The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-05-31

not incoming! I'm revolving a very
important ethical question in my
mind"
He grinned, dropped compan-
ionably down beside her and
lighted a cigarette.
The question being: shall you
or shall you not yield to the pre-
vailing sentiment against your
going to see Saltus. Don't Yield"
he advised briefly. Stand your
ground"
Does everybody in the house
know the situation?" She sound
ed startled.
an the house7 You mean on
The Street? Ny dean girl. I'd be
willing to lay you a pretty penny
that the sole topic Of converse
ton in ten houses at this identical
moment is Miss Brenda Burnham
and her dropping in on Hugh
yesterday afternoon. You can't
sneeze in this neighborhood." he
continued pathetically, without
sixteen people calling up and rec
emmending their favorite nose
drops. or cold remedy"
But why? Why are they so in
tereSted in other peoples affairs?"
Because they have none Of
their own. Take Miss Ormond
now. can give a shrewd guess
that she started all this. She has
no life of her own-and I mean
none. tooi She can't read-I think
her eyes bother her-she has no
family. and / believe she's out
lived most of her friends. There
isn't much for the poor old soul
to do but snoop about. watching
the rest Of us as we go cur ways"
"Are you d fen ding herr"
Brenda inquired in; establishment.
Merely explaining her" He
tossed away his cigarette. Judge
HarpeTs another, only his inter-
est is more friendly than Miss
Ormond's. Then Their s Mrs. Ar
mold and her Dorothy -"
"Her daughter?"
Mere Warnings
LIE CHUCKLED. Her maid.
II She took Dorothy out of an
orphan asylum more than twenty
years ago. The heavy responsible
-ty If the act still weighs on her.
II was after Mr.. Arnold was
killed in railroad accident and
she felt she must have someone
to live with her. Get Adelaide to
tell you some day how long Mrs.
Arnold's weighed tie pros and
cons Of ler act. 1t shook The
Street. and Mrs. Arnold herself
has never quite recovered from
IT,"
How old is Dorothy now. for
heavens sake?"
Thirty three; and the home
hest woman the Lord ever let
live. But to hear Mrs. Arnold,
you'd be justified in believing
Dorothy to be a dream Of pulchri-
-tude and her benefactor burdened
with the heaviest responsibility
ever placed on a woman's fran
shoulders" He laughed again.
Want to m a Ike me a bet.
Brenda? It's this: Mrs. Arnold
will call on you soon and ask you
-sweetly and anxiously-not to
do anything which might exert a
wrong influence on Dorothy.
She'll say that since she's made
herself responsible for Dorothy's
whole social and moral welfare
she simply must be on her guard
against anything which even
family hints of Bohemianisml"
Brenda said in a wilted voice:
81 don't believe a word of this.
Erici"
"A cartoE of. cigarettes against
five pounds of chocolates? Donel"
He stood up. You're in a differ
ent world now. my child. It's a
pretty kind and nice world, all
things considered, but ;. it needs
some getting used to. You'll seel"
His chuckle floated after him as
he strobe toward the sidewalk.
Brenda was due for one more
warning before she slept. Isobel
Burke knock ed just as the
younger girl was dreaming her
face. Brenda. catching sight Of
her in the mirror, made a little
nloue Of defiance.
Now don't you begin. Isobell"
Mini So they've been at you
already, have they? Who was it?
The Ormond?"
Better ask me who itywasn't!"
Il saw Mac edge out after you"
Isobel seated herself and viewed
her small hostess with relish. II
suppose Adelaide sicked him ONO
litis Then she interrupted hersRlf
TO say: You look about ten In
that thing. Brendai"
Brenda glanced down at the
thin peach-colored robe she wore.
It was a frivolous garment, inset
with lace. hand-hemmed, sleeve
less and almost backless.
Its COOL"
IT'S lovely-and probably cost
IS much as ! make in a month"; !
can't understand" she went on
Somberly. why, with all your
rooney and Adelaide says you
have scadsi-you choose to come
and live in a funny old place like
thiSi A place" she went on or
atorically. where your business
IS everybody's business: where
there isn't one single man. woman
or child who is interesting-ex-
cept Mac!-in the whole block. A
place -"
And then an odd thing hap
pened. Brenda, who had so late
ly eastigated The Street % Mac
and Eric. who had Oeen. at the ex-
act moment Isobel knocked, tel
ing herself passionately that %
morrow would see her truak