The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-14


world might have listened to. but
which had an odd air of intimacy
about it nevertheless. When Sue
stood up to go, Eric said quite
openly that he'd accompany her
on the errand she had mentioned.
Patsy watched them with half
closed eyes. Usually the least per-
ceptive creature alive, she knew
that something vital, something
important had taken place here in
the last quarter of an hour. The
promising Irritation into which
she and Farraday had been drift
ing was as if it had never been,
she knew. Not that she minded
that! The man was too clever for
her, she was always slightly un-
comfortable under the hooking
undertone he used toward her.
She hoped to exhibit him as her
captive celebrity; had chafed at
his bland refusal to 60 on display.
When a few days before she had
privately invited select group Of
friends to meet him, he had not
scrupled to punish her by turning
away at the door when he heard
the sound of voices.
Highbrows
"TF IT was anybody but Sue I'd
say they had been - well.
pretty good friends sometime in
the past" she unused. "But Sues
no actress; she'd never laid eyes
on him when she came into this
room little while ago. Highbrow
recognizing highbrow. I suppose"
she concluded with a contemptu-
Gus little shrug of her shoulders.
Down on the street Eric asked
abruptly: walking or driving?"
walking. At least as far as the
garage where l left my car"
They fell into step almost ST.
lently: It was the man who spoke
first.
Who" he demanded, "are you?
Don't say Mrs. Davenport,s sister,
in-law. That tells me nothing.
Who and what are you YOURSELF"
Her heart was hurrying, the
bright color famed suddenly into
her face but she said with compo-
sure: That's a difficult question
to answer, isn't it? We're each of
us so many persons, a separate
one for each of our friends. the
people we love"
What are you going to be to
me?" There was no least trace of
fiirtatiousneSS in the question. It
was the earnest inquiry Of one
deeply interested.
"a passing acquaintance per-
hapS. Tell me mere about your
cousin. What hospital is he in?"
A raSping note of impotence
crept into his voice. Don't waste
time! AS it is. we've met too late
or you will probably think so.
Mrs Trenton. Pats said. So you're
married. Have you children?"
She shook her head. She found
her thoughts frantically summon
ing Bob-Allen-Barbara; all the
safeguards and foundations on
which she had built her life. 1t
was fantastic, she assured herself.
it was more than that. it was in
credible that strange voice. the
look of a pair of strange eyes
should be doing these frightening
things to her! She summoned her
natural dignity and told him:
I'm really not very interest
ing person. Please don't make the
mistake of over-rating me. 1t
would be so horribly humiliating
to have you do so and then find
me out!"
He was silent so long that she
glanced up at him to find some
thing like real anger in his lean
face.
It's unworthy of you-that sort
OF talk! won't have it! Must /
cross examine you, or will you
tell me about YOURSELF"
Sue, the high spirited. Sue who
rese. ted the least attempt at fa-
miliarity from a stranger, an.
swered him meekly.
Pm Bob Trenton's wife-Tren-
tons TreddonS, you know We live
out north of town in a big house
with a garden. | I'VE read
everything you've written. l
think; wondered about you, GER
tainly. | never expected to meet
you"
Did you like what you read?"
mo. nor admired it; but adj
mired your power to read us all
like open books and reduce us to
the simplest terms of the written
word"
yes. it's a damnable gift if
one can call it a gift! It's made me
the loneliest soul on earth.
think"
why do you exercise it them"
He gave a wry smile. What
else would you have me do, my
dear? Sell TreadonS? Open a real
estate office? Be a dentist? Be-
sides, | suppose | take rueful
delight in making thousands
squirm. It's power, and power is
what we all long fer, isn't it?"
She considered. Men, perhaps.
Not many women. Women want
d.. love-"
Another name for the same
thing. There is no greater power
on earth than love-while it lasts"
NO; you Shan't do it. Lure me
into a discussion in which I'll
come off second best-utterly de-
feated," she declared lightly. "And
here's where ! left my car" She
extended a small gloved hand.
It's been delightful - meeting
you. / hope your cousin viii make
a safe recovery"