The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-24
Chapter SO
Pats Spell

udZeQ cOndltlOn Tor several
days; then gradually Sue won him
from his bitter musing.
'You say yourself you and Pats
haven't been happy, Allen. You're
ree now; free to live your own
life. Doesn't that mean anything
70 you?"
I'll never be free" was the
somber answer. "PatS-Pats is
part of me, somehow. don't know
whether l love her, or not; it
doesn't seem to matter. But her
life and mine seem so ineXtricably
Joined that it's like amputating a
leg, an arm, to think of her gone"
Habit" she diagnosed cheer
fully. Il predict that in three
months time you'll be thanking
your lucky stars she left you. The
thing now for you to do" she said
with a ceratin firmness she had
found helpful in dealing with this
new and vague Allen, "is to give
up your apartment, store the fur
niture, and move to the Benton
Club. You need complete change
of scene"
He shrank as though she had
struck him.
"Sue. can't! mean that literal
ly: l can't! There's something of
Pats left in those rooms, can re-
member how she looked, words
she spoke"
"Allenl" Sue spoke sharply.
Don't talk as if she were dead!
She's very much alive-and living
with Forest she added deliber-
ately. You're being morbid about
this, Buddy. It's not like you to
act so, speak so. | don't believe"
she went on with healthy scorn,
shat you really loved Pats at all,
even from the very first. | grant
you there was a strong physical
attraction. Pats is that kind of wo-
man. But after that-habit. as /
said, a chivalrous feeling or re-
sponsibility for her, worry over
her extravaganza - they've all
combined to keep her foremost in
your thoughts. You miss her just
now the way you'd miss an aching
tooth. But love her-no!"
AAE otdACQ DIT liCI III DGWllQSI-
ment. How do know what love
is. Sue? | had-for Pats" he
CROPPED among his thoughts, seek
ing wordS-"that tingling aware
ness that gives meaning to exist
ence. Isn't that - surely that's -
loVe?"
If he had not been so absorbed
IN blc NUN D1aUifx, bn mould
have started at the change in his
sisters face. THE tingling aware
ness that gives meaning to exist
ence." Was there ever a better def
milton of passionate love? That
was what she had felt-What she
still felt when she permitted her.
self 10 remember-for Eric Farra-
day Not for Bob. not for her huS-
band and the father of her chill
dren. but for Eric. God help her!
She 5hrank back in her chair,
an old longing possessing her Eric
with his gray eyes and high held
headl Eric with his calm mastery
Of any situation in which he found
himself, Eric against whose breast.
she had leaned. thrilling at the
throbbing of his heart beneath her
cheek Eric. Erici
She had been deeply content
with Bob. she had even been hap
Ply She had respected the steady
growth OF his strength. the courage
and good humor with which he
had learned TO meet adversely. He
was a strong man. now; not the
gay llght-hearted young husband,
untTiCd and Inexperienced whom
she had married. Month after
month. year after year. he mad
made himself INTO man she could
admire whole heartedly. But there
was never any ''tingling aware
ness of his presence. He did not
give meaning" to her life They
had logged on comfortably to-
gether. proud of their children.
making loyal allowance for each
others faults and weaknesses. con-
sidering their marriage eminent
ly successful.
Come To Me-
a dreadful darkness of spirit
"A seized her. Allen, the brother
she had pitied, the man whose life
lay in ruins about him now, had
had what she had been denied.
the sort of marriage which gave
meaning to existence. A cheap and
common woman like Pats had the
power to give men such happiness.
II was the explanation of Forest
Webb's incredible act.
Sue, huddled in her chair. knew
that her marriage to Bob. her
courageous fight to lift him from
his business catastrophe. her sum-
mOning of his forces TO start all
over again, was a far finer thing
than Pats could offer any man, or
any man give Pats in return. Finer.
better. Drawer: but strangely Sa-
vorless and empty just now.
The knowledge made her pa
tient with Allen; and itsrequired
patience, and all her tenderness, to
endure the ten days he spent with
her. Every ring of the telephone
brought him painting to where the
instrument rested. He paced the
floor an hour before each expected
mail delivery. At least once day
he called his Office in st. Joseph to
inquire if there had been any
message" for him.
Pull yourself together, guy"
Bob adjured him, not unkindly.
You're acting like a lovesick girl,
you know" Fasa
Il suppose So"
Bob shrugged. He considered
Aliens case hopeless indeed if the
taunt could wiring only that dull
assent from him.