The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-04
Chapter 10
Strange Courtshin

MARTIN said, as Eileen had
1F1 scarcely dared to hope he
would, Here, Caroline, you &c
along. I'll be there in FIVE min
utes, tell them" He steadied
Eileen. "I'll get this girl home
guess she was going-she has he1
wraps on"
Eileen was silent while he got
her into another taxi. He asked
the address, and she gave it. She
leaned forward and slid the win
dow shut, and spoke quickly.
She said, Listen. I'm Eileen
Gardner. I'm the girl you lifted
down off the bar at Jerry's, and
danced with when you flew to say
good bye TO your mother last
year, in Denver. You don't re-
member. 1--we never forgotten.
You said you'd listen for me on
the radio. You did When | was
singing on that little Weigand
chain, out in Piute, you cabled a
message from the steamer. You
didn't sign your last name. You
said l hadn't. ! had"
He turned and looked at her
with attention, which he had not
done before.
"Why--I remember" he said.
"Sure. But I'm pretty sure | did
sign my name to the cable. And
you certainly never did. Hey,
know. / didn't get the original
typewriter cablegram; some of
the crowd copied it for me--and
took it back" He laughed a little.
"Who?"
"Oh, never mind. One OF the
girls. Well, what do you knoW2
You must come on to the club and
have drink on the strength OF
our reunionl'
She hadn't time to 60 on with
that. She showed her coat sleeve
back and hurriedly unclasped her
charm bracelet. She pushed it
into his hand.
'Here. It's your little gold ski.
You dropped i at Jerry's. I've all
ways kept it,"
He was interested now.
well, III be darnedI Thanks,
Eileen. That ski means lot to
me. Can ! have ii back?"
"Df course--it's yours
He said again, Thanks lot,
Look here, you really must come
along to have a drink with the
crowd after all this and that"
He leaned forward to pull open
the slide and redirect the driver.
She stopped him. She said, mo,
Listen, you must listen. You said,
Just now-sWord of honor'-you
thought a girl had as much right
70 court man, ask him TO marry
her and--and be taken the right
way--as man with a girl"
well, OF course / mean IT." His
voice was light, but he spoke def
nitely.
aAli right. Well, First fooled
you about the ankle. IT was the
only way | could get to talk to
YOU. No, you must listen. |
care about you. | have ever since
that evening last June. That's
why l went on the radio. That's
why came to New York. No,
YOU must listen. haven't any
chance 10 make you care the way
/ care. ! can't go around with you
like Caroline, like girls that 60
the same places you do. By wiles,
as she said~-"
"Why, you crazy little thinRf
he said. But his voice was gentle
Success
TN not crazy. It's just--you're
4 the only man I've ever felt
that way about. ! can't let you 60,
never see you again. I'm de-
cent enough" she pleaded. my
people fought in the Revolution;
one was a Colonial governor Dad
kept a drugstore out West--ae
never made much money. But my
people have always been fine,
been good citizens. I'm college
educated; I'm quick: you wouldn't
be ashamed of me. Look me up,
of course you must"
She rapidly gave him her old
firms name. the name Of the peo-
Die she knew In radio. She wrote
n them down with shaking hands,
"Will you keep your word Of
honors@ she said. eWill you give
me the chance to see you--to
make you care enough 10 marry
me. Just as il things were reversed
las II you'd seen a girl you
wanted and had 10 80 into diff
ferent world 10 tell her sol"
He looked down at the small
lovely face and said quietly, aYou
don't know a thing about me--oE
no. only that you're every
nhlng / always knew ! wanted
snd I know it, She still spoke
&ith . chOkea desperate sincerity
He looked al her long minute
anger. He said again. Crazy
Ia. get you. Honest kid, too.
&ink. All right. warn you
Mu'll probably steer into q loi
III masculine instincts that'M block
Ae whole thing. But III take
1Afds." He held out his hand fog
slip az paper. so whatfT
So ten me where you're going
n bs---help me TO see you some
kosF."
rThat's up 70 you, You stars
with just what ] would. Ny seie-