The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-03-20

You couldn't put artificial social
standards, and things like that,
against it"
But Emily you can't let us
down this way. You're engaged to
Roger. You're going to marry
him" There was a note of dis
traction in Mrs. Perry's voice that
brought Rogers eyes to her face
in puzzled wonder.
Il was going to marry him, you
mean" Emily said quietly and
slowly. can engagement is such
frail thing. I never knew how
frail till I saw Lovely Daye.
There are other things much
stronger"
But Roger'd never" Mrs.
Perry stopped speaking and
| looked helplessly at Marcia. And
Roger felt that he read in her face
more tragedy than should have
been there.
But girl like that who'd come
up to the country with a man."
Mrs. Perry paused and then fin
ished helplessly: Men don't mar
| ry girls IKE that.
Girls like that" Emily re-
+ peated the phrase thoughtfully.
"Girls like that. Some things just
don't seem to count. Oh. yes, l
could say things about her being
up there in the cottage-just COM
ing up with Roger as she has;
hard bitter things. But what good
would it do me?" No one an
swered so Emily repeated the
question. what good would it do
me?" Still no one had an answer
| for her, so she said in low tone.
"And it wouldn't hurt her"
Old Peter continued to bring in
the delicacies with which Amalia
weighted her table for such occa-
sions but no one ate very much.
Roger asked Peter for second
brandy after the coffee had been
served. Emily looked at him, her
eyes soft and gentle again. She
seemed 20 be saying inaudibly:
Don't mind so much. No one
could help it. don't hate you for
it."
We'll" Amalia said as they
left the table, II didn't think was
asking you here for this. thought
it was going to be a happy occa-
sion"
1T isn't your fault, Aunt
Amalia," said Emily who seemed
the most self-possessed of the
little party. ut was grand din
ner."
Amalia's bright eyes turned for
an instant to Roger and then back
to Emily.
"And want you to know,
Emily" she went on, "that this
makes no difference in your being
heir to half of all possess. You
may have to wait quite while
for it. We Coseraves have a way
Of living on. We can't let 60 OF
things when we should" Her
eyes were on Roger.
Emily slipped an arm around
the elderly little woman and
kissed her cheek.
Darling" she said sweetly, I'D
rather have you here than all of
the money in the world"
Amalia was slightly embar-
raised by the caress, so she was a
little more brisk than usual when
she turned to Roger an6 said:
"And I hope Roger knows no
one ever m"de a silk purse out Of
q sow's ear"
Roger was glad when Emily
made the move to go and broke up
the marty. 1t was like her to do
the thouphtful thing. In the hall
he heard Mr.. Perry's fretful
voice saving again:
ave should have told. There's
been no point in all this covering
M" And Roger was aware that
Mrs Perry shushed hin effective
ly as she hurried him out.
Joe Again
! IN THE car going home Marcia
said nothing. Roger felt a sort
of silent sympathy emanating
| from his father. At the steps
Roger hesitated, Instead of going
on to the garage with the car. he
swung around the circular drive
and out into the road headed to-
ward croton. There was balm in
the night air for his troubled soul.
He stopped at Tumble Inn for
cigaretS. Mari and Joe Hulse were
sitting at the bar. Mari left her
stool, walked over to Roger and
linked her arm through his,
Look. my pet" she said. See
what I've got! Motioning to Joe.
See what l found in the bull
rusheS! He's grandl Positively
brilliant, darling! He can listen
to me talk for ages and ages and
never be the least boredl"
But Roger knew Joe was too
stunned to react in any way.
Lovely had been cut from his
life II was like cutting the largest
limb from an apple tree in spring
and letting the sap run until the
tree gradually died Joe IooSed
like that Mari was talking again:
And isn't he stunning? A great
big he-creaturel I'm going to take
him around and let all the girls
see hint"
Something about Il made Roger
feel violently Disguised. He swift
~ left the place
AS ne tuVl I'd from garaging his
car \ Shadowy figure approached
him He paused. peering through
the vague light.
II was his father.
Il waited up for you, Roger"
Cosgrave said simply 10 his son.
I'm sorry. Dad And then they
walked n silence IL the house
whore the older man said:
Come into my study. Roger"
There CoSgrave fun bled