The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-09
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you fool" she said. You poor.
precious, idiotic fool"
Jerking tissue from a drawer
she scrubbed at her face, remov-
ing lipstick and rouge and most
of the powder. With a stiff hair
brush she Strengthened out the
waves in her hair and pinned il
into a severe roll. took off her
bright SUNNI clothes and
donned her sensible tWeeds, add
ed the finishing touch of glasses.
To JAMS surprised inquiry, she
stated levelly: I'm getting back
into my schoolteacher role, Jan
My school opens il two weeks.
you know"
But l thought you were going
to New York with Lance and
me?" Jan protested. beWildered.
Norma. by determined effort,
kept her voice calm. 1T might
mean losing my job here and hav-
ing to wait until next semester for
another school someK mere if | left
now. No. Jan. I'll stay on here un-
til you come back. I'll look after
the house and the cat and-you
see, this is best?"
mo. | don't see il. still if it's
what you want. Norma" Jan felt
sure something had happened to
disturb again the pleasant. tran
gull relationship of Norma and
Lance. Her apprehension was fur
ther increased when she visited
Lance after Rose and Johnny had
gone and found him flushed and
on edge, but noncommital. The
only clue he gave her was the re-
mark:
Rose is calling for us in the
morning. She offered to drive us
to, the railroad station in town.
Her. car. is comfortable and it'll
save the bother of Frank going
along to carry me from the in
terurban into taxi and then on
the train On. Jan, the doctor has
got TO fix me upl l don-t want to
go on living if / can't walk"
Rose. Again
TEARS misted her eyes. q was
/ fearful Of this" she muFmured.
You promised. Lance, you said it
wouldn't make any difference"
You don't understand. he told
her bitterly.
But | do understand. she
thought, going TO her own room
It was Rose again. Oh. Lance de-
served better than this. She
doubted If Rose could give love
to any man. And Norma must
have seen or heard something.
I'D like to take a stick TO that
Rosei" Jan snapped Then it &C.
CURED to her that although she
was, literally. her brothers keep
er, she had no right to be. figura-
lively. Lance was nearly thirty
one years old Certainly it was
his right TO make his own choice,
his own decisions. But not at
Norma'S expense. And no matter
what | promised Norma. I'm going
to tell Lance it's her money pro-
viding this chance for hint
In the morning Jan insisted
Frank come with them to the
train. determined not to leave
Rose and Lance alone for even a
moment Ruth Cronin appeared at
the station to assure them she had
persuaded Mr.. Sobol. the store
manager. to write Doctor Murray
by air mail. asking that he see
Lance at his earliest convenience.
Frank enSconced Lance as com
fortably as possible in the draw
ing room compartment on the
train. kissed JAMS cheek goodby
and handed her heap of hastily
selected magazines and a basket
of fruit.
you look grand" Ruth told
her, admiring the tailored suit
with matching topcoat and perky
suede hat she had chosen for her
The outfit was a deep blue nubby
tweed and the hat and shoes were
lighter shade of blue. Jan. al
Ruth'S inSiStenee. had had her
hair shaped and waved by a mas
ter beautician at Blalock's and the
result was not the Jan Of Sea
Tide, but a new and Superbly
smart young person who. as far
as appearance was concerned.
would hold her own with any one
of New YoFk's eharmers.
Rose fingered on a moment
hoping Jan would leave her 3
moment with Lance. but Jan be-
gan to unpack and arrange their
travelling things and exhibited no..
slightest intention of leaving. Yet
she could not help seeing the way
Lance chung to Roses slender
hands. bordered as always. at the
wrists. by jangling bracelets.
Then the train began slowly &c
move and Rose had to 90.
After awhile, when the train
rolled perkily through the city's
outskirts, Lance asked Indifferent.
ly, Why did Norma change her
mind about going with us?"
Her school. ! guess, She didn't
want to lose il"
OF course" he said, relieved.
You didn't tell me, but | know
you must have borrowed money
from Frank or Ruth
She didn't answer, but he
seemed, in his abstraction, not to
notice. 81 won't tell him yet" she
thought her lips setting into q
somewhat grim line.
They had been in New York for
five days. chafing. impatient when
Doctor Murray's secretary called
them at the small hotel near Gen.
tral Park, where Ruth Cronin had
directed them. and said the Doc
tor would see Mr.. Merriner TO-
morrow morning at eleven.