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

the knee caps completely shat
tered, but the tendons and liga.
ments were torn and pulled be-
yond mending."
"Still-" Norma insisted. 81
what I fear most of ALL" Jan.
went on doggedly, ais arousing
Lance's hopes for no reason. He's
resigned himself to a great extent
and it would be pretty terrible. II
he had to go all through that par
tlcular agony again. I'm almost
afraid to chance il, Norma. Be-
sides. / have only a little over q
thousand dollars and no definite
assurance my latest sketches will
sell and this Doctor Murray will
probably ask a fabulous sum if
he should decide to operate"
Ruth looked from one girl to
the other and said nothing. Norma
remained silent a moment, then
said quietly, 81 think, Jan, we
should put the whole case before
Lance and let him decide. As to
money, well use what I have in
addition to yours. I've saved a lit
tie over two thousand and want
Lance to have it. He mustn't
know. of course. No matter what
it means, he DIust have this
chance" She broke off, her hands
clasping and unclasping, and Jan
OWNED her pathetic thought.
She'd been going to say: mo mat
ter what it means to me-" think
ing that Lance, whole again,
walking, flying once more per-
hapS, might seek the pleasures he
had had to forego so long and that
those pleasures might include gay,
lovely women who, attracted by
the glamour of his vocation.
would seek him cut.
Guilty Secret
IN LORNA, do you remember the
~ picture Test Pilot?' Do you
realize if Lance can ever pilot a
plane again he'll probably be a
test pilot?"
Eyes, Jan. But it's life to him."
"And maybe death?" Jan re-
minded soberly.
Norma's lips set into a firm line.
HE should have his chance"
Then 1t is settled" Jan smiled.
Lets tell him after supper"
During the meal, Lance, observ-
ing Norma's perturbed face and
JAMS obvious nervousness, de-
handed: What's got into you wo-
men, anyhow? You both look as if
you were hiding a guilty secret.
Did you break the company
dishes or burn the potatoes?
Frank, are you in on this? Your
sister looks worried enough"
Don't know a thing" Frank
shrugged. mo telling what sort of
plot these three gals have Matched
up"
Jan said. you may as well tell
him. Norma" For a moment, be-
fore the other girl put her words
IN speaking order, she looked long
into her brothers somber. beauti-
full face. not so bleak as If once
had been. yet still rejecting the
hopeIeSSneSs, the sense Of futility,
which even his rare smile never
quite erased. Her reluctance to
concur with Norma's plan was
predicated on the thought that
Lance. his hopes raised once more.
would be plunged only deeper
into melancholy if he were dis
appointed.
But it appeared she was wrong.
AppriSed of their scheme. Lance
said soberly: I'd like to have him
look me over. of course. don't
need to go into that. you all know
too well how / feel. Nevertheless.
I'm not hosting the flag of hope
Just yet. | promise you / won't 90
TO pieces if he agrees with the
others that mine is a hopeless
case"
BY the time Ruth left for town
it was decided that Jan would 90
In to meet the next day for
supervised shopping tour. Ruth,
experienced as a buyer of vo-
mems wear. would select a small
but becoming fall wardrobe for
Jan.
Then you can go in the day
following, Norma" Jan said.
taking it for granted Norma
would accompany them to New
York.
Rose and Johnny dropped in
during laSt-minute preparations.
finding Jan up to her ears in
packing" as she phrased it. with
little time to wonder If her ex-
roomerS were happy. Yet she was
unduly disturbed when Johnny
came upon her alone while she
draped sheets over cabinets and
furniture in the living room. and
said without preamble:
I'll bet you were plenty sur
priSed about me marrying Rose,
weren't your"
Yes" she admitted, q was.
Still, she's the type of girl you
always admired so, Johnny"
"Sure." he agreed, fussing with
the coat button of his white sack
suit; shut it was you I really
wanted all along. only you'd
never listen to me or try to fix
yourself UP or anything"
1T was never me, she pro-
tested, smiling. at was the idea
of creating a butterfly out of a
moth that appealed to you. II
you'd really cared about me,
Johnny, you'd have liked me the
way / was-or maybe I'm wrong,
or maybe ! read too much roman
tic felton, She Strengthened up
moment to take a kink out of
her back and pushed her hair
back from her tired fare