The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-10-30
Chapter y
Resignation

0H, no It isn't, Leog" Pam OBJ
Ojected. "You're the Une who
deserves happiness more than
anyone else But I'm not foolish
enough to think / could give Il TO
you Not with thisigs IS they are.
You could sseeer live with an
i1nteties4 Of the real thing. No
more, she added after a little
silence, than / t5uld live with
only the half loaf jerry has to
offer
Perhaps it isn't only a half
lcar, Pam, Leo said quietly. And
Pam, looking at him with little
sense Of surprise, knew that came
out Of his fine honesty, his genuine
wish for her happiness. The only
thing I'd want to be sure of, Pam,
Is that you aren't letting your wo-
manly desire 10 reform man
fool you into thinking it's love"
"Could it be that?"
Il don't know, my dear. Your
heart can tell you that-and only
your heart And since I've gone
this Tar, Pam, it's only fair TO say
you can 60 a long way on Just
kindness. mean, Pam, If a man
has that-if real kindness toward
creatures and people less fortu-
nate than himself is a fundamen-
tai part Of him-you have Just
about all you need to work with. /.
who want you so much, shouldn't
be saying this to you, Pam, prac-
ticaliy sending you to the arms Of
another man"
They were silent for a moment.
They were sitting on a bench that
had stoea for years under the old
pepper tree that had listened TO
the secrets of many a QueIlerton.
Leo's HANDS had reached out and
taken PANS. He 5eemed, then,
fully his .on years older than
the giri beside him. He seemed,
too, to ettace himself as her lover.
and 70 be completely her friend.
i came back from Washington,
Pam, planning our life together
You beside me, dear, in all of the
strange and Interesting places of
the world that Uncle Sam sends
his men to. It's hard to give that
dream up. I'm not giving It up
yet You may change your mind.
I'll wait for that. But know now,
Pam, that it's your happiness I
really want. And if your hzppi-
ness lies with some other man
ne paused as If his voice had been
smothered b. some swiftly rising
emotiOn-"well, Just remember
this: kindness is one of the basic
needs, one Of the basic qualities of
the right sort of person. No one
really achieves bigness without
mercy as the basic quality. So,
PAM Z you are sure your man
has genuine kindness, don't be
afraid Of the rest"
Leo, I've never known until
this moment how really fine you
are"
He smiled at her then. IN re-
member that all my life. Pam. Il
wlll be something TO 1--we I'D 10.
Leo, this doesn't mean you're
deserving me2" a little note Of
alarm hared in Pans voice as
they stood at the gate. She knew
i was time he got back 70 the
hospital. We're friends. Just as
always"
Deserving you, dear? I'll want
70 watch over you all your life
he turned then, just as Jerry drew
Up IN MS car and slid from under
the wheel
On The Spot
ENORE, hurrying from the
room N which she had been
SO ruthless in her quarrel with
her mother, passed Jerry as he
got into his car to 20 and keep
his picnic date with Pam.
Her eyes were stormy and
scornful- Don't grin al met" she
snapped. Save your grins for
when your local blossom diScoy-
ers you're not the rich glamour
boy she thought she Efas hook
ing! You'll need them then.
Jerry continued to grin. you
wouldn't be in a bad humor this
morning, would you, Lenore?" he
asked with maddening smooth
ness.
But be wasn't too comfortable.
Ignores shot had struck home. He
knew Pamela Quellerion wasn't
mercenary. He was sure Of that.
Yet he had known so many girls
who had liked him most for his
money. or rather the money his
indulgent father supplied him
with He had never been with
May but when she wanted some
thing. He couldn't recall once
that Pam had said: y wish" or
I want" Except when she told
him, as she often had, what she
wished he'd be instead Of the
eaSy-going playboy that he was.
Jerry lad written TO May and
mailed the letter, telling her what
had happened TO the Winthrope
money, SO that she would give up
any vague hopes she hight have
had in regard 70 him. Il came 70
him with singular mental uneasi-
ness that May might have been
counting on marriage to him when
she was finally ready to settle
down.
Jerry decided he wouldn't tell
Pam of their changed financial
status until after they had their
day together. He had a it'll 2
money and he wanted 70 make the
day a perfect one. unmarried BY