The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-05-02

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thing" she cried, frightened, and
hurried down to the telephone.
"Allen BartelI's office; Miss Car
ter speaking" came the response
to her call. ,-,,,s .,fs
"Mr. Bartel,. please" begge d
Toni.
'He is in court this morning"
(Which court? Where can find
him?"' pleaded Toni.
who is this speaking?" asked
the voice.
Toni hesitated, then quickly she
gave her mothers maiden name.
Mimi de Ment." she answered.
'Mr. Bartell Is in Superior Court
No. 10. the Toland will contest"
The receiver slid from Tomi's
fingers. The will was being con-
tested and she hadn't been told.
Who was bringing the contest?
Swiftly she ran to the next room
to sift through the evening papers
or find the court calendar. There
it was in bold black and white:
To shoID cause l1hy Timothy
ToLdnd,s last 1UilI and testd-
ment should not be set aside.
Hannah T o land, John To-
land
They were all there, the names
OF every member of the Toland
| family.
Toni moved through the house.
She went from room to room. Crit
ically, she paused at the door of
the living room and found it
| charming, every color, line and
group to her liking. Even the bowl
Of glowing nasturtiuns with a
shaft of sunlight turning them
vibrant with life, was properly
placed.
This had been her own. this
house, this farm, this life. Now
they were trying to take it from
her.
And they weren't giving her a
chance to fight for it. "Why?" she
wondered. "Are they all in to-
gether? / don't really know any of
them"
The T0lands
CHE curled into a Sun-Warmed
- spot on the divan. Maybe they
are right. II I could hire them with
out investigation Bartell didn't
approve of Dotty, nor of Pierre,
but neither did he approve Of my
purchasing the car. And Dotty is
an old friend, his old nurse, and
Pierre fraternity brother.
But Abe" She couldn't accept
Abe for anything but what he had
appeared to be.
Perhaps, however, Abe loved the
frogs more than he felt loyalty to
her.
And then Toni knew what she
must do.
She sped to her room to change
to brown linen suit, brown linen
shoes and a brown linen hat which
shaded her face. She must wear
something inconspicuous and sit
far back in the courtroom.
At least they'd left her car. She
imagined Bartell had picked up the
others at the highway.
She spent moment studying an
Oakland map, then jumped into
her car. 1t was ten-thirty. Swiftly
she traverSed High Street, found
the main highway on the Oakland
shore and drove along it until Lake
MERIT lay below, and beyond the
narrow end Of its blue waters, the
towering white courthouse.
1t was eleven-five when a bailiff
slipped her into the courtroom.
The audience seats were filed, ex-
cepting for one, near a corner.
Toni hurried to it, then lapSed into
the quiet of the room.
Allen Bartell was seated at a
long table. Ranged beside him
were Pierre. Dotty and Old Abe.
She stif1ed a giggle when she dis
covered Old Abe had been put
through haircut and a muStache
trim. Dotty looked like a society
dowager, bit bored by this un-
necessary personal appearance Of
hers.
Toni jumped with nervousness
when a man opposite turned
around. He was Austin Toland;
Austin, looking very Toland in
sfrock coat and gray trousers, his
eyeglasses polished Il n ii | thew
looked like twin suns. She felt Just
a little bit proud of him.
Two strange men sat with him.
Toni looked around. The rest Of
the family had evidently remained
in Chicago. But no! Her heart
jumped until she felt she must hold
it with both hands. There was the
Major!
Major John was approaching the
witness stand like a commander
leading an unseen army to battle.
Impressive, suggestive OF power.
he raised his hand to be sworn,
clicked his heels. all but saluted
the jury and sat down.
Austin Toland arose. Major To-
land, you have charged the pres
ent legatee, Toni Toland, inconpe-
tent. Kindly tell the jury upon
what you base this charge"
The Major cleared his throat
pompously. Temperament" he
pronounced. "She has not the tenn
permanent to handle such project
in efficient businessfike manner.
For instance, at the age OF eleven
by Jove. that was eleven years
ago this day. gave her twenty
five cents. Gentlemen, do you know
what she did with it," =
The jury leaned forward. Toni
leaned back. She pulled the brown
linen hat farther. over her eyes and
wished she HADN'T worn the yellow
blouse. L was too conspicuous.
Suppose someone saw her. Inward
ly she writhed. She knew. even be-
fore the Major continued.
She purchased ten cents worth