The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-10-17
Chapter IL
Overnight Guest

4 was q note IN her voice that
uas far from laughter. For the
fr~ time Pam felt she could he
z.sss that Freda was sincere with
Then, Freda was taking
you see | wasn't as fried az !
.rsnaed when you came out and
zH is in your flower beds
rriedg" Pam was puzzled. The
~ernacular of drinking was for
elan language to her.
yves. sweet child, fried. Satu-
,ssed. Spilled. Or just plain in
.rxicated, if you'd rather. Only !
warn't you see. / hadn't been
Srinking at all, but it suited me
4 have the handsome Jerry think
I was helpless"
Freda was leaning forward a
ftiIe and talking with sudden ear
rsssness. Il heard everything.
p1r. Just how sweet you were
r. ne. I wouldn't have been that
wsv 10 you. / want you to know
shst. It's only fair. ] couldn't have
bpen as big and fine as you've
feen. I fight for what I want In
81 the small ways a woman
Knows. I've never wanted any,
HlinE as you want Jerry. If / had.
Ia have been poisonous. I'd nev-
- have insisted that YOU be
brought into my house, had things
been reversed. I'm not made of
lkst End Of stuff. And I'm sur
rrising myself in wanting you to
have Jerry 49, t.-.--
aBnt that was nothing Pam
aid quietly. ANYONE would have
done what / did"
that's what You think. Really
Il was heroic, Pam. Not one girl
Il ny crowd would have done
.hst. Not one. From now on I'm
NTH you. Paml"
Thanks" Pam said in a very
anan voice. She was still hurt
snd stunned by the events and
revelations Of the night. "You
VII stay here2" she asked. "It's
loo late for you to 60 out alone"
aTes, I will" Freda said with
fhe quick decision of her sort.
Mother would scalp me if I came
Il at this hour. So show me a bed.
I'll phone the hotel in the morn
ha to tell her I've stayed with
trends"
pam took her upstairs TO a
rom that was a revelation Of
sanpIe beauty. There was an old
lakewood bed that had once been
part Of a ship that had sailed the
early seas. There was little
r1und table that had been made
% take a ships roll. There were
old and rare bits of bric-a-brac.
Freda fell asleep almost as soon
As PANS soft footballs left her
room. Not Pam, however. She
stood at her window, looking out
INTO the star-Swept early morn
ing sky. The sweet heavy scent
Of the blooms Of the orchid tree
lsy On the soft air. There were
tie low, vague sounds of tropic
dawn-palm trees rustling, the
sharp crack of the fruit of the
Sandbox tree exploding.
Pam turned finally to her own
bed with its quaint patchwork
guilt. She was more tired than
sac had realized. Sleep closed her
eges 70 the slowly waking world
Just as shower dropped sudden
b from the sky. One of those
strangely tropical things - rain
that comes swiftly and without
warning from a suddenly cloud
ING sky, and then stops just as
quickly, leaving in its wake an
Incompatible freshness of atmos-
pierre that is weighted with the
pleasant scents of earth and
flowers.
There was only a note in Ere
da's room when Pam went there.
Pam read the large, flamboyant
writing so characteristic of the
Eisl:
Thanks for everything. / still
nsan what ! said last night"
Strange Music
lHVAL Street in Key West
runs east and west, straight
seEoss the island. Near the west
eaa, not far from the red brick
Guiding that houses the bank and
En- r. from the dock WHARF, YES
NS 4fOf1 foreign ports tie Up, Is
nalirtaat Is rented upon ocea.
z1n Tor band practice.
Not lar from the hall, across a
vacant lot, is an empty house
sesglng under the weight of a
me that blooms with an odorless
brown flower that is dry and, TO
~ appearances, lifeless even as
nud unfurls. It has strange,
lHlng sort Of beauty that is
nangeless even after the dust of
esEs has coated it. Rose of
Feli they call it in Key West.
~ the less gusty souls, il is
naaed Wood Rose
TWO middle-aged tourists had
topped to admire the strange
1sFer- The woman turned sudden
u ner plain face lifted as if lis
sing to some celestial strain.
Toni That musicl And some
ne sIngingi I've never heard
eagihing ike it."
Fey stood entranced, the roses
80. never bear any fragrance.
L1mund Antoine had arisen
y and strolled 10 the dicks.
aad been watching the water.
sserious opal under "a sky that
g momentarilys crowded with
sfant clouds; then turquoise
9 emerald, ssy the clouds sScut-
Z away before the march of a
an triumphant sun.
antoine turned finally and
slSed along Duval Street. Just
psite the two tourists he
gped, held to the spot by a
lony Of sound issuing from
s nan. Two voices were blend
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