The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-10-16
Chapter Ten
Pam 10 the Rescue
pam stepped back-so his hands
couldn't quite touch hers

-~~A. nave any tQtflE 70
say 70 me that I'd want to listen
TO, Jerry. l think I'd better 20 in.
now that you've untangled YOUR
selves from my garden
Come on. Jerry" Freda broke
IN Can't You see that the uirps
giving you the air, darling? Don,i
you recognize determinations tech.
nique when you see it,"
smut up. growled Jerry. then
he turned to Pam and started Ia
move toward the house. @Pan1
I've got to talk to you. You've
got to listen, whether you want
to or not"
Freda stretched an arm out for
Jerry, missed him. and then
Topped in soft, apparently bone
less heap on the grass. Jerry paid
no attention, trying to urge Pam
on toward the house.
But, jerry. you can't leave her
there; It's damp. She'll take
cold" N
Good, She needs something
like that"
Jerry, you've got TO pick her
up Put her in your car and take
her home"
Il won't I've got things to say
to you"
"And do you think, if you're
the kind of man who'll let a girl
catch her death of cold through
your earelesSness, l want to hear
anything you might say?"
@kreda's putting on an actl"
Jerry exclaimed angriIy. Shes
got anything that happens coming
to her.
Putting on an act? I don't
understand"
"Of course you wouldn't, Pam. Z"
His voice was suddenly tender.
How could you? You're SO diff
ferent."
Pam felt as if tears were
dropping IN her heart. The sweet.
familiar tenderness Of his voicel
But the moon. sailing high in the
SKY. chose that moment 10 pick
out Ereda's diamond and light il
magically.
IAN act7" Pam heard herself
repeating coldly. THAT sounds
Ike poor excuse for your rude
ness, Jerry"
Yes. an actl" It was Jerry who
was indignant then. That girl
could show Helen Hayes things
and still have lots of lessons left
over. Come on in the house.
You're listening to me for a
while" He put his arm around
her and was moving toward the
house. 1t was only with difficulty
that he kept from straining her TO
his heart.
Jerry WINTHROP had met many
girls. But Pam stood out above
them with the clear and faithful
beauty of a Cathedral spire in a
little Mexican town. The others
could not even be compared with
her.
In the gloriied instant that he
stood there with his arm around
her. his vision swept down the list
OF girls who had been the gay
playmates of his lighter hours.
He had never been serious with
any of them, except in that rather
half-hearted way. with Freda.
Beautiful, willful Freda. Gay,
Sally. Harriet. And on finally to
May. Jerry'S thoughts paused for
an instant on May. She was writ
ing him still He answered her
only after hearing from her re-
peatedly. He had never made any
promises to May. VINO danced in
a Broadway floor show. But May
had sticking qualities, it was ap-
parent Jerry fingered on that
instant as he stood there in the
warm, scented moonlight, his arm
around Pamela.
Freda's Act
II ET'S go in, Pam. / must talk
IL to you," he said finally. There
were things he wanted to settle
But Freda's voice cut through
the soft Florida night:
Go into that house and I'll
scream. I'll sound your car siren
and scream for you so all Key
West will know you're in there
with her, Jerry Winthropei And
this isn't a nice hour for a girl
to have callersl"
"Oh, no you won't!" Jerry
turned fiercely toward the heap
on the grass.
Il viii, Freda giggled.
Jerry stood irreSolute, looking
first at one girl, then the other.
Bring her in" Pam said softly
Il won'tl" Jerry stared down
at Freda and then stirred the
fabric of her dress with the toe
of his shoe.
Il win then" AS quietly as she
had spoken, Pam moved toward
the girl and bent to help her up
There was a stified sound from
Jerry.
"Oh. all right" he cried in
evaporation. "If you will be a
good Samaritan But she doesn't
deserve it,"
Jerry bent and picked the girl
up. He carried her into the house
and then dumped her uucere-
moniously into a chair.
And | suppose you think l can
talk to you with this leering. jeer-
ing female around?" be demand
ed of Pam.
NO one asked you to talk 90
me As a matter of fact. ! don't
want to talk to you want you TO
be on your way Just as fast as you
can I've seen all want to OF
youl"
Jerry stared in surprise. his an
ger leaving him. Pam. I don't
understand" he said.
1T doesn't make much differ
ence whether you do or not"
"Oh. yes it doesl" He put his
FIRE is Off