The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-05-22
RY MARGARET MiDpEnER

shift" he said.
Why not? Makeshift is fun.
Most things are makeshift anyhow
these days"
He said, Listen" again.
"All ears"
She dropped on the opposite
couch and smiled at him i'm
| pertinently.
He sat straight, with what she
knew as his scholastic look; keen
land planning.
THE other day." he said, sit
happened | had an errand at the
L. D. Mitchell lecture bureau. |
was arranging for some speakers
from the East for our next years
seminar"
"And?"
"And Mr.. Mitchell said, You
know, of course, that we follow
the radio stations. especially the
smaller ones. carefully. Our bu-
reau doesn't miss bets. I've been
following Miss Gardeners hour.
understand she's a good friend of
yours
But"
He held up his hand. mot
through She shrugged and SUBJ
sided. He went on to say that
they wished to book you. That
they felt, now that you had been
heard and liked on the Weigands'
chain, that they could get you
bookings not only in Denver. but
as far round as you wished You
would have, of course, to drop the
work with the Weigands. That is,
by September. But that's all right.
/ suppose; know you don't get a
living salary"
Il promised them I'd stay
through October" she stalled.
They can't expect it. Eileen.
I'm very apologize" He smiled.
Your dropping every prospect in i
Denver to come out here seemed
crazy to me. Almost as If you
were starting on a flight away
from me. | see now that it was
cleverer than | knew. 1t will work
| perfectly. Better than any plans
had. gave your name to the
Mitchell bureau. of course. They
had to have the listings."
Jordan, you hadn't any right"
What To Do?
CHE said it before she thought.
- Then she realized that he had
done what he thought was a kind
thing. Taken the thing when it
had to be done.
He looked as if she had slapped
him. % = ~
But - Eileen - what did you
want? A career as a singer, I
thought! This is the way to get
it. The Weigands cat expect"
You're right, I'm sorry"
He rose and came over to her.
"You see how it all works to-
gether? I'm not one of these old
fashioned men, my dear. / don't
know where you got the idea.
I'VE can get married, say. in
October. after your arrangements
are out of the way I realize that
/ was selfish. OF course I'd like to
have you at home. waiting for me,
4 fu;l-time wife. But if you're
era" over a singing bird you
cent ex ect her to act like a spar
row. ! have capitulated. complete
ly"
Els kind eyes watched her
eagerly behind the glasses.
She said, slowly. would there
De any chance for radio work
along with the concerts?"
II think not. Indeed, can't see
how. A good deal of the singing
would be in the city. There might
be change or so at one of the
city stations. But-nL. | think the
bureau would insist on exclusive
bookings, now / come to think of
| il. Why are you so set on radio,
Eileen?"
Why. indeed?
Here was certainly, the best
possible chance The Mitchell bu-
reau was something from which
Eileen wouldn't have dreamed of
expecting bookings II was big.
unexceptionable. And ii was no
use trying TO choose it. Il chose
YOU. If ii liked 1t had chosen her.
Her. Eileen Gardner.
What Mr.. Mitchell had said TO
Jordan came back to her-"I un-
derstand she's good friend OF
yours"
"How good a friend of yours
does Mr. Mitchell think | ami"
she asked sharply.
But. Eileen. naturally, when
you and I have been going to-
gether all this time-he took for
granted we would be married "
"Oh."
"But-darling-I thought it was
a career that stood between us.
our getting married And now the
way is so smpothed. now YOU are
| on your way 10 having what you
wanted and marriage too. | don't
underestimate know you didn't
want to be hurried. but October
isn't hurrying."
She stared down at the bracelet
on her wrist. with its tiny ski.
One little gadget on a bracelet.
One ten minutes In a lifetime.
Against that. a man she would do
very well to marry. And a career
that might 60 on and on. Just
where she'd planned IL
-. And someday. bending from
. concert stage, she would see
Martin in the audience. And she
would speak 10 him afterwards.
And then Jordan would come up.
and she would say. This Is my
husband, DR.. EstiIL"
| She said slowly TO Jordan, ~You
may not know Il. but l am quite
crazy and an idiotic chance
taker."
He took Il in entirely as she had
not meant IL His arm went round
her.
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