The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-06-11

"Confound you, Brendal Must
you come here raking over old
Goals, stirring the ashes of-of my
marriage? There's nothing | need
to know about Linda. She's per-
fectly able to look after herself"
And then he added in a panic
stricken voice: "She'S not i'll? You
haven't come to tell me that she's
ill.,"
Brenda drifted toward the door.
Not that l know of-though it's
likely she will be. under the cir
cumstances."
He crossed the studio in five
strides; gripped her arm until she
WINGED.
What do you know about Lin
da? Tell mel"
''But I thought there was moth
ing you needed to know about her;
| thought you wanted me to mind
my own. business
He smiled wryly. 1T doesn't
seem to me that you have minded
it-exactly. Even for a Durham
you seem TO havea finger in a good
many pies on The Street. Sit
down." he commanded, "and say
what you came to say"
She sank obediently upon the
couch. you remember you asked
me while back If I'd written any,
one about you? And | said had
one or two persons? Well, | had an
answer this morning to one of
those letters. It's from a friend of
mine in iJew York. She knows
your wife; she knows Linda"
go on" he babe her inpa-
tiently.
"She's clerking in a bargain
Easement, Hugh. She's living IN a
down-at-the-heelS room in none
too-distinguished house"
"A Bad Mistake :
IT INDAi" His eyes darkened
l. and his face grew ashen.
Then he laughed. You've been
miSinformed, Brenda. | pay five
hundred dollars into Linda'S bank
on the first of every month. She
gould live comfortably on that.
Aside from that. you don't know
Linda. Luxury s an absolute ne
ceSSity to her. / honestly believe
she'd die if she-did what you said
she was doing. Clerking-Lindai
Your correspondent has made a
bad mistake"
She drew letter from the pock-
ct of her smock and put it into his
hand.
Read for yourself" she said
simply.
Five minutes later he lifted his
head and gazed at her haggardly.
But what in heavens name is
she doing with the money pay
herr"
It was a tacit admission of con-
version but his visitor refrained
from fiounting her triumph.
I've thought t all out" she in
formed him. Il don't know why
she left you Il imagine it was
some silly sort of quarrel-but If
she happened to be proud per-
son"
LINDA is damnably proud!"
"Um. Yes. It all fits in. She isn't
using your money, you see. She
went out and got herself a joh-
any kind Of a job"
He plunged his hands in his
thick hair. But that doesn't make
sensel In the first place, Linda is
entitled to what money send her.
We're not divorced, she's still my
wife. It's my job to support her. In
the second"
Il wouldn't think l was entitled
to money, if I'd left my husband"
Brenda said bluntly.
you Wouldn't" The idea ap-
peared to be so odd to him that he
stopped t. ponder it. But that's
absurd, Brenda; it's ridiculous.
Naturally man supports his
wife"
She said still more bluntly:
"But she isn't your wife now,
Hugh. Surely you must see that.
Surely you must realize she would
look at it that way"
Angry color began to replace his
pallor. "Of all the specious rea-
Soning / ever heard j.. but that's
woman for you! Logic simply
doesn't exist fo- your sexi"
ION the contrary, it seems. to
me that Linda's being far more
logical than you are. Hugh! Think
it overl"
He swallowed. Listen, Brendal
I'll give you the barest outline of
the-the trouble between Linda
and me"
She shook her head. her eyes on
her shoes.
Better not, HughI You might
regret it afterward. I've told you
what / thought it was important
for you to know. That closes the
discussion, so far as am con-
cerned."
But he was as eager now to de-
tain her as he had been to speed
her on her way ten minutes be-
fore.
Tell me what to do" he begged.
Shall catch the first train to
New York and find Linda-reason
with her"
She looked at him pityingly.
Such a clever artist, and so stupid
where women were concerned.
Heavens above, mol You'd SIM
ply drive her away from her Job,
from her room. How long has she
been away?"
Nineteen m onths and ten
days." he said.
Brenda drew her own conclu-
sions from this prompt answer.
Canfluuad karnarrav