The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-01-26
Chapter Eight
Week Before Christmas


CUE laid down her book, smiled
- up at him.
'But | know all your friends
now. Allen; know the girls you
like, and don't like. | used to hope
that if it had to be anyone at all,
it would be Barbara. But you
don't care for her at all. do you.
Buddy?"
He lighted a cigarette deliher-
ately, squinted his eyes against
the rising smoke in way dear
to her through long familiarity.
mot Barbara. No. don't care
at all for Barbara Webb. Known
her too long. l expect; as you
have Forest"
"And there was that young
widow who visited here last win
ter" Sue went on, unheeding.
"For a while | got a little scared
about her. if you'll believe me-!
You did hover around her a bit,
you know. Allen!"
Scared. Sis? Why should you
have been scared-if I'd lowered
to some purpose? Fellows do get
married, you know; even fellows
with sisters"
Il know; and some day you
will, too, of course. But not Just
yet, Buddy dear! Not when we're
so happy together, and Iife's such
a lot of fun for both of us, and
Maggie takes care of us, and
you're forging ahead so fast in
your work"
Had you set a definite date for
me tosmarry, Sue?"
Usually her ear was quick to
detect every shade of feeling in
the beloved voice; but tonight she
lay back in her big chair, dream
ing eyes on the fire. her happy
thoughts only partly on what she
and Allen were saying.
Thirty -fve's a nice age, don't
you think, Buddy? That'd make
me twenty-nine. I want to be
married before I'm thirty; but
only before I'm thirty. / don't
want to settle down too soon. and
miss all the fun"
at might be fun having your
own home, Sis; having kids. you
know - being young with 'em
yourself"
But it was of no use. She only
nodded and smiled, presently
spoke of something else. And so
Bob Trenton's news the week be-
fore Christmas almost shattered
her very soul.
She and Barbara had been
shopping all day. lunching down.
town. coming home through the
early dusk with packages they
could not wait to have delivered.
Coming in, Babs? I'll give you
a cup of teal"
mo. thanksl Early dinner to-
night, as it happens. Going with
the parents to concert like the
dutiful daughter ! am"
So Sue. her arms piled high
with gaily wrapped bundles and
unable to get at her latchkey,
rang the bell for Maggie to open
the door.
"Mr. Bob's here" the old SER
want said briefly. want | should
bring in some tea?"
Hello. Bob! Been here long?
Maggie wants to know if you'd
like tea"
mo tea, thank you Only a few
minutes to stay. sweet"
freight
YOU'RE not to call me sweet" "
L The protest was purely auto
matte. unheeded. almost unheard
by them both "Oh, me, I'm tiredl
The shops are simply iammed It's
fun. though, Christmas shopping.
Everybody's so friendly. you
overhear so many odds and ends
of interesting bits about what
people want for themselves and
what they are buying for others
=. I adore Christmas! Everything
about it, from the first wreath
that goes up to the last holiday
partyl Want light on. Bob. or
shall we just Tuminate in the fire.
light for a while?"
"Firelight. by all means. want
to talk TO you, Sue"
Bob. you solemnly prom
ised-"
IT'S not about us, sweet; at
least it's not about me. It's about
Allen"
"Allen?" She started up in
alarm. Hes not i'll. Bob? There's
not been an ACCIDENT"
HE was in the best of health
when ! saw him laSt-some two
hours ago. Sit down, Sue. It's
nothing TO do with accidents-ill-
ness of any kind. But the old boys
in sort of a jam, and promised
to try my hand at-well. at max
ing you get his point of view"
Yam? Allen?" Vague thoughts
Of defunct banks carrying away
their funds. of a loss of her broth
er'S position. of all the things of
which she had heard which were
commonly referred to as Jams
for men, fioated through her
mind. Tell me at once, Boil" she
commanded sharply.
He shook his head. THE idea
was that work tactfully up to
it." he explained. an fact, prom
ised Allen I'd do just that. He says
he's tried it himself. time and
again, but you're so darned UNI
conscious, you change the subject
so innocently but with such i'm
atty. that he never gets any
where with it." He cleared his
throat with the first trace of en-