The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-10
Chapter Six
No Work No Eat

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you asked Derek not to tell
me about his suicide attempt?"
repeated Lance. Because of my
reaction? Doa't be a silly goose,
Sis. In my opinion it takes a lot
more courage to live than die. I
told him so, but he didn't agree.
Please. honey, don't ever let any,
thing like that worry you. know
when I get those fits of depres-
sion say I'd rather be dead, but
! don't mean If. Not so long as
! have you. guess ! just have to
let off steam when the pressure
gets too high"
She dropped to her knees be-
side his chair and laid her cheek
against his hand. "He wants to
stay here with us, Lance. I've
got crazy idea / can do some
thing for him, readjust him, some
how. Have ! crusaders complex,
do you think?"
"a too developed maternal COM
pick, I'd say. You always did drag
in stray cats and pups when you
were a little kid. Mother used to
have fit, but Dad always made
up excuses for you"
at seems like more than four
years since"
'Tm glad they went before this
happened to me. It would have
hurt them So" She sensed his
withdrawal from the pain of re-
membering. He went on: ut
doesn't seem very provident to
keep the fellow here, Jan. We
have so little as it is and we've
talked of taking in another roomer
this summer"
Lance, will it be all right if
l promise to make him uSefu1?"
she pleaded. "I-Pll try to make
him a paying proposition, if
can. There's jobs to be had
around here with summer coming
on. Maybe Captain Tupple will
take him on one of his fishing
bargeS."
Lance patted her wind-tumbled
hair. "All right, baby, if it'll make
you happy to have a stray man
to fret over"
Johnny was so mean about It
this morning" she said in a little
girl voice against the woolly
blanket. 'He suspects Derek of
everything from larceny to may
hem"
well, L hope Johnny isn't
right" Lance sighed.
She looked up, defiance in her
deep blue eyes. @You don't think
he's a criminal, Lancer"
u don't know anything to
think, Jan. But your man had bet
ter make good or Johnny and l
will both annihilate himl"
Put on the defensive she de-
hberately submerged any doubts
she herself had. Hes fine per-
son" she declared. "Pll prove it
to you. Wait and see."
She stirred to action. She would
find Derek and tell him he had to
get a job right away.
But Derek was nowhere in the
house. she found. He must have
gone for a walk, and here she
was in a mood to talk to him
without mincing words. Later she
might not be, her moods were so
evanescent.
Disturbed, nervous, not nearly so
sure as she'd tried to make Lance
believe. she sought the grand
piano and the soothing touch of
its keys. Although she did not
practice enough to play really
well, her fingers were light and
facile and drew comfort for her
from the classics she loved. In the
semi-duSk of the familiar, friend
Iy living room she dropped to the
piano bench and let her fingers
drift into the sad beauty of Schu-
bertS Serenade.
Smooth Mask
ENRAPT, singing the words soft
lily to herself, she didn't hear the
door open nor did she see Derek
come in. When the last tone sighed
into silence she looked up and
saw him. The expression on his
face startled her, hurt her in some
vague manner she could not COM
prehend: It was an expression of
torment. of agonizing Illustration.
Then smooth. blank mask COW
cred it and she felt as if, for a
fieeting moment she had been
permitted to look into his soul.
"Derek," she began, 81 have
something to say to you"
But he fed upstairs with the
panicky step of a man pursued
by ghosts, leaving her alone with
the echo of Schubert.
Jan emptied the contents of her
coin purse on the kitchen table.
Eighty nine cents and two three
cent stamps. "And four people to
feed" she walled softly to her
self "Johnny's rent is due to.
morrow, but that doesn't help
out tonight. And l ought to get
Derek a razor and toothbrush
and comb. suppose / could Dor
row money from Norma If she
gets home in time, but hate TO
do that. I guess I'll make a meat
loaf. Hamburger's cheap enough.
Lifting her old black sweater
from the hook on the kitchen
door, she mumbled to Neptune.
~Thifty-five cents OUGHT TO do il.
rye got PLENTY of TOPS but