The Key West citizen., 1940-09-16
Casual SMuahters
VIRGINIA HANSON

SON-o---
| There were only the four Of us:
Colonel Pennant, genial as usual:
Mimi, brisk and businesslike. the
preoccupation Of hostess in her
eyes: Julia not exactly remote, but
seeming to have a strange new
dignity and to have found some
source of inner contentment.
We did not speak of Ivan. A
stranger, listening, would have
thought the only tragedy that had
touched this place was that of
social plans disrupted.
I'VE even chose her wedding
gown when we met her in Chi
cago," Mimi said with an ag-
grieved air. II can't imagine any
girl being so stupid. Dan and ]
were giving them the wedding,
and it was going to be so pretty
have you ever seen a military
wedding, Kay, with the arch of
saberS and all the trappingS? Oh
well, we'll just have to make
other plans. Now the thing is,
people have been calling me up
all morning asking tOhen and hot1
they can entertain the bride and
groom, so / thought I'd better
start the ball rolling with this re-
ception-"
l thought Of a train flashing
across the country, bearing Adam
and One Other-that One Other
to whom last ticket is sold for
a final iourney-and for a mo-
ment it seemed pretty heartleSs
to be planning a round Of parties.
But what had Ivan been to these
people? Only casual visitor, at
least as far as we knew. Even
| Sandra had acknowledged him
only as a friend, and up to that
time think 1 was the only one
to suspect a deeper allegiance on
her part. And don't tribal customs
include merriment after a death?
The Pennant'S reception would be
in the nature of wake for Ivan.
Julia was planning a tea dance
for them Saturday afternoon at
the club. / asked il ! could 90 in
with her and share the expense,
as I was already indebted to vari-
Gus people on the post. and they
seemed to think it was a good
idea. So after lunch we settled
down to practical consideration
and wrote invitations for couple
of hours
Strange Intensity
IT was nearly five when I got
back to the club, but Sandra
was still in my room, curled up
on the studio coach reading a
magazine. The air was heavy
with smoke and the room was hot
from the afternoon sun, but she
looked strangely contented and
greeted me almost with a smile.
did you write your letters?" !
asked. looking at my desk which
was as neat as usual, though that
is nothing to write home about.
Still. couldn't see that she had
disturbed anything.
Eyes. it didn't take long-just
few short notes TO friends who
knew Ivan. I was waiting for you
to come back and tell me where
to mail them. Are you going TO
send your story Off"
81 can't. It isn't finished, and
the post Office closes at six"
That's too bad. How many
pages are left to copy?"
"Six or seven"
81 could copy them in half an
hour for you" She flung down the
magazine and stood up. Come on,
let's get it finished. For all you
know. this one day might make all
the difference in a sale"
"But-but there's a little re-
vision-I always make changes
when I copy"
Take pencil and correct as I
type" She already had a sheet
of white paper in the machine.
She turned back the top page of
the stack of manuscript to the
right of the typewriter, looked at
it and numbered the waiting page.
"Mnere does II DegIn, mere Were
it says She looked up at him
soulfully'?"
Make it She gazed deep into
his eyes and here, halfway down
the page. instead of said write
'murmured.'"
She nodded and words began TO
pour from her hands like beans
into a pan. l watched her expert
fingers for a moment of silent
envy, then l got busy correcting
the next sheet.
l proofread the typed sheets as
she finished them. but there was
no need to. That girl could type.
While she was finishing the last
page I addressed a manila en-
velope by hand. :hen / took the
competed manuscript and leafed
rapidly through it to make sure
the pages were in the right order.
She watched me with the strang-
est intensity as / did il and ]
thought, she's read the story while
| was gone and she wonders if I
know it. I didn't care if she had.
| had told her she could. But /
felt a little contemptuous at the
thought that she would sneak.
She took her two thin en-
velopes and followed me out to
the garage. Gerald had brought
me the KEYS to Adams car he