The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-13
Chapter 35
Party

went out to breakfast. Following
breakfast, she asked directions to
sightseeing bus. climbed aboard
and glued her eyes to the window,
fguratively speaking, and deter
mined not to miss one single
thing.
In the afternoon, gallant BAN
ners still flying. she took a bus
across town and visited Lance in
his pleasant room at the hospital,
telling him of the concert the
night before, of Doctor Murray's
kindness, of how the enormity of
New York made her feel very
small and unimportant.
"As long as you've so much
lime to put in" Lance suggested.
why don't you call up this maya
zine editor and find out if they've
decided to accept your last batch
Of sketches?"
Never thought of it," she said,
jumping up to rearrange the fluffy
chrysanthemumS she had brought
him. Il might have nice, fat
check waiting, who knows?"
Il wonder how much Doctor
Murray will ask us?" Lance fret
ted. IF ! turn out all right, can
fly again and pay off our debts in
month or so, but if I--Jan, I'd
rather die on the operating table
than come out still crippled! Oh,
know | shouldn't talk this way
to you. I've never been very CON
siderate of you" ~.
"You have so,p she contradicted
stoutly. IF I'd been in your posi-
ton l dread to think how misera-
bic I'd have made everyone.
You're brave and good, Lance. l
had a letter from Norma this
morning" she changed the SUBJ
ject cheerily.
Lance moved his head and
shoulders restlessly, appearing
drawn and pathetically tired. did
you hear from Rose? Did l get
any mail?"
mo, dear" She wanted to talk
to him about Rose and Norma, but
she could not Not yet, she eau
toned herself again. He mustn't
be upset before his operation.
JAM" he asked, reaching for
her small, brown hand, you'll be
here at eight in the morning? L
want you here when they take
me to the operating room. You're
all have. Sis. Shouldn't l sign
over papers on the house to you
in case something goes wrong?"
Silly" she chided. Nothing
will go wrong. And Lance, you're
all / have, too. 1t sounds awfully
childish to say this, l suppose, but
let's be good mariners, darling, no
matter how rough the old ocean
gets! Mother and Dad, if they
knew, would like it that way"
eyes, Jan. Thank God they
don't know" he breathed.
When Jan, tired, feeling if not
looking bedraggled, arrived back
at her hotel. the clerk handed her
a thick sheaf of telephone mes
sages along with her room key.
All of the messages were from
Derek.
"Lennie!" she shifted scornfully
under her breath and marched to
the elevator. "Ricky! Well. he can
just phone and phone and leave
thousand messages, but ! won't
see him and that's that!"
'JealOus?'
RUT it wasn't. As she fitted her
- key into the door a tall shape
doomed around the corner of the
corridor and she had to see Derek,
for he stood suddenly between her
and the door. He took her by the
shoulders and shook her a little,
and when she started to protest
he bent down and kissed her
soundly.
Now slap me-" he tainted, "for
feel a slap coming on and ! don't
care at all. Young woman, this is
lesson number one on how to
treat celebrity"
'You just go away and leave
me alone. Ricky" she commanded
furiously. >
"Oh," he nodded, cooking his
red head to one side, $50 that's it.
Jealous, eh?"
81 am not"
will you prove it,"
Certainly" she declared with
dignity.
''Then come to q party at my
fathers house tonight" he baited.
"I'll call for you at nine"
"All right" she agreed, sparks
in her deep blue eyes. "but see
to it. Mr.. Knowles. that I'm prop
erly presented to some handsome
young men. I, |" she declared. ode
sire a handsome young man to
take me places"
Jan" he started to pull her
close. then, for some reason he
changed his mind. bowed mock
ingly. and strobe off down the
han.
Promptly at nine o'clock a
chauffeur in dark maroon livery
called for her. saying politely:
Mr.. Knowles asked me TO tell
you he called several times but
was unable to reach you. He had
TO meet the Countess Won Lurwitz,
his mother. at her boat and viii
join you at the house later"
Countess? Boat? Jan somehow
resisted the impulse to murmur
something about headache and
fee to her room; instead she sank
back into the deep cushions Of the
car and tried TO get her whirling
thoughts under control OF course.
she thought first of all. Derek
could not reach her. for hadn't
she, this morning. given strict or
ders about his calls? She could not
possibly feel affronted by his non
appearance. But what of the
Countess Won Lurwitz his