The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-08

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he loosed his clasp, let his arms
| fall to his sides.
"Cecilyi Good heavens, Cecilyl'
His voice came in raSping under
tone.
"You know her. then? What she
said is-true?"
He nodded almost irritably, as
if she were a child who failed tc
understand the obvious.
"It'S true, all right. If you mean
that she and were married long
time ago. Or if marriage can mean
a brief three weeks madness"
She huddled in the low chair,
her eyes dark pools of misery.
"Why didn't you tell me, Bob?
Why did you let me hear it-from
herr"
He walked to the window and
stood looking down on the garden
for a long moment before he an
sWered. Even when he began to
speak, tiredly, he kept his face
turned away.
81 know you won't believe me
when / tell you that I forgot it; ]
honestly forgot it, the day you and
| were married. I'd waited so long
for you, Sue, our wedding was so
sudden-there was simply no room
in my mind for anything except
you; you and the happiness that
possessed me. When | did remem-
Der. I was afraid. Nothing could
be altered anyhow. You and I were
man and wife.
you'd told me more than once
that you'd never expect to claim
your husbands past when you
married. knew that was foolish
ness, knew that only an unawak-
ened girl could talk like that. But
l tried to justify my silence by re-
Numbering you had said that.
mo one here knew I'd been
married before. could hardly be-
lieve it myself. It was more than
five years ago, it was all so vague,
almost dream like. I hadn't an idea
where Cecily was; married, prob
ably, and as anxious to forget me
as I'd forgotten her"
HOt-Headed Boy
LIE TURNED then and came to
L L drop before her on one knee,
not touching her but bringing his
face on a level with hers that he
might look into her eyes.
''My darling, try to understand!
The man who married you is no
more the untried, hot-headed,
foolish boy who dashed into mar
riage with a girl he'd known only
a few days-who romped into mar
riage, as good joke!-than the
leaves on this oak outside are last
years leaves-the leaves of five
hyears ago. They may look the
same, but they're entirely different
leaves. Why. ] can hardly remem-
Der that boy now: how he felt or
what he thought; certainly moth
ing of his attitude toward Cecily
Meade. Can you understand that,
Sue?"
She shook her head. "About any
thing else l could perhaps: not
about marriage; not about the most
important, the most vital thing
that can come into ones lifel"
"But it wasn't important, 1t
wasn't vital to mel That's the
whole point. 1t was just lark:
just something to do to startle the
house party; just a passing fancy
for a pretty girl. We'd not been
married three days before we both
knew we'd made a mistake. We'd
gone on a camping trip to Can
ada"
ayes, she told me-"
He shrugged. eft would be in
teresting to know how much of
the truth she told you, how much
pure fabrication"
"Oh. think she is truthful. She
told me just what you are telling
me now"
"Why is she here2" he de-
manded.
Something about her stock in
the business. / believe"
"a personal interview being
necessary after five years, / sup
pose?"
Strangely enough the bitterness
IN his manner hurt her afresh. If
he could lash out at one woman so,
why not at all women, at herself?
"She said very frankly that she
was curious to SCENE, tool She's
on her way East"
He interrupted her sharply. SIS
she here? In this house?"
"She wanted me to ask her to
stay, butt couldn't, Bobl"
Good grief, ] should hope noti
But that's Cecily Meade all over.
Anything for a thrill. Hasn't she
married in all these years?"
mo. she says not"
"Sue, darling, can't we forget
her? I'd give my right hand if this
hadn't happened. / don't mean my
marrying her: that's all so unreal
to me ] can hardly make it clear
enough for regret; but my not
telling youi My deceiving you
about it. Sweet, it breaks my
heart to see your little face so
tired and white. Come now, come
nowl 1t isn't crime to have been
married before. was only a kid, a
senseleSs kid who couldn't see an
inch before his silly young nose.
Just a boy of twenty-twol"
But you weren't a boy when you
married me" she reminded him.
Would you have married me
if you had known about Cecily?"
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