The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-21

IN sculptured ringlets, was uni
! formly gray; but looking at her
fnow, at the taut smoothness Of
her bare arms and the spring of
her step, ! doubted If she was
forty.
To my considerable annoyance,
Gerald Beaufort sprang to his
feet and pursued her, after only
the most perfunctory excuse.
TOO bad" said Adam, cycling
me sympathetically. Losing the
you mind your own business. :"
Every pretty. Girlish flush"
"And don't be a fool. But say
again what I've said before, that
Felicia Bridewell is altogether
too attractive a woman to be
hostess for a crowd of bachelors.
RS-why its"
GO on, say it." urged Adam,
grinning. i've heard you on ne
subject"
And together we chanted-
'It's downright unfair"
Adam had gone back to duty,
and / had retired to my rooms
with every intention Of doing
some work when ! discovered that
was out Of cigarettes. / do my
heaviest smoking when I am at
work; and, like most writers /
can seize on the smallest excuse
to postpone the final, evil moment
Of facing a blank sheet of paper.
Insignias
7 ALMOST collided with Felicia
L Bridewell in the corridor. She
was dressed for the city and car
rying a suit box, and for a mo-
ment ! thought she was annoyed
to see me. But the annoyance
proved to be for her errand. .
They've sent me the wrong
girdle. They were having a big
sale of them yesterday at Mar
shall Fields. and I'm afraid the
kind want will be sold out, so I
have to 60 back"
Il should go into Chicago and
collect some unfinished manu-
scripts" / said, pursuing another
excuse for idleness. ST didn't ex-
pect to have time to work when
came"
''I'll let you know when ] go
again.. she promised. I've rot
to call up a friend tonight, and
may be late getting back"
said. COX. Drop me at the
Post Exchange, will you?"
She gave me the box to hold
while she unlocked her cell of the
long garage behind the club and
backed out her Ford coupe.
DO you mind just keeping that
on your lap?" she suggested as
climbed in. ''The lock of the lug
| gage compartment sticks-that's
another thing have to see about
today. / don't know why / don't
just move into Chicago and COM
mute out there" She hesitated.
There's that poor soul of q
chaplain, too, without any clothes.
Suppose / ought to offer to get
him some panties, at least. Won
der what size he wears"
She stopped in front of the Post
Exchange and ] got out.
Il believe I'll stop by the hos
pital," she said. There was a
wicked CLEAN in her eye. cit viii
be worth it just to see his face.
Perfectly strange female popping
in and demanding to know what
size shorts he wears"
With little persuasion / would
have rejoined her in the car, bu.
she waved her hand in casual
farewell, said. "I'll tell you about
il" and the little car shot away
from the curb.
There was only one clerk in
sight in the saleSroom and he
was waiting on a soldier. drifted
over that way. There was a tray
full of assorted metal .insignias
on the counter between them. In
his hand the soldier held a little
pin formed in-the shape of sabers
crossed below the number Of the
regiment.
q pair OF these" he was say
ing. 81 gave q couple to my girl.
You know what suckers women
are for this stuff"
laid a dollar bill and a quarter
on the counter and asked for a
carton of cigarettes. The clerk
turned, reached a practiced hand
10 the shelf, and suddenly the
trayful Of insignia was scattered
all over the floor. The soldier
knelt down with his back to me
and began to collect them with
fumbling fingers; but IT was not
until / was nearly home that I
realized why that had seemed a
familiar sight.
The soldier was zimmerman.
the waiter at the club. zimmerman
was still on my mind as combed
my hair up on top of my head
and put on a long-Skirted or
candle dress. Adam must have
come in late from duty, for he
had not stopped in for a cigarette
and a chat as he sometimes did.
went into the lounge early,
hoping for a word with him alone.
but he and Gerald Beaufort were
together in the bar, waxing
friendly over cocktails. ! declined
their invitation to join them and
settled myself on the veranda
with a magazine, hoping Adam
would Join me presently. For
some reason which could rot
explain, was reluctant 10 tell of
that incident at the Post Ex-
l nEnr l. f.A -