The Key West citizen., 1940-11-26
Chapter Four
Trouble Ahead


DLUTARCH the cat paid no at
L tention whatsoever, but pro-
ceeded to the hearth, where with
great deliberation he selected a
comfortable spot and curled up
before the fire, unconsciously
adding that cozy touch that a cat
always does give to room.
"PIutarch?" Aunt Maggie
shifted. tive never heard of such
a thing"
"On account Of his nine lives, F"
Bob explained with a grin.
"But Plutarch didn't have nine
lives" Aunt Maggie objected.
"I'll bet he wished he did have.
though" said Bob, "instead of
just writing lives. That's why it
seemed such a good name for a
cat"
'T was going to call him Tinker
Bell" said Alice, "but now he
won't answer to anything but
Plutarch- Isn't that just like Bob?
And he's really my cat"
"You don't need to tell us
that" said Eve, sweetly.
We'll, he'll have to be put
announced with f1nality. "You
know. Sally, I'm alergic to ami
NAL hairs"
HE can have the Office" said,
placatingly. referring to the back
room from which the masculine
head Of the house had conducted
plantation affairs in days gone by.
when the property included a
much larger acreage. My grand
mother had used it as a sort of
morning room. but if was still
called the Office. I'm going back
to the kitchen now," l added,
"and I'll send Andrew in for
him"
Don't forget my sherry" Aunt
Maggie implOred, as though with
her last ounce of energy, and this
time I actually did get under
way.
Miss Sally" Andrew began
the moment the kitchen door
swung to behind me, mo package
never did come"
What is all this about a pack
age and meeting the bus?" |
snapped Grossly. HAS everybody
gone crazy?"
But Miss Sally" Andrew re-
monstrated with an injured air.
"they said it was you yourself
said for US TO 60. For me to go
and take Bessie and not come back
until / got the package. cause it
was something you needed for
tonight. l couldn't think what it
could be. Looks like to me we
done brough everything in the
world. And they said to get more
eggs and TO bring a hundred
pounds Of ice. got the ice and
the eggs ali right. Howsomever.
! didn't see where we'd need no
ice with the electric refrigerator,
or no eggs neither, unless you
was going to have Bessie make a
angel food cake, and we done got
all that fruit cake. Miss Maggie
say she amt going to stay here
by herself. 50 she come with us"
Andrew" | asked firmly, "who
said for you to go?"
'Mr. Charles. at the Biltmore,
where you have your hair fixed.
said for US to go. He said you
was sitting under that there dryer
thing, having your nails mani
cured and you had forgot and
&hnEA - 81
us to hurry"
81 did go to Charles's this
morning." l admitted, "but l did
not ask him or anyone else to
telephone a message. What time
did the call Gomez"
About ten-thirty, wasn't it.
Bessie?" Andrew questioned.
"Yes'm," affirmed Bessie,
%'cause we had to hurry to get
there in time to meet the eleven
o'clock bus"
And then there wern't moth
ing on T." said Andrew, with an
elaborate disgust, cor else, that
there driver lost it"
But he couldn't lose it, if Miss
Sally never sent nothing" Bessie
reminded him.
Il wouldn't put it past him."
said Andrew darkly.
Cheering Sally
d EALIZING we were getting
N nowhere fast in this direction,
I suggested that a little speed
with the mint julepS might not
be amiSs. | was reminded, as /
expected to be. that no such thing
is possible if there is to be a
proper frost on the glass. Finally
they were ready. with Bessie and
me lending a hand. Andrew, re-
garding them with pride. OBJ
served, This here ought to take
the damp and the cramp out OF
all Of 'em'-meaning the guests,
of course.
When Bill and I were at last in
our own room, dressing for din
ner. l showed him the note ! had
found on the bureau. a
Somebody must be pulling.
your leg" he said -
"All right" agreed, but who?
Nobody but Aunt Maggie and
the servants had any right in
this house before / came out this
afternoon. Which would you pick
as the guilty one?"
What about all those window
washers and cleanerS?"
They all finished a week ago.