The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-08
Chapter 81
Hope For Lance


Hope For Lance
IAN kept the check for two days,
y just to look at, before putting
it IN the bank. at makes me feel
so rich and expensive and ar
rived" she explained to Norma,
laughing; serious. too.
The check brought about new
enthusiasm for work, new faith
in herself. A few days after she
arrived home she visited a pet
shop in Santa Monica and whee-
died the proprietor into renting
her three fluffy, orange Persian
kittens for a short while. She put
them in a wicker basket and car
ried them up on the roof where
she spent the afternoon sketching
their antics. She found, employ
ing her talent for something be-
sides portraits, that her facility
and technique had improved enor-
mouSly during her period of trial
on Olvera Street. A confidence
and sureneSs had come to her
slender fingers.
BY the end Of fhe week the
sketches were finished and signed
and sent off by mail to New York
City and Neptune was again feline
ruler of the house.
With all of her heart Jan
. for helping her, but she had no
idea where a letter could find him.
It hurt to know he had not cared
enough to write her, to tell her
what he was doing, where he was,
even though she had told herself
all along that he would leave
some day. and it would be the
end.
The ocean, at high tide, had
brought her strange salvage
which she had kept for a little
time-a' pitifully little time.
And now, excitement dying
down, work for the moment at a
standstill, she felt her own high
tide of emotion ebbing. After the
summers gay and carefree eX-
perienceS, Sea Eide, after blIsSful
rest, seemed dull and unexciting.
Before Derek had come she had
been content with her house and
her painting and her boat, but
now they weren't enough. Every
thing was strangely fat and emp
ty and routine. Lance was now
accustomed to Norma's care. so
Jan let it stand that way.
Angus wrote, beSeeching her to
come back to the only true artiS-
tic existence and she found her
self laughing, knowing that. at
least for her. it was not by any
matter of means the true exist
ence. 81 guess I'm not a real bo-
hemian," she thought, whatever
that isl
She dropped Angus a note as
surfing him, implshly, that she was
far too old-fashioned to enjoy the
sharing of his crust in an atmoS-
phere of mutual understanding"
However. she mad made one
real friend in the city Ruth Gro
min did drive her little coupe
down for a weekend and Frank
brought in cold meats and ale and
all of them made gala event of
il in the cool living room. On Sum
day afternoon Jan persuaded her
into the sailboat after Frank
promised 20 keep an eye on them
and come to the rescue if any
thing happened.
DR.. Murray
AS NORMA helped Jan prepare
n Sunday night supper Ruth
came into the kitchen and closed
the door behind her.
81 know I'm boxing my nose
into your private affairs" she
apologized with a wry grimace.
"but I'm the sort of person who
has to have her say, regardless"
81 want you to. Jan assured
her warmly
ITS about your brother. Lance.
I've been talking with Frank
about the nature of his injury.
she said. 81 heard of a case similar
to his just a short time ago. The
boy happens to be the son of our
store manager. Mr. Sobol. He was
in a bad automobile crack-up.
They were determined to leave no
stone unturned to help him and of
course they have money. The
mother took the boy to a famed
surgeon in Edinburgh. A Doc tor
Frederick Murray. He operated on
the knees and in short time the
young man was able to be about
on clutches with every indication
of final recovery"
"But Edinburgh" Jan walled.
we haven't enough m oney.
Ruth"
II know, that's why I'm telling
you this. Doctor Murray is now
visiting in New York, doing a few
special Surgeries, | believe. /
thought, if you could manage TO
take Lance to New York. I'd get
Mr.. Sobol to use his influence in
helping you see Doctor Murray"
we must do il. JAM" Norma
cried. her eyes brilliant with sud
den, shining hope. Lance must
have this chance. He muStl"
Jan. catching her excitement.
tried to be reasonable and mat
ter.of-fact THE aircraft people
here had the best specialists in the
country look at Lance two FEARS
ago, Norma. You know that; Ruth