The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-29

for you when we were married.
I was keeping it for surprise.
I thought the children can
live in Sues home town. She can
have her old friends about her
again. She and ! can try to col
lect furniture as much like that
first lot as it's possible. / can
make up to her at last for what
I lost. / was just waiting for AL
len to bring the deed to surprise
you with my news. Now" he
rose heavily, as if he had aged.
snow" Sues voice caught it
up, you're making a mountain
out Of a molehill, Bob dear.
Nothing's changed between us.
Except that l know now that l
love you as I always hoped to love
my husband. You said yourself
that I seemed happier since ]
came home from New York"
eyes, with Farraday having
promised to follow you'll"
The bitter words were cut
short by the closing of the door.
MOQel RalF
YOU'RE sure there's nothing
L wrong, Sis?" Allen asked
anxiously.
''What should be wrong, Bud
dy? Bob's gone East to see Mr..
Pearson. He told you that when
he telephoned you"
81 know. But he was in such
tearing hurry to get hold of the
house, he talked as if you'd be
moving in as soon as it could be
redecorated. And now he's been
gone almost a month. / sup
pose" he hesitated- "it was his
manner when talked to him. He
Seemed-unlike himself"
Sues hands went steadily on
with her sewing. She was sitting
with her brother on the side
porch which overlooked the gar
den, beyond which lay the river.
She was finishing a little dress
for Susan, and she busted herself
with it determinedly.
perhaps it was because he was
so excited about the new COM
pany," she commented. "Reviving
the old name-at least combining
it with the Peerless products: and
getting our old house back" She
changed the subject adroitly.
where, by the way, are you and
Barbara going to live, Allen?"
At once her affairs were for
gotten. Allen launched gaily upon
his own.
You'll never guess, Sue! And
it's Barb'S choice, not mine. Not
being in the shoe business, and
the career of engineering being
no more prosperous than it has
for the last half dozen years, /
can't afford country estates for
my-my wife" There was some
thing almost boyishly shy in the
way he said the last word. 81
made clean breast of my assets
and liabilities to Barb: the old
furniture in storage. my surplus
bank account, my salary. And
she's come out strong for-the
brick dining room-kitchen place
where you and Bob first lived
after his firms failure! What do
you think of that?"
Good for Barb!" She laid
down her work and looked at
him with an affectionate smile.
Don't l know it! Barbara, and
the right kind of home, and
and children! Barbara wants chill
dren, she says. That's partly why
we're renting the old brick
house. 1t leaves us a nice margin
for those kids we both are count
ing on. Yep. Sis dear, your two
will have some cousins one of
these days. l hope!"
"Barb'S coming to visit me
soon? She promised"
"She says if she knew when
Bob expects to come back she's
set the day. She thinks you're
lonely without him."
A sudden mist yelled the dark
eyes which were gazing at him so
affectionately. 81 am, oh, ! am,
Allen! / miss him terriblyw
"You two!" He was indulgent,
approving. You're model pair.
Dis; ana TO think / nad my doubts
about your marrying him! Some
how / got the impression that you
didn't love him enough. l was so
wrapped up in Pats guess !
measured all emotion by my own.
Well, | must be on my way!"
Give the old boy my best when
you write!"
II will" She walked with him
to his car. raised her face for his
brotherly kiss; and went back to
her chair with utter deSolation at
her heart.
Write Bob? If only she couldl
She had sent one desperate,
pleading letter to the Pearson of
fees in New York. It had been
returned to her unopened. She
had not dared write Pearson him.
self. She had not dared make
open inquiries. All she could do
was to wait; wait until Bob's rare
but terrible anger had subsidized:
until sanity had returned to him.
That he had not done anything
reckless she knew by the fact that
his business in Atchison went on
as usual. The manager called her
occasionally, remarked chattily
that Mr.. Trenton would be
pleased at the months volume of
business. Even the amount of
money Bob had left her was in
its own way reassuring; ample fol
a month or so but not as a sum
on which to live very long.
When he had gone that first
evening, f1inging what he needed
into a bag and telling her in Bit
ter. brief phrases that he had to
get away to think things over,
she had been conscious merely of
anger on her own account. It was
all such tempest in a teapot, she