Hunt numbered
awkwardly to her feet. There's
almost half that box of chocolates
left. I'll 60 up and" She