The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-06-10

/ was at last, apprecldLlQE neT HI
erary talent. To be sure she had
not yet progressed from the sec
ond square on her cardboard to
the third, but she felt that Macs
encouragement would dissolve all
! her difficulties. She had heard a
good deal Of talk IN the Village
about the necessity Of a sympa-
thetic atmosphere for the artist.
She had secretly believed this to
be a pose. Now she wondered il
there might not be some truth IN
/ it; If Macs unconcealed amuSe-
ment over her work, Eric's indif-
ference to It. The Streets disap-
proval, might not have exerted a
stultifying effect upon her crea-
tive ability.
For a few moments she toyed
with the idea of coniding the
plot Of her book to Mac, but wis
dom prevailed, and she made no
mention of the Masterpiece-in-
the-Making awaiting her in her
own room.
However, she did tell Mac
about Alb Abernathy, and her be-
lief that an injustice had been
done Alaine's persistent sutton.
The least we can do. it seems
TO me-" she said earnestly, 'tis to
give him a chance to explain. It
isn't fair to judge him by cir
cumstantial evidence, Macl"
mo, / suppose not" He was
frowning, not so much over Ned
BarroW'S supposed past as over
Brenda's knowledge Of il. 81 hate
having you pitchforked into all
this!" he burst forth.
Two Letters
CHE laughed. my dear Mac, do
- you think I'm child! And let
me tell you something-Alaine
isn't either-a child, mean. You
and Alb have behaved very fool
ishly about this whole business
with Ned. Ask him about it when
he comes back from California. If
it's true-that he's the father Of
that little boy, I mean" she went
on despite the growing darkness
of Macs frown. then tell Alaine
the whole story. am sure you
can rely on her good judgment in
the matter"
"Alaine has no judgment" he
retorted coldly.
There's exactly where you're
wrong! You and Alb have treated
her as if she were a baby and
naturally she reSents it. Any girl
would What business is it of Abs
to say how her gowns shall be cut,
or what sort of swimming suits
she shall wear? I don't wonder
she threatens to elopel I would
too in her placeI"
Her cheeks were scarlet, her
eyes glowing with anger. Mac
leaned forward and turned on the
ignition, touched the starter.
Il don't think you're the prop
er person to advise Alaine. She's
headstrong enough as it Is. I shall
tell Alb ="
Gone was their new-formed
sense of comradeship; gone Macs
admiration of her attitude toward
The Street, her gratitude for his
sympathy. They quarreled sharp
ly half the way home, drove the
rest in icy silence.
AT the end of fortnight Bren-
da was back on the first square Of
her book. To be sure she had writ
ten steadily every day but the re-
suits had frankly disguised her.
1t did not add to her peace Of
mind to realize that each evening
she read over the days work
through Macs eyes. and found it
sorely lacking in excellence.
I'm being frustrated" she told
herself in surprise. Mac is bring
ing out inhibitionS I did not know
were possible to mel"
She wondered if, such being the
case. she should not leave The
Shortest Street; leave the city, for
that matter. Then her small chin
came up and she decided def
nitely that Mac or no Mac she
would write her book right here;
and that it would be a good book,
too.
On the morning she crowded
the wastepaper basket with type
written yellow sheets and re-
turned to Square One, she re-
ceived two important letters.
Now according to her own care
fully formulated rules, she had
no business reading those letters
before noon. Grenadine had stand
ing instructions TO slip the mail
quietly under the door and leave
il. Several times Brenda had
proudly ignored it for an hour or
two; but usually healthy curiosity
and interest got the better of her,
and she snatched up the mail and
ripped open the envelopes before
the sound of the maids heavy
footsteps had died away.
This morning she devoured with
avidity one especial letter, bear
ing a New York postmark. After
she had read it twice, she rose I'D
and, bareheaded and coatless,
darted out of the old Burnham
house.
Across the street Dorothy was
sweeping Mrs. Arnold's porch. At
sight of Brenda she dropped her
broom and made urgent detain-
ing gestures while she moved to-
ward the girl as rapidly as her
somewhat ponderous figure per-
mitted.
Miss Brendal Oh. Miss Bren-
da!"