The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-30

was upon MN. What had this W0-
man done to him? She pondered.
her bright new love suffering its
first deep wound. How he must
have cared to be so hurtl What
was the girl doing here? Had she
happened to come to Sea Tide for
an evenings lark or was she stay
ing some place nearby? Did she
know Derek was supposedly in
China?
Derek was wondering the same
things. Lenore Page was here. If
she had bothered to look him up
at all she would have been told
he left several weeks ago for
China. What in the world was she
doing in Los Angeles? 1t was hard
to picture her away from her
eastern setting. Did meeting her
tonight spell the end of this
cherished second life of his?
Would she tell of seeing him and
would someone be sufficiently in
terested to set detectives on his
trail? Lenore herself might. pro-
viding she had abandoned Ron
ME and had found no other ideal
istic fool like himself to turn
about her finger.
Suddenly conscious of Jan be-
side him. almost running to keep
up with his angry strides. he
said, I'm sorry to behave like
this, puss. ! was startled. guess.
and ducked like a criminal.
don't want to see her. Jan. and
can't talk about her"
Some day" she predicted.
sadness flowing all through her
like a river at flood. some day
you'll have to go back to your
world and your own people and
leave miner
Some day. Not yet"
i want you, to return in tri-
umph," she urged. "Sure of YOUR
self. of your ability to stand on
your own feet and take what life
hands out on the chin! Why do
you think God gave you a big.
strong iaw?"
ITO fool people," he ioked
feebly.
4 Hate You
DISREGARDING this, she went
- on. you must try again TO
compose. Derekl Your creative
talent has lain fallow long time
now. l believe most of YOUR
trouble is resentment against So
ciety. judging from the little
fnl T.
to keep from being hurt by a
world you couldn't adjust your
self to. you've erected such a
thick. hard wall about your emo
lions you can't break through il
all at once. Please. begin tomor-
row to play some each day until
you get back the feel of the KEYS.
Please, Derek, promise me you'll
try?"
81 can't promise. Anyhow, your
reasoning is uncanny. I think
you've hit on something, Miss
Freud! Say. what's going on at
your house? Look. every hight in
the place is burningi'
Startled. she looked ahead.
then broke into a run, digging in
her bag for the house key as she
hurried up the walk to the front
door. Trembling. she fitted the
KEY in the lock and pushed.
Nobody downstairs" Derek
said. quickly accommodating.
As thew reached the upstairs
hall landing they saw Lance's
door standing open and heard the
wild. sharp sound of Norma's
sobhing Inside sprawle1 grotes-
quely on the floor. his legs pro-
truding like wooden stills. lay
Lance, apparently unconscious
and. beside him. weeping over
him. was Norma.
Derek lifted Lance and carried
him to the bed. Jan grasped Nor
mas shoulder. demanding. "What
haDpened?"
It took several minutes to shake
Norma out of hysteria into
partially coherent speech. Then
she babbled. It'd Just come in
from a movie when l heard him
1roan. / came in and - oh. dear
God. he was trying to stand up
tn walk! Before / could get to
him he fell and I couldn't lift
him and was frightened out of nv
wltS-and then heard you COM
ing"
Jan ran to the bathroom medi-
cine cabinet for spirits of am
monia while Derek chafed the
unconscious mans hands and
wrists. After a time which
seemed endless his eyes opened
upon them blankly.
1T could be partly my fault"
Derek confessed. i've been mas
saying these legs of his, trying to
restore circulation. He wanted me
to. but | never dreamed he'd at
tempt TO walk. poor fellow"
Norma. her eyes bleary and
swollen from weeping. her hair
dlsOrdered and her lips working
TREMENDOUSLY. cried out: ITS all
the fault of that Rose Cornwalll
She's driven him out of his mind.
He wants to walk again because
of her-as if she would ever look
at him. anyhow"
Lance struggled I'D on his ell
bows and glared at Norma with
mad. diStended eyes. "I hate YOU
for saying that" he shouted
weakly. you want to keep me
tied to a wheelchair so can
never have anyone but uou! I
nate you. | hate you, get out of