The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-01
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At Home

lar more than she could do or
had done to him. Bob had actual
ly been married before he met
her, and had deceived her about
1t. He had taken her forgiveness
for granted; or perhaps he had
not thought his rash and youthful
folly even required forgiveness.
She remembered yet her out
ragged perception of his turning
to her to shield him from Cecily.
And he to 90 raging from home
now because Eric Farraday chose
to make tale about an incident
long past!
Her lips closed firmly as she
thought of the last time she had
seen Eric. 1t was the morning
after Bob's departure. He had
come striding into the garden to
find her. leaving an angry maid
staring after him.
"Sue!"
There had been no slightest
trace Of emotion in that meeting;
so far as she was concerned, at
any rate. She thought that he
looked tired and a little old, in
the unrelenting sunlight. There
were lines in his face. faint traces
Of hagginess beneath his eyes.
She wondered impersonally what
she had ever found exciting about
him. She would have as soon
thought of embracing the sup
port of the pergola where she
stood as going into Erics arms
now -- M
What have you gained, Eric?a
she heard her own voice inquir-
ing. by what you did?"
You" he shot at her. "Your
husband has gone. He called me
up last night to tell me So"
She laughed outright at that.
Men were such dramatistsl Eric,
rushing N to announce to Bob
that ye, ago Sue had loved him,
Bob telephoning Eric that he had
taken himself out of Sues life!
She played amusedly with the
subject recalling Forest Webb
and his frantic efforts to rouse
Pats that she might commune
cate some trivial last message to
woman she had never liked; Al
len himself and his various scenes
with Pats; even Young Robert. ex-
acting a crOSS-yOur- heart and
hOpe-to-die promise from placid
little Susan. Women were too con-
cerned with the essentials of
drama to wish the lines spoken,
she thought.
1t was that spontaneous laugh
ter which sent Eric away at last.
His sensitive spirit could brook
opposition but not rdicule.
August passed and Bob did not
return nor write Sue began to
grow anxious. Her funds were
getting low. for one thing. Her
position here was growing slight
ly ridiculous. She practiSed vari-
Gus forms of putting question
TO young Felllson at the store
"Oh. MIR FelliSon. do you hap
pen 10 know if Mr.. Trenton has
changed his address? | haven't
heard from him for several days
and thought"
No. emphatically that would
ne: do
Something has come up want
10 wire Mr.. Trenton about, and |
think he's on his way home"
10. silence and dignity were
her only resource. If Bob chose to
put her IN so uncomfortable a
situation, she could but wait until
he realized the righteousness of
his own anger. She hoped she
could keep herself sweet and rea-
sonable. Bob had had a shock,
she reminded herself almost daily
He had been touched in the tend
derest of all spots, his pride. He
had worked hard-hoW hard only
Sue herself knew-to make his
business recovery, to pay off the
debts growing out of his bank
ruptcy.
And bis ability to do that, the
strength which had enabled him
TO go steadily forward. had its
source in her love! Sue knew
that as surely as she knew that
tomorrow's sun would rise. Bob
without her dependence, without
her loving confidence in him,
would be a Samson Shorn.
The House Again
CUDDENLY she knew what she
- must dol II came to her in
squirt of laughter which brought
baby Susan to her side.
Funny, Muyver?"
Every funny, darling!"
She reached ~briskly for the
telephone. called st. Joseph. Yes,
Mrs. Trenton. Yes. certainly the
papers had all been made out:
the house belonged to its earlier
owner. Was there anything the
Office could do to assist?
"Pn be over tomorrow" she
said.
The next day she put both chill
dren in her car and drove to the
town Of her birth, of her girlhood
and the early years of her mar
riage. She got the key from the
real estate office. and made her
way briskly out to her old home.
II was in better condition than
she had dared to hope: a few
rooms repapered. some painting
done, the floors waxed it
could be ready in less than a
week. she was sure.
The garden, she observed hap.
PLY, had been kept up! She had
no idea that Bob had given orders
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