The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-11
Chapter IS
OhoPIS1 ~
Casual Husband

uIlOuS IOOIIlS, VIII MdAllth ,
cigarette still smoking upon the
ash tray and his raincoat thrown
across chair, she faced it.
Nobody knew what she had
said to Martin that night in the
taxi. He talked about honor, his
word of honor. But he had be-
trayed her to Caroline.
That was the sort he was. Just
what Caroline said: a changeable,
irresponsible playboy whose OUT
er manner and look and build
tailed by chance with what
Eileen had secretly dreamed Of
all her life. But nothing real in
him tailed.
There had been a tramp and
two snow leopards, and a near
drowning on a surfboard and a
marriage with florists assistant
from Third Avenue. And each Of
them had walked Martin up and
made him excited and happy and
alive for little while. He hadn't
been angry at what the ship
board people said. No, he had
told Eileen, Il learned by the
time I was six that people
thought of my money first"
There was only one thing that
would prove to him that she
hadn't married him for alimony
or a night-club spot or anything
but caring. Even though he was
only the shell instead Of the
reality of what she'd thought him.
She rose and lifted Martins
portable, piled with his other
luxurious gadgets. She was open
ing it when he came into the
room. He had been playing ten
mis-.
Got back sooner than you
thought" he said. like any hus-
band.
"Yes." She couldn't have II
out with him. IL she did, she'd
be a weak idiot and stay, maybe.
He stood there, smiling at her,
swinging the racket and saying,
Il like that pink hat. bet that's
the one | picked cut myself"
She said what she never had
before, desperately, Martin, do
you love me?"
He laughed and came over to
her and tipped UP her face and
said, why wouldn't II" with one
Of his light kisses. He crossed the
room, chose another racqet, and
was going out whistling. She
said, Martin! If you hadn't mar
ried me, would YOU have married
Gardiner
He paused a moment at the
door TO answer her. why, | sup
pose So" The clear whistling
went on, more family, from the
hall; then stopped as the eleva-
tor door closed behind him.
She was walking up and down.
she found, suddenly facing the
wild small figure in the mirror,
with her hands clenched and
tears streaming down her face.
This wouldn't do. Hurry. Martin
might come back.
She changed. She packed
quickly. Only as much as she
needed to balance the clothes she
had thrown away. Only as much
ready money as would fly her
TO New York and leave her not
destitute. No jewelry, none of
Martins presents.
She went to the typewriter
again and managed a quiet note,
as businesslike and cool as Caro-
line and Martin could need. II
stated that she would never make
any claim on Martin for money.
That she wanted no alimony. That
she promised never to use his name
to get anywhere in any sort of
career. That he was to get
divorce, and that she would COM
municate with him about il, but
only on the promise that he
wouldn't try to see her for any
reason.
She suggested that he explain
that she had been called back by
the serious illness Of a relative.
She slipped the tiny gold ski IN
side.
Flight
CHE was lucky, she met nobody
~ she knew on her way 70 the
airport. She was Mckier still in
picking up a ticket at the very
last possible moment, a caneella-
ton. She wondered il Caroline
had deliberately made their en-
Gagement breakfast on this day.
because 1t was Tuesday, and the
plane went at noon Tuesdays.
Very likely. Like Caroline.
Which did not matter now, She
gave her mothers name. Ellen
Barnett. When the plane lifted
she sat back in her seat with
shiver. That was the end Of ali
that.
She never remembered much.
afterwards. about the flight or
the landing at San Francisco or
the train across eountry. She
must have gone through il all
properly, an ineonspicu0us small
silent girl IN rough coat and
down-pulled hereE
The first thing she woke 70 with
actual clearnesS was finding her.
self. like a cat with a h0ming in
stinci, before Aristides' shop. She
was standing there. with her
shoulder aching from the weight
Of her suitcase, her feet in the