The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-24
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Both the Trentons were relieved

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made necessary the winning Of
an old battle.
All during the day she could
keep busy, cheerful. Getting Rob-
ert off to the kindergarten, seeing
to small Susan's nap. her lunch,
her airing, listening enraptured to
her baby voice experimenting with
new combinations of words. filed
the waking hours; but at night
Eric came back, whether she lay
staring with sleepless eyes at the
ceiling, or dropped into uneasy
slumber.
"Sue, come to mel" said his i'm
perative voice again and again.
eff you love me, come to me at
once!"
No use to tell herself that she
had not the least idea where Eric
was now; that for all she knew to
the contrary he was married, and
the father of children. His column
had long ago disappeared from the
papers she saw. This might mean
everything, or nothing: that he
was devoting himself to more seri-
Gus writing, that he was not writ
ing at all; that he was dead.
Sometimes she pondered the
acute influence Pats had had on
her own life. If she hadn't married
Allen, Sue herself in all prob
ability would not have contracted
that haSty marriage with Bob. It
had been in Pats over-heated,
over-Scented room that Sue and
Eric had met. And now, in her
final exit from the DavenportS'
lives, she had demolished, for the
time being at least, the warm
serenity of Sues present.
For light weight, she certainly
has left her mark upon us" Sue
told herself with a wry twist of her
lips in the darkness.
Call From New York
| A FTER Aliens departure. she
L threw herself more energeti-
cally into the round of her daily
duties. She played an excellent
game of bridge, and joined a club
which accounted for an afternoon
out of each fortnight. She went
often to Kansas City to shop. She
had Bob's business friends to
dinner, devoting herself so closely
to the food and service that they
for the most part paunchy old
bachelors who had been too eau
tious to marry in their youth, and
were now too fearful of being
snapped up for their money-eyed
him wistfully.
The children were her best de-
Tense against the corroding unhap-
piness which Aliens words had
unsealed,
Baby Susan was an embryo poet.
"She 'lisps in rhyme, her
mother told Bob proudly.
Great Scott! Don't let her!" he
protested. alarmed.
But tiny Susan went on, as I'M
conscious of the music of her
speech as a bird is of the beauty
of it's song.
"Muvver and bruvver, and love
one anovver," Sue would hear her
grooming to herself. 81 can't 60 out
to play. bee-cauSe it WainS today"
The summer passed, and another
winter. Allen had disposed of his
apartment and moved into the
Benton Club. His eyes were still
unhappy, but he was outwardly
composed and fairly cheerful.
Barbara, to say nothing of Sue and
Bob. had prevailed on him to give
Pats a divorce. She and Forest
were married and living in New
York.
And it was to New York that
Sue. during the summer that little
Susan was four, was summoned by
a frantic telephone call from For
est Webb.
She had been dressing for din
ner when the summons came. The
children. as they loved to do, were
playing about her room before
their early supper. There's the
telephone. Robert. Will you an
SWer it for Mother? If its someone
calling Dad say he'll be here any
minute"
Its for you" the small boy told
her presently. e...s
Her mind was on Bob's tar
dineSs as she took up the instru-
ment. When the operator said:
New York City calling Mrs.
Robert Trenton" she hardly
understood for a moment.
This is Mrs. Robert Trenton"
There were the usual delays and
misunderstood words: then q
voice which was vaguely familiar
1 caiI. WIc thic uO,1 CY,o0U
Eyes, Who is"
Forest. Forest Webb. Can you
hear me?"
Forest Webb" For a moment
she had a dazed idea that Forest
was back in st. Joseph, that some
thing was wrong with Barbara.
What - what is it?"
Listen. Sue. Pats is ill-danger-
ously i'll. In fact, she's-never
mind. The thing is: she wants you.
Will you come-at once?"
Wants me?" She could only re-
peat his words. parrotwiSe.
Forest betrayed some irritation.
PAY attention, Sue! Pats has set
her heart on seeing you before
well. she wants to see you. Isn't
that enough?
Suddenly Sue heard her own
voice answering: "No, it's not!
Why should Pats wish to see me?
And why should / go. even if she
does?"
"Sue, you can't mean that. She's
dying woman. I've done
everything that can be done for
her. The rest is up to you. | don't
know why she's set her heart on
having you come, but she has. You
won't refuse her? Please. Sue!"