The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-25

don't think so much of these old
| places myself, and I guess Mrs.
Emerson sort of agrees with me.
But of course if Gina like it, It's
okay."
| well, I'm glad Mrs. Marbury
lis pleased" Brett said, going into
| the house. Although ! suppose
Mr.. Howe isn't any too happy"
do you know--he is pleased
Hams voice reflected Brett,s
establishment. "And / thought he'd
hate il, because he brought along
sort Of bodyguard = at least,
| that's what we decided he was.
But now the old geezer's here,
hes as please as If he he'd found
the place himself, honestr
Brett shook his head. He had
often found that people were in
explicable when it came to houses.
Sometimes you thought they'd
like them, and they refused even
to 90 in. Other times, as with Mr..
Howe, they were all set to dis
like a place, and then, at the first
glimpse, fell in love with it. As the
came into the main hall. Brett
stopped abruptly.
There above him, with the soft
colors of the stained glass falling
on her, Eve stood on the circular
balcony and looked down. Her
flaming red blouse seemed to
gather the brightness of the hall
way around her. yet she looked
little and fragile.
"Hello!" She raised her hand
in greeting and ran down the
stairs. TN so excited ! can hard
ly speak. We're all mad about it.
Somehow'-her low laugh made
Brett ashamed of the sudden
pounding of his heart-"we ex-
pected funny little farmhouse
with boxy 1ines--somewhat like
New England"
Lots of people had different
ideas, even in the eighteenth CEN
tury," Brett commented dryly.
Would you open that door for
me? I'll take these things right
out to the kitchen"
"Yes, make yourself useful.
Eve" Ham exclaimed as he came
in, laden. II think Brett's bought
enough to feed us for a month";
'You won't be here that longr'
Eve turned, startled to find that
Mrs. Jackson had stepped quietly
out of the living room and was
now standing directly behind her.
She was disturbed toe, by the
definiteness of her statement, but
she decided to be friendly.
ooh, mol believe the plane is
lordered for tomorrow, she
agreed, smiling shyly. But it is
such a beautiful place to stay"
The woman did not return her
smile.
"If you don't have to stay" she
said CURLY, and vanished through
the door after the two men.
Overtones OF Danger
I've shivered. The house had
II lost some of its calm lowell
ness for her. She felt as though
the sun were hidden under
Cloud, yet, when she glanced IN
the living room, aired and cleaned
now. she saw it shining brightly
on the freshly mopped floor, and
twinkling back from the break
front bookcase that stood along
one wall. Eve went slowly over
to one of the windows that gave
a glimpse of the sea.
But that night, seated IN the
great, gloomy dining room at the
other side of the hall, the uneasy
feeling returned. Pickering cam
| dies did not add to the brightness
| of the room, but instead seemed
dimmed by the heavy paneling
and the smell of mustiness that
still fingered there.
| Yet they were apparently a.
very bright and gay company.
Mrs. Marbury was frankly over
joyed at Gina's interest in the
place. and although Eve suspect
1 ed the girl might lose interest just
i as quickly, she knew that for the
first time Gina's enthusiasm for
restoring an old house had been
aroused. Julie was calm with the
| thought that the whole expedition
would be over By the next day.
Julie had, however. surprised
the lawyer and Jim Droissard
with their heads together. stand
| ing just inside the long windows
on the second fioor. Mr.. Howe had
Isaid softly. but with an urgent
note in lis voice:
ssYou spoke to the pilot--you
lare sure he understood your
4 aOf course he understood me-"
| Droissard replied impatiently. i
| told him just what you said"
/ That's all right then
They had turned from the win
| dow. and. although she could not
| understand why. it seemed to
/ | Julie that the lawyer was upset
1 TO find her standing 50 close 70
them.
But II might have been the
Hight - uf course. Darkness was
lust beginning to si1road the place
Il In an eerie gloom. and the one
dim oil lamp in the circular hall
below threw odd shadows on the
. wall
s. Looking al Mr.. Howe as he sat
lat the table. appreciatively sip
, ping the wine that Mrs Jackson
. had brought from the cellar. she
. | thought how foolish her inlaGina-
ton had been.
II Naturally. the lawyer wanted
the pilot to know exactly when
|, to come for them. after all, he
was responsible for Mrs Marhury
! and her nieee. In q way. At least