The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-06
Chapter u
House Divided

I : = - u
MARTIN bent, without losing
w the rhythm of their waltzing
and kissed her lightly. And
then, of course, the rest were
scrambling down the bank, clink-
! ing onto the ice. Bill Grant had
seen the sort of skater she was.
He took her over.
And presently she found he was
talking-which was odd, because
so far he hadn't except to indi-
cate needs.
Swell SIX ter" he said.
Thought Caroline said you were
cashier from the lower East
Side. Good dancer, are you?"
Eileen said, II come from a
mountain state, I've skated and
skied all my life. Yes, dance all
right, TO-"
Il like athletic girls. Bill went
on. "But mostly they look like
horses. Or they aren't stayers.
You're little and cute. But I've
watched you. Slayer"
She'd made friend of Bill
Grant. She hadn't known how she
wanted a friend. More warmth
that she knew was in her manner
as she looked up and laughed and
said, Thanks a lot, Bill"
Stayerl You had to be slayer
to earn a living; girl alone in New
York. You had to go on and take
it; poverty and monotony, head
up under rebuff. Smiles, no mat
ter what people said and did to
you-good work, no matter how
your body ached and revolted.
And this big kind fellow called
her a slayer because she wasn't
too tired to skate the day after an
all-day drivel
"I'm slayer, too," he was say
ing. when I say things / mean
'em."
Che answered she didn't know
what, her eyes on Martin and
Caroline, swinging past them
to when I Grow Too Old to
Dream" Her heart turned un-
bearably, inside her. She'd have
him to misunderstanding work
living hungrily and stability
and lovelessly, for years after
this. =.
Bill said, well get a swing
band and dance tonight. OK.?"
COX"
So they danced that night. She
was novelty. She was a good
dancer. The men snatched her
one from the other. Lewis, dane
ing with the careful unaccus-
tomedneSs of a man not in a dane
ing set; Bill, sound and predict
able; lank collegiate Roly Per-
rine, light and amusing as a cat,
a crazy improviser-and Martin.
Martin was nearly professional.
He'd have been heaven to dance
with even if he'd been bad. As it
was, she forgot everything but
happiness. For all the difference
in their heights, they danced as
they had before, like one person.
They were in a far corner as
the band swung into an old thing
kiss me--kiSs me--againp
She frightened her hold. She
tipped up her face to his. smiling
down. She sang the words. -.
He laughed. Sweet kidd" he
said as he had that afternoon. As
he stopped to kiss her she chung
to him. For long moment they
kissed like lovers. :. And the
dizzy minute was past; they were
down the room again.
He was flushed and stirred. But
it might be kissing any warm ex-
cited girl. Caroline. Anyone.
And then Bill took her over.
She discovered next morning
that her temporary queendom had
done two things.
I It had fastened Bill to her heels
for good. He was a slayer. And it
had decided the girls to gang up
against her.
It was reasonable enough. She
herself was a little outsider, as
Lewis had said. But it hurt. Shed
been fool enough to think Robin,
dk 4E0clf NdS lkCI AI&Cf8u.
But Robin was on guard like a
furious plump kitten. And Mar
tin. after that one moment,
seemed to have Withdrawn him
self. His changeless mask of
amused courtesy was all she
she could touch.
Trained Ankle
+ EVILS said to her coolIy next
IL day--'What about Bill? He is
sunk. He's well-to-do-and TO
make up for being not as rich as
Martin. lot steadier. Bird in the
hand.
They were standing on = slope,
taking breath She did not an
swer. She pulled away and pois-
ing. darted down-away. Bill was
waiting at the bottom.
Like 4 bird he said. Bet you
cDHid skl On the rottenest snow
there "A
A root caaght her ankle. and
she went tat ia the snow. Martin
stood behind her. She reached up
q hand.
He shook his head. Not this
time Bits turned with the
trained ankle he said and struck
of UP the hill again He overlook
Caroline.