The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-19

Adams orderly the following
day. Colonel Pennant was obvi-
ouSly in high spirits when he
came. unannounced, into the mess
hall at noon.
The men sprang to their feet
and Mrs BrideWell, the club
hostess, really fiuttered-not the
professional fuss ! had seen her
put on for visiting firemen and
their battle axes taS she had
somewhat incautiously dubbed
two travelling generals and their
wives to me behind their backs)
but the involuntary response of
any conscious woman in the
presence of an attractive male.
He must have been between
foTty-five and fifty-it takes years
in the service before man wears
silver eagles on his shoulders
but he was lean and erect and
h and Ome, and the wrinkles
around his alert blue eyes were
merely the heritage of laughter.
He looked too young to have a
grown daughter.
4 gave the cook the day off,"
he explained when they had him
seated at our table. THE girls
have gone to the city to meet the
bride. Too bad they didn't 60 yes
terday: they could have delivered
the chaplain. too. And in better
shape. | hope. than he arrived in"
WhereupOn. as Miss Atkins
would have phrased it, he busts
out laughing, and the rest of us
Joined: not so much because the
colonePs jokes are always laughed
at, as because we had reached
that stage where the mere men,
ton Of the chaplain was enough
to set us rocking.
An, but do you know the care
with which he planned his ar
rival?" asked Felicia. Bridewell
brightly. Did you see the letter
he wrote, Colonel Pennant? The
adjutant turned it over to me. I'll
try to find it for you later. Or per-
haps he would like it back. It
would make the text for SER
mon on best-laid plans. You see.
he's not man to 60 into anything
oIlnd-he takes proper precau-
tons. He was troubled about his
quarters. Being a bachelor, he
knew there was small chance of
getting married officers set, but
ne did hope his rooms would be
as far removed as possible from
the more boisterous element in
bachelor quarterS-Pm going to
put him in the guest wing, near
you and me, Kay. He ought to
feel right at home among us girls.
Finally, he announced the time of
his arrival in Chicago and his in
tention of buying a new Ford
sedan there to drive to Fort Mich
lgan. He had calculated the num-
Der of miles and the rate of speed
at which he could travel, and had
come to the conclusion that he
would not be here in time for the
evening meal. Was there a re-
spectacle place along the way
where he could stop to dine? Now
there. | submit. is a cautious man.
And look what happened to himi"
Colonel Pennant mopped his
eyes, drew down the corners of
MS mouth and tried to look So
llcltouS as his gaze fell on Captain
Jones, the junior medical Officer.
who was seated across the table
from hin.
How is he, by the way?" he
asked.
Captain Jones, in a trance of
inattention, continued to punch
holes with his finger in a piece of
commisSary bread. A repetition
of the question failing of any re-
suit, and the heap of crumbs con-
tinuing to grow, Adam, who was
sitting next to him, prodded him
with long finger.
The chaplain" he said loudly.
Colonel Pennant wants t. k~Jw
how the chaplain is.''
To be continued