The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-20
Chapter IS
Crude And Rude,

y. ON the rooftop with Nep-
~ tune Jan leaned against the
parapet and gazed out over the
enormous eXpanse of blue waters,
sparkling under the sun as If dia-
mond-faceted. She felt a little
dizzy: more than a little shocked.
How blind she had been to the
obvious; how ignorant Of the
quirks and dark vortexes of the
familiar.
Rose had lived here three
weeks now; Derek four. She
thought, How little / really
know Of either Of them. I've
scarcely SKINNED their surfaces.
What will she do to Lance? What
will Derek do to me?"
Back OF her, in a somewhat
sheltered corner, stood the small
brown tent Derek occupied, its
flap pinned up to let in the fresh
air and sun. He was working to-
day. He worked nearly every day
now on the fishing barge. This
week he'd bought himself a pair
Of white flannel trousers, a pair
of white shoes, a blue flannel
jacket and a white shirt. He paid
her, with much ceremony, five
dollars a week for his food. He
treated her as a comrade, casual
ly, friendlily. That kiss on this
roof might never have been. Per-
haps it had been only magma
ton. She wished it werei \
Lance was in love with Rose,
her brain worried. Would it harm
him? She hoped not. Lance would
expect nothing to come Of it,
surely, knowing his limitations.
She was being rather foolish,
worrying about him. It might 10
him good, make him less intro
spective.
"Jan," she said aloud, "you are
worse than the old woman who
lived in the shoeI"
She gazed upon the locker
nearby which had not been
opened for weeks. Unhappy
weeks. "I'm miserable when /
paint and I'm miserable when I
DON'T" she thought. Il wonder
If he feels that way about the
piano, his music. He must. All
eaten up and gnawing and re-
sentful :"
Lance appeared distracted, mon
osyllabic, at dinner. He seemed
to be listening for the light click
OF high heels on the stairway and
when he finally heard them he
Frightened a moment only TO
plunge into deeper abstraction as
they went on outside.
Would you care to 60 to a
movie, Lancer" Norma asked, a
look Of strain about the corners
of her small, unpainted mouth.
No" He did not look at her.
He had not for long time. "Say,
Jan, could we afford to fix my
room up bit? / get so damnably
tired OF looking at the same
drapes and cushions day in and
day out. I thought-maybe some
thing bright"
"Of course. I'll 60 over to the
salvage store first thing in the
morning and see what they have.
can buy yardage and make the
Grapes and pillow covers my
self"
as there anything you can't
do?" Derek asked. "Jan, you are
much too competent / can pic
ture you scolding, managing and
mothering a brood of tow-headed
children"
She flushed, but said nothing.
So, she thought, he considers me
the maternal type. ! wonder If
am? I'd like a chance to find out
by having a fling at something
elsei
Sweet Girl Graduate
Johnny swung into the kitchen,
- his light eyes peering around
the table, settling on Jan. tive
got a night of" he said. "Come
on in town with me, Jan, and
Wen take in a show and couple
of night spots. tn do you good"
She might have refused If she
hadn't seen the frown of disap-
proval on Derek'S face. Thanks.
Johnny, I'd love to CO." Turning
to Derek, she said sweetly. ''You
won't mind helping Norma with
the dishes just once, will you?
After all, the maid should have
a night out occasionally. should
she not?"
Without waiting for assent or
dissent she left the table and ran
up to her room. Searching hastily
through her closet she located an
ancient evening gown in a sealed
paper sack. A freshman prom had
seen it last, ages ago; still, it
wasn't much out of date. In bu-
reau drawer were gold kid eve
ming sandals. She almost wept
when she pulled off the tissue pa
per and saw the tarnish on them.
Well, they wouldn't show much
under the long skirt of her dress
and anyhow she had to wear
them because they were all she
possessed.
Really, she thought, pirouet-
ting 5efore the mirror, the dress
did look grandl It was of white
tulle, long and fioaty, pulled of
sleeve, with a blue silk sash at