The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-05-22
leap BEFORE YOU LOOK
By Peggy OMore

I met you.
He was a sick man when he
went to Chicag o to find out
whether there was a Toland fit
to inherit his money. He fell for
you. God knows why. He admit
ted you were as ornery as the
devil He said you'd had to be to
hold your own with the other
Tolands and you'd been at it so
long it was habit.
Here's where he made his mis-
take. He said you had business
ability and. given chance 10 live
with human beings instead of
Tolands. you'd become human.
HE didn't dare leave you the
money outright. He knew your
Great-aunt Hannah would have it
worked away from you before the
ink was dry on your signature. so
he shopped around until he found
something he thought a girl like
you could handle. this frog farm.
He wasn't content with that.
He drew up his will in such a way
that if you failed, you couldn't
lose too much. Each season you'd
have a sporting chance. If you
failed, / could convert the farm
into something which would bring
you a good living. Shut up until
I get through"
But Toni wouldn't shut up. she
roared louder than Allen.
why didn't he tell me that?
Why didn't he leave word?"
AS 0rnery As You
Il TOLD you in the beginning"
L Bartell answered. "He knew
you! He knew you were so cussed
that you'd try to pull something
fast just to be different. He had
to challenge you. He had to force
you to fight and prove your right
to the farm to make you appre.
ciate it.
He told me how to handle you.
He said | was to be as damned
ornery as you were He failed to
tell me it couldn't be done.
When / think of what I've put
up with from you. it's a wonder /
don't murder you right here with
my bare hands.
That first night you spent here.
because you wouldn't go to a no.
tel, | darned near took pneu-
monia. sleeping on that frigid
front porch so I'd be handy if
you were frightened. Frightened"
he disparaged. you haven't
enough human blood in your body
to be afraid.
Then J took on your family in
the courts and held your inherit
ance for you by lying. pretending
l thought you were a good bust
ness woman. Next / took them on
in another way and found they
were made of better stuff than
you. They could be made into
human beings"
Toni knew she had run the
gamut of all emotions as Allan
talked. She believed him. One
couldn't live with Great Uncle
Timothy's portrait without believ-
ing only good of the old fellow.
And each reprisal fell into place
like bits of jig saw puzzle.
"As for Pierre" continued Bar
tell, what / put up with there
no one will ever know. Believing
he was after your money: that
he'd planned to meet and marry
you because you had a frog farm
he wanted. Having to stand by
helpless and watch you make a
fool of yourself"
"W-why didn't you tell
me?" Toni stammered.
Tell you" roared Allen.
Would you have believed me?
On, forget it, it's over. But what
Timothy Toland saw in you that
was worth a frog farm I can't
see. Look at you. look at the way
you've gone around lately. that
hair cut, those shirts and boots
and breeches."
Toni looked at the boots, de-
jected looking things tipsily edg-
ing the pool. then looked at Allen.
You're not a vision of sar-
torial elegance yourself. Mr.. Bar
tell. she reminded him, especial.
ly for a man who's about to be
displayed to mob as an altar
trophy"
"a what?" he beloved, IAN
altar my word, you don't
think am the man Lily Mankin's
going to marry. do you? Listen,
I've lived next door to her half
my life. / don't intend to spend
the other half in the same house
with her.
"Wonlen!" He strangled on the
word. I'm through with them, all
of them. I'm through with a law
practice that brings me in contact
with them. I'm going where ]
won't see any. I'm going to my
mountains.
Understand" He was working
his dry coat over his wet shirt,
placing the imposing hat on his
sodden locks.
Toni nodded dreamily. She I'M
derStood he wasn't going to marry
Lily Mankin, that he'd never in
tended marrying her.
And then Allen Bartell was
gone and where he'd stood there
was nothing but a puddle of wa
ter, trimmed with tulles.
Toni looked at the spot. then
turned to watch the long figure
Squishing towards the house. She
smiled at the house. 1t was hers,
all hers and she didn't give a
continental darn. A vast aching
loneliness engulfed her. What was
a frog farm II it wasn't next door
to Allen Bartell?
Continued tomorrow