The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-05

my check and bundled into my
coat again, little ashamed to
have listened. Apparently she
hadn't recognized me, because I
turned and faced them as / went
out the door and she looked up
at me without speaking. TIKI.
And then because / was feeling
a little better on top of the wheat
cakes and coffee, I prowled
farther down George Street try
ing to locate a telegraph office. I
found one about three blocks
from the house. And in a burst of
extravaganza and revenge / sent
a cable to Toby:
TRY ARSENIC FOR SUNBURN
DARLING NEW YORK WEALTH
Err GLORIOUS.
The man behind the counter
looked dubious, but explained to
him that it was joke and he fin
ally accepted it.
When I got back to the house
the apartment had thawed out
slightly. Mr.. Kinball had put
more wood on the fire and the
chimney was behaving beautiful
ly. So with more energy than
felt tried to get my furniture
arranged.
But by half-past eleven / was
tired out and thoroughly de-
pressed. Toby was in Bermuda,
yet that didn't seem reason
enough for the state ! was in.
didn't like the house, but there
was nothing definitely wrong with
it. After all. just because some
idiot chose to climb down the fire
escape was no reason to get in
such a turmoil. Yet there was
something wrong - something
couldn't put my finger on. The
fire had died down-Patrick was
apparently still among the miss
ing, because the radiators were
cold - and the wind bowling
around the house crept in every
crack. ! decided the only thing
to do was to go to bed to keep
warm.
While I was undressing, the one
electric light bulb had flickered,
then went out, leaving the apart
ment entirely dark. There were
no bulbs in the bathroom or
kitchen either and I could have
screamed with annoyance. On my
way to dinner I'd meant to buy
more bulbs, but of course I'd for
gotten all about it. And there |
stood in a pair of panties, in the
dark, with no way of making a
light. I CROPPED around for my
bathrobe and decided to risk
bothering Mr.. Kimball's niece in
the next apartment. She might
have an extra bulb ! could bor-
row. Several times during the
evening I'd heard knocking at the
girls door, so evidently she was
at home.
l opened the door to the hall
and there was no light out there
either. / peered down the stair
way and the lower hall was dark,
too. The only illumination in the
whole place came from a wan
overhead light on the floor above.
l said a few choice words under
my breath and crept down the
hall, and when l stopped in front
of the girls apartment could hear
a window being opened inside.
knocked, thinking that if she'd
just gone to bed she would an
Swer. She didn't. ! knocked again
and this time I leaned close to the
door and called to her that all
wanted was to borrow a bulb.
There was still no response. De-
Gliding that I'd just imagined the
noise, l tried the door carefully.
It was locked. Someone WIS in the
apartment l was certain. For a
moment ! waited, but apparently
the girl had gone to bed and
didn't want to be disturbed. Then
I knew that a window was open,
because I could feel the cold air
on my ankles coming from the
space under the door.
Continued tomorrow