The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-06-06
CHAPTER IL
A Little Adjusting

TXTHY can't ask Dorothy to my
w room?" Brenda asked AIDE
laide, after Mrs. Arnold had left.
Mrs. Rosttetor bridled gently.
Dorothy. my dear child, IS a
very stupid person; one can hard
ly call her a girl / doubt if she
reads a single book in a year. She
glances at the headlines of news
papers-if they have to do with
murders. Mrs. Arnold's protec-
tiveneSS toward her is almost a
phobia. / think the matron who
put Dorothy in her care in the first
place was largely responsible for
it. She kept impreSsing on the
poor woman that the girl would
receive her impressions from the
person with whom she made her
home. It's ridiculous, really-the
way she spreads her skirts in
front of Dorothy. Eric and Isobel
make all sorts of fun of her; but
Mac thinks it's sort of pathetic.
But then Mac"
Brenda rose abruptly. 81 must
get to work. And by the way,
Adelaide. I've asked Hugh Saltus
to come here this afternoon.
hope you don't mind?"
Adelaide smiled rely.
'This is a boarding house, my
dear. Who your guests and callers
are is certainly none Of my bust
nessl"
So Hugh came that afternoon,
his eyes wary as a wild animals
but his mouth sensitive and al
most TREMENDOUSLY smiling.
you're sure this won't injure
your social standing in The
Street," he inquired.
"How absurd" Brenda ex-
claimed. 'I'm proud to have the
great Mr.. Saltus calling, let me
tell you'll When my friends at
home know"
He looked alarmed. You
haven't written them where
am? Oh, Brenda, hope you
haven't!"
as it a secret?" In her turn
she was disturbed. Because I'm
afraid have told one or two. I'm
so proud of knowing you, you see.
Hugh, why do you hide?"
There are reasons" He seemed
suddenly as vague as Adelaide
herself. Never mind, dear child.
I'm flattered that you are proud.
It's pretty swell-having a nice
girl like you willing to know me"
The whole situation puzzled
Brenda. What if his wife had gone
home and had not come back?
Did that affect the man himself,
or his work? Probably. Brenda
unused. Mrs. Saltus was a cat, and
Hugh was better off without her
anyway. He seemed a lonely soul,
poor Hugh!
"Who do you think you are?"
ISobel inquired pleasantly that
evening. MRS. Omnipotence? For
tell you. Brenda, not even a
Burnham can carry on with Hugh
as you're doing and not get herself
talked about"
Garry on?" Brenda ruffied in
dignantly. Il received a famous
artist in the parlor of my board
inghouSe-in the afternoon. If
that's carrying on, wonder what
they'd think of some of the things
that happen in the Village!"
"Ah, but they wouldn't let them
happen here, you seeI This street
has been-well. pure and unde-
fled in its morals since your
grandfather's time; perhaps be-
fore. It's not for a young chit like
you. my sweet, to come along and
corrupt it."
eff it's never corrupted any
more than l shall corrupt it. it's
most fortunate. Yes, Grenadine,
what is it?"
mist Mac say would you come
down to the parlor a minute. He'd
like to speak to you private-like." "
Keep Out
BRENDA cooked a mocking eye
- at her caller. Now there. Iso-
bel, is food for gossip, if you hkel
A young eligible man Graves pri-
vate speech with me-and after
nightfalll Hadn't you better call
Miss Ormond and Mrs. Arnold and
tell them about it?"
In the parlor Mac said gravely:
'Tve tried all evening to get a
word in with you but I've had no
luck so l sent Grenadine to ask
you to come down. I hope you
didn't mind?"
What is it?" she demanded
briefly.
81 simply wanted to warn you
to keep out of the Alternately
Barrow affair."" he said. There
are ramifcations to it which YOU
don't know; which you needn't
know. Will you take my word that
it's wiSeSt to let the twins attend
to their own affairs?"
The icy wrath which he had
stirred in her twice before rose
again.
''No," she answered deliberate
ly, II won't. Won't. take your
word. and won't keep out of their
affair. It seems to me to need a
little adjusting. And I'd have you
know" she continued defantly.
that I've been asked to adjust
It'll"