The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-12
Chapter "a
Reunion

couraged the boy with his music.
Wanted him to learn finance"
Doctor Birmingham informed Jan.
"But now now he must be
proud?"
Proud as a peacock! We may
see him this evening. Have you
known Derek long. Miss Mer-
riner?"
Jan kept her eyes shyly on the
triangular velvet bag in her lap.
4Not very long" she said softly.
"He and my brother were friends
out on the Coast. Oh. do hope
his debit is a SUGGEST"
DoctD= Murray adroitIy changed
the subject, leaving her to her
private thoughts and dreams un-
til they were in the box in the
great auditorium and the lights
were 2immed and Jan leaned for
ward. her lips parted in breath
less JOY. to see Derek seated at
the piano in the center of the
stage. vague. rapt smile on his
strained white face.
"My Derek," her heart wills
pered. defying the ridicule of her
mind.
The first deep tones of Rach-
maninoff's Piano Concerto in c
Minor lifted into the hush. Jan
leaned back. her eyes half-closed.
her heart pounding at her ribs,
reveling in the glorious. somber
music Following this came Bee
thoven's Sirtit Symphony and
LISTS Fourth Hungarian Rhdp-
sody. then in the few seconds be-
fore the beginning of Derek's
concerto. she SenSed the straining
expectancy of the listeners. the
speculation that set them on edge
and sharpened their ears. Her
own ears actually panied from
tenSed nerves. Someone put a
pair of opera glasses in her hand
and as she focused them on Derek
her heart seemed to be turning
handSprings in her breast Her
lips moved in earnest. uncon-
scious prayer and then, swelling
to the roof were magnificent.
thrilling tones which brought
tears to her eyesl
On and on swept the splendid
hooc of sound. telling a story of
heartbreak and fear and death
and birth and Joy, penetrating
into the hearts and souls of
amazed. lncredulous listeners end
ing on a whisper of minor. lullaby
Then people were claDping.
standing up to shout Bravo!
Bravo" while the young COM
poser bowed his head. his face
very white. his tall. thin body
visibly shaken.
After the concert Doctor Bur-
bingham held whispered confer
ence with Doctor Murray. Then
the curtains enclosing the box
were parted and Derek stood
looking at her.
%Jan! What in the world are
you doing here?"
"All of her pretty rehearsed
speeches fed into the limbo of
lost words and all she could do
was look up at him and weep. He
held out his arms and she
stumbled into them.
"How's the old albatros doing?
Arne't you right proud of him?"
he grinned down at her. On a
whisper he said. 81 was thinking
Of you when | played. realizing il
was you who made it all posi-
ble!"
"Your music is - what you al
ways wanted it to be-" she man.
aged to say.
Wait For Mep
THEN. abruptly. the spell of
i happy reunion was broken.
and she was being swept with a
tide of people to the foyer below.
being separated from Derek who
was smiling and bowling and ac-
knowledging congratulations.
'Wait for me. Jan" he called
TO her across intervening heads
She tried to stand still and
couldn't because of the reslStleSS
pressure of milling people and. in
the orderly confusion. she lost
sight of Doctor Murray and the
others with him and found herself
alone in a corner. re
Well. what did il matter If she
were lost? She could see Derek.
towering head above the crowd.
turning this way and that seek
ing to escape to her. She was con-
tent to wait Blissfully content
Now as the crowd thinned she
worked her way toward him
shivering slightly with nervous
reaction. Yet before she could
reach him she saw tall. fabu-
lously beautiful girl in white
ermine slip her arm poSSesSively
through his and kiss him affec-
tionately as cameras flashed Jan
stopped. remembering. This was
the girl of the newspaper picture.
Lenore Page The woman Derek
had loved so desperately.
Choking back a sob she turned
the deep shirred collar of her
wrap up about her face and
darted toward the nearest exit.
found herself caught in a human
wedge and begged in muff1ed
tones: Excuse me. pleased Please
let me through"
But before she succeeded a
fTm arm caught her shoulder and
pulled her backward. What's the
idea Of running out on q celeb
rity?" Derek scolded into her
small. pink ear. 81 thought you'd
have lot of things to say to me. 7"
She kept her eyes determin-
edly on his starched shirt front
y did forget to thank you for
selling my sketches" she said in
stiff. formal tones. at was so very
kind of you to bother. They
they ordered more. ! guess I'm q
celebrity t0O in q small NAV