The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-08
II I 9 = = Id e
81 a..!alsss lam

sinking. VIII put the crew in the
two lifeboatS with papers and rec
ords. There Is one seat left. but
my wife refuses to leave me-"
"An example Of true love"
Derek muttered. "And what Of
the children left alone?" He re-
placed the book, observing how
stained and warped it was from
salt water. So this, briefly, was
the tragic story of JAMS parents.
Had it ever puzzled and hurt her.
he wondered, the fact of her
mothers deserving her children
for her husband?
On the mantel over the stone
fireplace he saw a framed photo
graph Of a trim merchant ship.
Singapore Moon" was scrawled
in bold vertical letters. across the
bottom. He went on to the tall
bookcase, literally erammed with
books, at the right of the fire.
place. Stevenson, Kip1ing, Jack
London, Emerson, Dickens, Bal
FAC, Shelley, Byron, Milton.
Shakespeare, a King James Bible
and all looked as if they had
been read and re-read.
Cheerful morning" he grum-
bled and went on around the
room, touching his fnger-tips to
the comfortable davenport, the
slip-covered easy chairs. the ma
rine patterned parchment lamp
shades, but ignoring entirely, as
if by determined effort, the most
beautiful piece in the entire
room: concert grand piano of
lustrous polished mahogany.
Touch OF Pugnacity
EEET on the stairway arrested
his tour Of inspection. Johnny
Benton swung around the newell
post at the bottom Of the steps
and stopped dead to stare at the
apparition in the pink bed quilt.
"What the deucels he ex-
claimed, his eyes popping.
Whore your"
might I inquire the same?"
81 belong here" Johnny assert
ed, a touch Of pugnacity in his
tone.
Derek regarded Johnny's spot
less white beach ensemble with
morose eyes. $50 do I belong
here" he said.
"Since when?" the other man
demanded, advancing into the
room.
"Since yesterday afternoon. Do
they actually have clothes like
those in these salvage stores?" he
baited joyfully.
His bait was ignored. "It's
darned funny Jan didn't tell me
about you. There's something
queer going on around here. What
are you doing in that quilt?"
Trying to keep warm" Disre-
garding him, Derek picked up a
magazine and appeared absorbed
in its pictures, irritatingly at ease
in his trailing quilt.
Look here, fellow" said john
ny, reaching Derek and grabbing
hold of the pink covering. "I'm
looking out for Jan and l want
an explanation from you'll"
Derek said nothing, just looked
down at Johnny, measuring him.
A squirming, hateful sense of in
feriority curdled Johnny's insides
and his hand dropped to his side.
"Well, it all seems pretty thick"
he mumbled.
That's better" Derek compli-
mented. "Since you are the self
professed protector around here
it's only fair to inform you Miss
Merriner rescued me from pelagic
waters yesterday"
"Pel-what? Say, you" The
front door opened and Jan said:
Il see you're up, Johnny. This
is my new handy man. And
Derek, this is Johnny Benton, one
of my roomers who plays a swing
trumpet at the very ultra-ultra
Surf Club in Santa Monica"
Johnny turned his eyes suspi-
ciouSly from one to the other. He
didn't like the way things were
going at all. He did not stop to
rationalize his sudden bristling
belligerence, but there it was.
Then he spied the clothes over
JAMS arm. What you got there.
JAM"
Some clothes for Derek." She
extended white duck trousers,
white cotton polo shirt and tennis
sneakers. do get off that ridicu-
louS quilt and put these on she
ordered, smiling against her bet
ter judgment at the storm brew
ing on Johnny's face.
Derek took the articles, hoisted
up his "sarong" and ran UP the
stairway.
49," Johnny accused, tussing
with the green silk scarf at his
neck, you pulled him out of the
ocean yesterday and this morning
you're buying him clothes and
calling him by his first namel
Who is he. anyhow? Where does
he get off with those airs of his?"
"Oh, for goodness sake, john
ny, calm down." she scolded. Il
know nothing about him except
he had to have clothes and food"
well, now he's got 'em you can
send him on his way" he as
serted.
A flush of temper tinted her
cheeks. did, you ever t-y really
hard to mind your own business.
johnny"
He said aggrievedly. his thick
lips sulky. "You don't need to get
sore. After all, Lance can't look
out for you and I'm Just thinking
about your good. This fellow
might be thief. dangerous ma
MAC. anything. Maybe he escaped
from AlcatraZ!"
Al swan all the wa" from
Gu r~a-cisco to Los Angeles"