The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-06-21
Chapter % .
MysIeriou5 Malady
THERE - somethin. &c 90

THERE U2s something the mat
l. ter with Adelaide.
She had returned from her
visit neither rested nor refreshed,
though she was volubIe over the
kindness shown her by her host
esS- She seemed not to notice the
changes Isobel had made in the
arrangement of furniture, she was
entirely uninterested in reassum-
ing the household reins; worst of
all. she was Indifferent to the
health and happiness of her en-
tire household.
And that means something is
very wrong indeed" Isobel said
worriedly. Adelaide is the kind
est soul on earth. Ordinarily her
first question when she's been
away from US for so much as z
day is how we have Jared"
Do you think she is ILL.," Eric
demanded. He had come down
dressed to go out but, attracted
by the conference being carried
on in low tones by his fellow
houSemates, he had joined them.
"She looks better than usual to
me. She actually had a little color
in her face at dinner"
But she hardly touched her
food" Brenda contributed. 'Isobel
had her favorite lemon pie on
purpose and Adelaide JUS t
dabbled her fork in it; didn't eat
single bite"
Mac spoke. "She is Ill. I'm per-
fectly sure. l happened to touch
her hand just before she went up
stairs and it was hot. Flu, per-
haDs; there's lot of it about"
But the next morning Adelaide
seemed better though languid and
still unlike herself. She had no
temperature as Br n d a aScer-
tanned by the simple process of
producing a thermometer and
firmly bidding her landlady keep
it in her mouth for the necessary
length of time.
Normal" Brenda sighed with
relief.
"Of course it's normal. you ri
diculous child" Adelaide spoke
almost peevishly. I'm not i'll.
Can't a person be a little tired
from a train trip without every
one wanting TO wish All illness on
herr"
The two girls exchanged signifi-
cant chances. Adelaide = to talk
like thisl
Out in the hall Brenda muir
INJURED: HAS she any close rela-
tives? Could she have had bad
news of them while she was in
Springfield"
NO." was Isobel's reply. sPrac-
tically her whole life is bound up
right in this house"
Money losses, them"
1T might be. of course; but it
isn't like Adelaide to get edgy
over a thing like that. No. l still
think she's Ill in spite of not hav-
ing any temperature"
By noon Adelaide did have a
temperature: not a high one but
enough to duplicate the mislead-
ing flush in her cheeks of yes
teriay. She refused her luncheon,
fell into a heavy sleep from which
she Weakened unrefreShed.
Adelaide, do let us call a doc
tori" Brenda coaxed. at may be
f1u-it may be some little diges-
tive disturbance; but certainly
something is the matter. Isn't it
wiser TO find out what, and cor
rect it?"
But she had touched upon the
one obsession of Adelaide's easy
going life. She had no use for doc
tors, and less for hospitals. Her
husband, it developed. had died
on the operating table. All the
stubbornneSS of her character
concentrated itself on this point.
She sternly forbade the worried
girls to call in a doctor; she re-
fused the simple home remedies
Isobel offered her.
A Right To Protection
QY NIGHT she was able to dress
u herself though the ominous
color still burned in her cheeks,
and her eyes were too bright.
Mac, informed privately over
Miss Ormond's telephone as to the
situation, made short work of her.
Look here, Adelaide, Pm going
to call a doctor. No, / don't want
to hear what you think of them
/ don't want to hear anything. as
a matter of fact Do you realize
that the state of your health isn't
entirely your own concern? You
do keep a clearinghouse, after
all. The people who live under
your roof have a right to protec-
ton. 1t isn't fair. You may have
something contagious, you know"
he finished firmly.
It was the enc argument which
bore weight with her. For the
sake of her beloved family she
would submit tos anything-or at
any rate, to the calling of ply
stefan.
But promise ne one thing"
she said, seizirg Mac fcverishly
by the wrist. Promise me, no
matter what the doctor says.
you'll not send me to hospital.