The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-25

| tn1ng didn't ring true. II ne naQ
thought she had enough business
ability to make a success of the
farm, why had he thought she
would foolishly spend the money
he'd set aside? .f,;,,.,,;,.
She wished she had waited to
question Barte1l. or hired d Chi
cago attorney to question him. be-
fore she started West. Never hav-
ing been involved in legacieS, she
hadn't realized that six months
had to elapse before an estate
was distributed. Anything could
happen within those six months.
The family might contest the will
and win.
But had I known what was
ahead, I'd have stayed on with
A. j." she murmured. "ThiS way,
I have a six months start. And,
believe me, Timothy Toland, I'm
going to take advantage of those
months. There'll be legs d. frogs
legs on every table in the
land"
First, however, she must find
a place where she might sleep
with some assurance of safety.
She started a tour of the house
and gradually forgot Uncle Timo-
thy, Lily, even Allen Bartell.
Five rooms had been crowded
onto the first floor. Five rooms
with tall. narrow windows look
ing out on nothing in particular.
Mentally, Toni RACED, a few
walls and the Iean-tos Kitchen, re-
duced the rooms to three, and in
serted broad windows which
would give view of the bay or
of the hills.
She assembled the stairs to con-
front five small bedrooms and a
bath larger than any of them. She
would turn the south side into
one big room; at present she'd
content herself with the south
west room overlooking the bay
and, her u bco Scious mind
prompted. Allen Bartell's house.
The Automobile
CHE admitted q reluctantly that
- his place was attractive. It
was modernistic in line with Win
doWs like exaggerated portfolios,
their sea-blue frames gay against
the white clapboard walls. She
could barely see the end of a
veranda which was built like a
deck, but it seemed to protrude to
the very brink of a short cliff and
there joined a pier which jutted
into the bay.
Outside, in a grove of black
salt cedars. was a barbecue pit, a
court which was probably used
for squash ball and badminton, a
driving tee and putting green.
"All it needs is a slide and q
Sandbox to make it a perfect
playground" grumbled Toni.
She spent the rest of the morn
ing listing things she must pur-
chase in town. Abe ambled back
to sit, chewing a leaf of mint. its
spicy aroma fresh in the musty
air of the old house. Abe wanted
any number of things for the
frogs.
Got TO get the cafeteria start.
ed" he explained. Didn't get
seeds, so you'd better buy plants"
At Tomfs bewildered look he
elucidated. Sweet Smellin' blos-
SONS bring bees and insects, so
we plant them inside the pens
and the frogs hop ou4 and help
themselves. Frogs only eat alive
meat"
"And what would you like for
yourself, Abe? Isn't there some.
thing special you'd like for din
"Sure is" sighed Abe. Steak
but couldn't eat it, 'ceptin'
ground"
Onto Tomi's list went, teeth
for Abe" And, as an afterthought,
Cookbook for myself"
Then she thought Of the car.
She had better look it over, per.
hapS back it out that circuitous
| driveway to the front of the
house, before she dressed for
town.
where's the garage, Abe?" she
asked as he started for the pens.
} 81 ABE blinked at her.
THE garage, where we keep
the automobile" she repeated.
/ %Oh, that" Abe jerked his
thumb towards a ramshackle
shed.
Toni approached the shed with
considerable apprehension, the
memory of Aliens words ringing
warning. She took one look in
side. So Timothy Toland had had
the nerve to call that an automo-
bile. No wonder there were doors
at both ends of the shed.
Toni blocked open the south
doors which would allow her to
drive forward. then surveyed the
vehicle. 1t was almost as old as Abe
and in as dire need of repair. Even
| the sagging tenders dropped like
the caretaker'S muStache.
Maybe" she thought, hopeful.
~, 1T has an amiable disposition"
It took her just fifteen minutes
to learn that its disposition was a
counterpart of Allen Bartell'S.
There was a maddening chuckle
somewhere underneath the hood.
The angrier Toni grew. the louder
the engine chuckled.
Abel" Toni's voice was strident
with anger. "Abe! Come in and
see if you can make this con-
founded tin-can do anything but
laugh ga
The old man dragged up the
driveway, patted the lenders and
opined the car was "a little fusSy."
He squeezed under the wheel and
began the same Sing-song COM
munion he had used on the frogs.
And, frog-like, it responded.
Toni fed as the car Sprang into
u. -. 4 = u