The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-15


what about peopIe?"
Il never tried. Always" her
voice mounted. always the seal
It's practically an obsesSion. | sup
pose | should hate that vast MUIR
derous expanse of brine because il
took my father and mother from
me, but don't"
Then" he advised after 81
lence. do nothing for a time. Let
your creative ground lie fallow
awhile and let other impressions
If you have genius.
and you may have it lying latent
undeveloped, It's for something
else perhaps. JAM What is
For she was weeping, the hot
tears pushing through her thick
lashes. CONSERVATION filed him
She was so fragile-Iooking. she
looked like hurt child crying out
heartbreak and disappointment.
IL know I'm not IA genius"
she stammered. tive tried and
tried and sometimes | thought
had it-but | didn't have It. T.
eludes me, like wind Wanting II
do a thing isn't-doing il"
Don't | known" he asked soft
ly. Il guess we're just a couple OF
frustrated artists. Jan, and misery
loves company" He put his arm
around her shoulders in a gesture
of sympathy and camaraderie. Her
hair. fragrant and clean and un
perfumed. blew against his chin
Then something. call it an emo
tional spark, sprang from nowhere
to ignite both of them. Trembling
she turned to face him. His arm
frightened. caught her close agains;
his hard chest: his lips brushed
the tear-drops from her lashes
then found her lips and held them
in a kiss. A very tender kiss. He
felt her mouth soft and quiverine
and unanswering. UnconsciOuSly
it piqued him. Again he kissed
her, lips importunate. Her arms
went up and around his neck and
caught bJ s'.dden rapturous
emotion, she returned his kiss. A
moment he held her, hen let her
60. rudely. abruptly.
Rather Melodramatic'
THROUGH tears, she saw the
l. dark scowl on his face.
No use making us both more
miserable!" he grated. Damn it.
Jan, I'm sorry this happened. ]
liked the basis we were on. | can't
give you love, romance. marriage
and you're the sort who'd expect
them | can't give anybody any
thing, least of all myself. / wish
you'd forget | kissed you"
She showed her hair back OF
her ears and managed a very
small ghost of a smile. 81 have
poor memory" she said. A gust of
anger swept her. Aren't you be
ing rather silly, Derek? Rather
melodramatic? didn't inquire
" neither your intentions were hon
orable or not, you - you egotist'
Don't you think I've been kissed
before?' The shrill sound OF
her voice irritated her ears. az,
1T was just one of those things
that happen sometimes. You were
sorry for mel was sorry for you
oh. Derek. for goodness sake
stop scowling and leave me
alonel"
At the edge of the trap door he
paused to look back at her queer
ly. uncertainty. Then from below
Lance called.
When Lance called. Jan went
At once. without fuss. If she didn'i
ne fretted himself into sick fever
iShneSS.
Jan dabbed at her eyes with heI
hands before she opened his door
She saw at once what had prompt
ed his call. The clipper ship. in
the process of being vanished
had slipped from his hands TO the
floor and one of the wings hac
crumpled. Lance was staring at il
white faced, as if it were world
shaking calamity. but Jan knew
ne wasn't seeing the tiny ship a.
all; he was living again over the
times he'd piloted great planes or
test flights and bailed out more
than once when a wing gave way
She went down on her knees to
pick up the tiny model plane. Mo
mentarily she forgot the scene OF
the roof. As she laid the plane on
Lance's lap she looked into his
drawn face. At first he seemed MOI
to to see her at all, then his eyes
focused and he demanded:
What happened between you
and Derek. Jan? heard him 60
up on the roof. You've been cry
ing. What did he say to you? Wha;
did he do?"
Telltale scarlet rushed up her
throat and famed in her cheeks
Nothing, Lance"
Don't lie to me, Jan! Did be
hurt you in some way? Did he7
Answer mel"
He only agreed with me thar
my painting is no good" she con
feSsed YEARLY. "And then I went
feminine and - and cried. That's
all"
His strange. beautiful eyes
bored into her. That's all you in
tend to tell me, at least" he
amended "Jan. are you falling in
love with the man? Are You?"
OF course not, silly"
You never were a good pre-
varicator," he frowned. You don't
know who he IS. Nothing about
him. An honest man is not so ret
icent about himself, Jan. won't
see you hurt Tell him to go. Tell
him to leave our house. Right
now. If you don't tell him. I viii