The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-01-30


less than month before his in.
tended marriage. The house was
too rambling and a trifle too iso-
lated for the average purchaser, Sc
| Sue had taken it for granted it had
not been sold.
'Tt's a heavenly site for it, Bob,
she said as they entered the curv-
ing drive. Gall these magnificent
trees, and so high up :. ! believe
you'll be able to see the river on
clear daysl"
That's one of the reasons
bought it." he said simply. 81 re-
member where / saw you first. ]
knew you'd want a glimpse of your
beloved river. Wait till, / unlock
the door. There! Will you walk
into your parlor. Sue? Or your
hall, anyway"
He touched button by the door
and the square entrance with its
fireplace and its beautiful stair
case, bloomed with soft light.
"It's furnished" she gasped. Il
didn't know Ted Wilmington had
it all ready"
pretty nearly. There were gaps
here and there which I've been fill
ing in. Not that | know anything
about such things, but there's a
friend of mine in Kansas City who
does. She's been picking up odds
and ends for me all winter. Like it.
Sue? Here's the liVing-room. Runs
the length of the house. d'you see?
These long windows open onto a
| formal garden-that is, it's going
to be formal when it's finished. And
you can see the river from here,
tool"
Hardly giving her time to take
in the lovely room with its rugs
like family cleaning Jewels, its
white marble fireplace, its deep,
comfortable couches and big arm
chairs, he put hand beneath her
elbow and urged her along.
"Across the hall, you see. is
reception room. That's so you
won't have to take strangers. or
bores into the intimacy of the
other one. And here's the dining
room. Big enough to have all our
friends to dineseh? You love flow
ers so, Sue, that got the archi,
| tect to design this alcove affair. II
can be shut off to be kept at the
proper temperature or i, can stand
open-look!"
It's Perfect"
LIE FLUNG open the wide doors
II with a flourish and the girl
gasped. The glassed-in nook was
already sweet with blosSomlng
plants and even as she looked.
tiny fountain rose under the pres
sure of his finger on a concealed
button.
Pretty keen. Sue? About what
you'd have fixed yourself, if you'd
been consulted?"
Bob, l never. never could have
thought of such lovely thingl It's
perfect! It's real winter garden,
isn't it. with gravel paths and flow
ers growing right out of the
ground. and all! It's magic Bob!"
"The flowers are frauds in
way" he chuckled. Il mean
growing so casually in the ground
They're still in their pots. you
know Mayoe they'd do all right if
they were out. but was taking no
chances on having them at their
best when you first saw them.
Want to inspect the culinary re-
gions?"
Her heart was beating a little
fast as she nodded. 1t touched her.
his careful thought for what would
or would not please her. Who but
Bob would remember how she
loved the river. how great a part
in her life flowers had always
played?
ooh, why can't just let myself
go and marry him?" she asked
herself despairingly. 'Pll be twen-
ty-five next month. and like him
i come nearer loving him than
any man I've known in my life. /
can't go on much longer with
Allen and Patsy. | want a home
and this is such beautiful one!
want children. Bob's everything
that most girls dream of. Why
can't get all thrilled and excited
about him? Want him to kiss me-
hold me in his arms? Maybe I'm
not capable of feeling like that to-
ward any man. Maybe I'm one of
these fundamentally cold women
you read about. If I could be sure
of that-if ] didn't think there'd
be danger of meeting the right
man after | was married. I'd take
a chance!"
What are you thinking. stand
ing there in the middle of the
kitchen, and not hearing one word
l say?" he demanded. as any.
thing wrong, Sue? / would
you like any changes made? Make
EN- in a minute. YOU know. You've
only to say the word!"
TITS perfect!'' she repeated. "It's
only was only-wiShing cared
enough for you TOTO share it with
you, Bob. dearI"
His face fell like a grieved
child'S. "And don't you, Sue? Don't
you. my darling? / thought = it
seems perfectly incomprehenSible
to me that ! can love you $3.50
utterly, and you not feel as do.
Perhaps you're not the passion
ately loving kind, Sue. Perhaps
you love me now as much as you
can. You said-you did say you'd
missed me this week." He sound.
ed very young and touching as he
spoke; very far removed from the
arrogant man who had light
heartedly proposed to her the first
time they had danced together.
She looked at him with troubled
eyes.
] Continued tomorrow n