The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-06-07
Chapter Is
The Case Against Ned

The Case Against Ned
HTHEN l heard Ned had skipped
w TO California without 50 much
as goodby to Alaine. began to
ask some questions" Abner went
on 1T didn't take long to fad out
who had talked to him last. / can
put two and two together and
make four, even if ! don't come
from New York;"
He was cut Of the city limits by
now and driving furiously. Brenda
was interested to see with what
skill he handled the small car
despite his evident anger ar her.
She. said soothingly:
"Ab, l wish you'd tell me why
you're so set against Alaine'S mar
rying Ned Barrow. II she loves
him, | mean? What do you have
against him?"
Plenty"
'The fight you and he had sew
eral years ago?"
He took his eyes from the road
long enough to send her a glance
of scorn.
$50 he told you about that, too,
did he? suppose you know when
he cut his first tooth, and what
his grade in chemistry was when
he graduated! No, If you must
know; it has nothing to do with
that fight. I'd forgotten it myself.
! have"-he spoke with great
dignity-"good and sufficient rea-
sons of my own why / oppose
why | always shall oppose my
sisters marriage to Barrow"
She was slightly impressed in
spite of his youthful appearance.
Everybody else speaks well
of him." she began. Judge
Harper.
THAT old goat! What does he
know about BarroW-or Alaine
and me, for that matter!"
She said neatly: 81 notice you
go straight to him every time
Alaine threatens to elope. YOU
evidently value the old goats help
In an emergency"
He had the grace to redden.
well. / do. He's a nice old goat,
if you get what l mean; but he's
old. Barrow and I are-are con-
temporaries."
"You mean you know something
about Ned Barrow that other
people don't? Something that in
your opinion rules him out as a
husband for Alaine?"
you can put it that way if you
want to-"
What is it?" she asked simply.
"Never you mind what it is!
You can take it from me-Alaine
! can take it from ne-that he's not
y the right man for sister of mine"
She smiled AMI shook her head.
'1'm afraid you'll have to be more
specific. Alb, my dear! In this day
and age girls want to know the
truth about matters touching so
closely on their own lives"
He pressed his lips more firmly
together. II might tell you, but
I'm not going to have Alaine
know. She's not one of your kind
of girls-modern, / mean," he
added hastily. 1--WE had to be
father and mother to her." he said
solemnly, "and I've guarded and
shielded her. I'm not going to have
her know any more of the ugly
facts of life than is strictly neces-
sary."
His companion suppressed a
smile. We'll, I've not been guard
ed and shielded, so you can safely
confide in me. And it's much better
to have me your ally than your
opponent, you know. What is this
dreadful thing you know about
Ned Barrow"
Hes supporting a woman he
blurted. "a woman and a child
his child, haven't the least doubt.
Now, does that satisfy you that he
isn't fit for Alaine?"
The Whole Story
cit would-if l believed it to be
L true" she commented thought
fully. Butt wonder if it is, Alb?
! thought when / talked to him
that I'd seldom seen a nicer or
finer face than his. Isn't there any
possibility you might be mis-
taken?"
He felt in his pocket for his
handkerchief and blew his nose
scornfully.. 1t was almost as
though he had produced a trumpet
to proclaim with a blast his con-
tempt for her girlish weakness.
ASK Mac if you don't believe
me-" he said finally.
That silenced her. She remem-
bered the older mans words Of
the evening before. He had called
the situation mess" and warned
her to keep out of it. Exactly the
sort OF thing mana decent man
who liked and felt a friendly re-
gard for girl, stranger-would
say II the facts were as Alb had
presented them.
81 think you had better tell me
little more about It." she in
formed him at last. ''The--the
"details, mean"
very well! You might as well
know the whole thing now. Mac