The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-03-13

| Sharply.
Back therel" And then before
he could say anything more:
Roger, let's go home. If we slip
away no one'll miss us even if the
party is for u.s."
Roger looked at her intently.
"Tired?" he asked.
CT must be-" In voice that
wasn't quite steady. please, let's
CO."
In the car Emily's hand touched
his on the wheel. Her voice was
strangely smothered as she said:
Roger, let's talk. There's some
thing - we'll, l didn't ask you
where you'd been last night be-
cause l was afraid to. / saw that
lipstick on your collar but I
blinded myself to what it meant.
l thought you'd come back to me
and that was all that mattered.
But you hadn't come back. And
now I've got to ask you. l heard
you and John. l couldn't help it."
1t was almost as if she was con-
Tossing a fault and Roger felt a
wave of suddenly overwhelming
sympathy and tenderness for her.
Il was sitting in that chair"
she continued, that wing chair,
waiting for you, hoping you'd find
me-"
He couldn't reply Immediately.
Roger, you've got to tell me-"
still in that unsteady, stifled voice.
I've got to know. Where were
you last night? Where did you
come from when you found me
there on the piaZza?"
Roger stared into the night. He
had never been called on to do
anything harder or more distaste-
full. Anything more cruel.
From Granny HaIe's cottage,
Emily"
"And today? That was where
you went today? Why you were
late for Mari's party?"
Yes! Yes, Emily. I might as
well be honest with you"
Who is she, Roger? Who is
she?"
"Her name is Lovely Daye."
Roger began slowly as if talking to
himself, repeating something by
rote. That's all l know. There's
no use trying to tell you anything
more about her because l don't
know, except" and he hesitated,
looking darkly into the shadows,
wondering whether or not to 90
on and say the rest. Except that
she's fire in my veins. A fever in
me. I'm sorry, but it's something
l can't help"
ITS one of the girls from that
picnic, isn't it?" she persisted. II
knew something then, Roger.
could feel it somehow. Like a
shadow coming before the thing
really happened"
Yes" quietly.
Roger, you're not in love with
her" Alarm running like a wild
thing in the words.
Il don't know. | don't know
what to call it. Its" his own
voice none too steady, Something
! can't throw off. I've tried to,
Emily, but I can't" Fiercely.
Perhaps I should be ashamed
but Pm not"
LOvely's Visitors
EMILY made no answer. She sat
IL with her face in her hands
and Roger had vague notion she
was crying quietly. Her shoulders
seemed to shake. He knew he
should put his arm around her.
He wanted to but he couldn't. He
waited silently. Finally Emily
looked up.
She can't have you, Roger"
She spoke quietly and calmly.
She can't. l won't let you go.
You're engaged to me. We're CO.
ing to be married three weeks
from today-just as it's planned"
And Roger knew a vague sense
of satisfaction. Of peace. AS if at
last the thing was settled for him.
without his having to settle it and
he was glad.
You can take me home now"
she said quietly.
He kissed her mechanically as
he left her.
Good night, Roger" she said
in the soft frightened voice of a
child
Good night" He patted her
shoulder as if he would have re-
assured her.
At the gate of the Perry place
Roger suppressed an impulse to
turn up the hill toward Granny
Hale's house. Emily might have
decided what she would do but
she had done nothing to cool the
fire that burned in his blood. 1t
had not erased the imprint of
Lovely Daye from his heart.
Lovely was as real and deSir-
able to him as the first time he'd
held her in his arms. He went
into the house and up 10 his room
with the feeling that he should
go up 10 see her.
Next morning he knew he
should have.
1t was barely eight when he
heard car Squeal 10 a stop under
his window, He looked out. John
Carr was standing beside the ma
chine oddly battered and dishev-
elnd
Roger went down to him.
How'd the other fellow come
out?" he asked good -na,uredly.
John had been drinking the night
before and Roger never held any
thing done under the influence OF
liquor against his friends.
Been up to see your GIRL" John
informed him dizxiIy. Wow what
wild cat, You pick EN- rough!"
Roger went suddenly white. His
hands were clenching against his
Will He as trying desperately
u keep calm.