The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-12-09

Chapter "a
Runmy Came


IT ooK here" Ashley said. I'm
highstruns. You know that
This business has me all on edge.
Finding someone here startled ne
Won't you sit7 Wen have a qIass
Of sherry"
Re went into the kitchenette
JEFF winked at me.
Philip called, SITS really v,s-.,
bad wine, hut ] couldn't resis,
buying i because Of the intrigg1-
ing bottle
Re came back with an intrie,.
ing bottle and three tiuy wine
glasses. He smiled at ne. ssFTaiis
some sherry"
@No. thanks, Philip
sMe. neither" JEFF said
Il don't blame YOU. It's fan-
stuff. Jeff waved the lou ~
him Philip chuckled. ~Oh. yeSl
That silly LOU. It's worthless
OF course. just Q joke. Carol and
played two-handed rumny sew
eral times during lunch hour
while we were rehearSina I in
varlably beat her. We PLAYED Eve
collars 9 point on paper, OF
course Finally we were playing
for thousands Of dollars a point
Poor Carol lost millions to me
And she would give me her lou
II was a private joke between US,
you see. OF course, I tore the sins
UP. ! don't know how that one
managed TO be about. I I know
il sounds silly"
1T sounds awful silly JEFF
said. I'm laughing"
Anger famed anew in Philip's
face. HAre you insinuating fiat
I've been lying TO your That what
I've said isn't the TRUTH
Exactly" JEFF said. aAnd stop
sputterlng. You see. / happen to
know the truth"
Shot From Outside
MY apartment had the look oi
~ an overstuffed florist shop
when. shortly before Ave o'clock
JEFF and / returned to it. The liv-
ing room was filed with roses
white roses, yellow roses. red
roses. The butterfly table was
spread with my Venetian cloth
and my best silver sparkled In the
light OF two tail candles. At two
Of the places were corsages, each
boasking an orchid, one brown,
one purple. A cake, snowy white
and pyramided. topped every
thing.
Carol came out Of the kitchen
wearing a soft woolly dress that
] had bought early in the fall Il
had q high neck and leg-of-mut-
ton sleeves and was a sort Of linz
pid blue that made her eyes seen
a violet color and brought out
shining golden lights in her hair.
Pink spots Of excitement eiowed
ON her cheeks.
Halla, may ! wear this? Is il al
right7 / don't have anything for
a party and this was hanging in
your closet way in the back.
know you never wear IL
] hadn't worn II because il was
the best dress had ever owned
and had been saving il for my
Sunday best, but there wasn't
much to be done about 1t in view
OF Carols pleading eyes and the
tremulous hope in her voice. Sur
reptitiously, / shot a warning
glance at JEFF. He had been with
me when / bought IL / said: -Of
course it's all right. darling I'd
forgotten even had il. And il
looks Ike q million dollars On
y0ui"
at should JEFF said, soto voee.
1T cost damn near that
/ glared at him and changed the
subject before there was any dam
age done Where's Steve. Carol?
Carol froWned- He left Just a
few minutes ago. He got a wire
this morning from his mother.
She's coming 10 town and ne went
70 meet her train He'll take her
straight to his aunt's and come
right back"
There was 3 knock at the door
and Carol reached il in hop and
q skip. Clint Bowers stood there
and we tried to not burst into .
roar when we saw the tremendous
bunch Of roses he had brought
he took In the flower-laden room
and he smiled as he put the roses
IN Carols arms.
I'm not staying" he said i
Just wanted 10 add my congratll-
latIOns 70 your party.
Carol took his hard snd pulled
him into the rooEn eXo1sRe goi
to stayl I went Ike my party i
you d0n'tsp
Clint demurred but among rs
we got him settled Ia chair, his
hat and coat tucked A a closet
and his flowers in q milk bottle.
We sat around making CONVEX
sation and hoping il was Light
until Carol excused herself and
vanished into the kitchen. A mo-
ment later she was back. balanc-
ing a tray Of long-stenmed
glasses and a bottle of cham
payne that nestled IN an ice-flled
bucket.
Steve said we weren't to wait
for him JET. Win you do the
hon0rs9#
JEFF relieved her Of her burden
and with great ceremony popped
the champagne cork Carol went
around the room. switching on The
lamps, and the place was Hooded
with q cheerful glow. AS the
champagne trickled warmly
through las our little party grew
cory and almost say.