The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-04

' restaurant on Park
Avenue.
"a tan would be aWfully
becoming to you," Toby said
irrelevantly as he slipped his cof-
fee. st is the natural complement
to blonde hair"
1 ate the last bite of pastry re-
luctantly and looked across at
him. Il have no doubt, Mr.. Maug-
ham, but If you've met up with
a newspaper lately you must have
noticed that the weather, in
stead Of staying in its proper
place on page %, has moved up
to the page headlines. This, my
young friend, is the worst winter
in fifty-five years and chances of
getting a tan are SLIM.
Toby lighted cigarette, blow
ing out the smoke lazily. "Swell!"
he said. 1--WE been wanting to
meet someone who remembers the
winter of '88. How was it,"
For twenty-one days we were
entirely without meat or drink"
1T did wonders for your
figure" he said smoothly. but
seriously, Chris, give UP the idea
of this new studio and let's skip
for Bermuda"
with the sunburn as bait" I
murmured.
He Strengthened his shoulders,
annoyed. with me as bait" he
shouted. "You may not know it,
but I'm proposing to you for the
last time"
took a long drink of expensive
ice-water. ''The people at the next
table are enchanted" / said. "But
couldn't refuse you for the last
time in the privacy of a taxi?"
Toby glared at the people, at
me, then called for the check and
I looked about with regret.
This" I told myself, "is the
last time you're going to lunch
in luxury for many a day, Chris
tine Howarth."
And for a moment, completely
replete. weakened. Life with
Toby would be so simple since
there was the Vaughan money
to keep the paths shoveled, but
whenever thought of marrying
him I got a queer feeling that
the Vaughan money would COM
pletely inundate the Howarth
ambition and that was to paint
one really good picture.
had just come back from
Paris ten days before. full of am
bition and strong resolutions. But
I'd been away from New York
too long. The city seemed strange
and l felt a little foreign. and be-
Wildered at the changes. If it
hadn't been for Toby I'd have
taken the first ship back to
Havre.
Il don't understand you," Toby
said a few minutes later as he
slammed the taxi door and sat
down beside me.
l nodded. 1--WE been having the
same trouble with myself"
The taxi raced down Park Ave
nue., skidding crafty over the ice,
missing truck by squeak.
"You still persist in moving
down to that god-awful neigh
borhood." Toby said between his
teeth.
l cleared my throat and told
him yes in a small voice. with
out daring to look at him. The
weather and the Vaughan money
were getting me again.
We rode in silence until the cab
pulled up in front of my hotel.
I'm sailing on Friday" Toby
said.
Il shall send you carnations"
! said, growing weaker by the
moment.
You'll regret this" Toby pre-
dicted darkly.
Probably" said I.
The fare is forty-five, Buddy"
said the driver.
And I jumped out Of the taxi,
turning my back on coral beaches
and expensive luncheonS.
Exactly one week later Toby's
malevolent prophecy was fulfilled.
Huddled in a wicker chair on the
sidewalk in front of my new
home I was literally frozen with
regret.
For weeks New York had been
smothered with snow and chat
tering its teeth in zero weather,
but Of all days had chosen the
coolest to move. The temperature
shivered around zero until three
in the afternoon, then dropped be-
Soooso00SosOO