The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-02
Chapter 26
Biow.Up

TWICE now Derek had met Le-
L more at the Club, talked with
her a few moments at the en-
trance, yet refused, uncondition-
ally, to go inside with her. If
he'd known that both Rose and
Johnny saw him on both occa-
sions. he would probably have
told Jan about it himself. AS it
was, he thought it unnecessary
to say anything to anyone.
Frankly. he was worried. Be-
cause if Lenore did find out
where he lived, and with whom,
she would undoubtedly make
trouble. She was not taking his
abandonment of her lightly. She
was employing every means she
knew to win him back. to in
trigue his interest once more. He
was not fool enough to think it
impossible. either. even though
he distrusted and disliked her. If
she worried him, she was also
healing the hurt in him. making
him heart-Whole. for she had lost
the power to shake his emotions.
Yet. Lenore was shrewL and
clever as we'll as beautiful and
charming. In short. to insure his
integrity. he wanted to put dis
lance. plenty of it. between him.
self and her. but he did not want
to leave the Merriners. He was
caught. almost literally, between
the devil and the deep blue sea. ="
Rose. coming into the house to
change clothes on this first glori-
Gus day of June. met Jan on the
stairway and remarked care
lessly. Better watch Derek,
darling. He's having heart trouble
with a gorgeous blonde!"
Jan stopped. what do you
mean?"
'T've seen him couple of times
talking ardently to a girl at the
Surf Club. | don't know who she
is. I'll try to find out, if you want
to know"
81 don't want to know. It's his
business, isn't it?" She went on
downstairs. her spirits leaden.
Not, she assured herself. because
of Derek and a girl, but because
her priced sketches of Neptune
had been returned this afternoon
with a not too unsympathetically
worded rejection slip.
She went out and sat on the
porch with her small, round chin
cupped in her hands. Until the
return of the sketches she hadn't
quite realized how much she'd
counted on selling them. And
now
She felt suddenly weary of try
ing to manage everybody and
everything around her. Resent
ment, long supposed, began Slow
~ to rise rebelliods in her small
body. Why should she have to
carry the whole load alone?
Dinner that night seemed i'll
omened. She burned her fingers
painfully taking a pan of rolls
from the oven: Lance remarked
that Norma must be glad school
was nearly over and she, taking
1t that he would be glad to be rid
of her. jumped up from the table
and fled in tears to her room.
leaving her dinner untouched.
Jan, washing the dishes, was
aggravated beyond all control
when Derek rushed into the
kitchen with her sketches which
she had left on a hall table.
'SpineleSS Failure
THEY'RE marvellous. JAM" he
L exclaimed. Keep this up and
you'll be famous. I knew you
could do it,
do what?" she asked Grossly.
Earn neat rejection slip?"
"Poof! One rejection means
nothing, puss. You might get six
reflections and still sell them for a
cool thousand. I tell you they're
good. l know what I'm talking
about. You really have something
here"
"If you think they're so mar
velous, take themr" She pulled
her burning, smarting fingers out
of the diShwater and turned on
him with guSty, violent temper.
You know lot. don't you? You
know too much for people like
me. I'm sick of listening to your
advice. Why should listen to
you? Who are you? You won't
tell. You're ashamed. You won't
do anything for yourself or for
anybody else. You won't work
and you won't try to make any
thing out of yourself or your life.
You were right. | should have left
you in the ocean that day-you
aren't even good salvage! You're
worthless, Shiftless and complete
ly Irresponsible You're entrench-
ed in your tight little castle built
OF wounded ego and self-pity.
You shirk your duty to yourself
and to society. You don't belong
here, Derek somebody or other!"
His face was as white and
angry as hers. what possible
difference does it make to you
what / amp" he demanded. "What
do you care? What does it matter
to you?"
Her eyes blazed like night fires
through rain. Because tried to
help you. because I had faith in
you. because / hate SpineleSs fail
ures!" she declared and ran past
him up the stairs to her room
and slammed the door.
The anger died out of Derek's
face. CONSERVATION. amazement.