The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-08-16
Chapter q
No Luella

Chapter p VIA
No LuelIa z NJ
HENRY looked in the kitchen.
4 cite. Lnella wasn't there. he
looked in the bedroom. Every
ming IN its place. Clean, neat
tidy. like the living-room- But
still no Luella. He took his suit
case over to the bed and dropped
4 there. No doubt Luella was out
doing her marketing for the week.
ends She liked 10 get things in be-
fore the stores and markets got
too crowded, as they usually were
on Saturdays. Home Overnight
from Chicago, and no wife 70
greet him. Then, feeling guilty,
he asked himself II he really de-
served TO be met. There was no
answer.
He drew a deep breath. He be-
gan to be glad that L.uella wasn't
at home. He would have time to
sort of collect himself He walked
over to Luella's little desk to look
for a book of matches. 1t was then
that he saw the envelope. II was
addressed to him in Luella's hand
writing. He picked it UP. tore it
open. and took out the sheet OF
note-paper. There weren't many
words on it, but they told a whole
story.
Henry they said. I've
gone home. I'm terribly sorry
you were not honest with me
about the trip TO Chicago;
Luella."
He read the words over and
over, and then stood staring at the
paper. He remembered something
Marie had said. q know Luella
better than YOU do. She'll slip
quietly away and weep And
that's just exactly what little Luz
ella had done. She had slipped OIL
aIone--gone back down home
to weep. Alone in the little cot
tage her aunt had left her.
Henry felt sick. shaken. He
didn't know which way to turn,
what to do. And what sickened
him more than anything else was
the fact that he wasn't sure he
wanted Luella back
The telephone bell began ring
Ing. X startled him. Still holding
Luella's note. he went into the
living room to answer il.
"Helloz" he said.
~Oh, Henry" said a feminine
voice. Thank God. I've found you
at last This j. Marie. You
must get in touch with Rector and
Everett At once. That Latham
woman iz
aBut. Marie. I've iltst gotten In
] haven't even had time to take
OF my coai
Don't take ii III That
LsthaEn female Is going 10 land
that radio job If son don't show
ND and display Some interest
Hurry. hurry Mares voice rose
to q high pitnh 'Yon promised me
you'd be back Wednesday,. and
here il is EaturasFI Oh. Henry.
how could Falps'
1T Was impossible fo get away
any sooner Henry said. Il tried.
but
TELL me an the excuses later. =
Marie cut IN There isn't time
now.
IAN right Henry said. sTn
grab q faxirab and get down To
Rectors Office immediately
you nnust. Henry-you must
III be simply hearfbroken If yoli
don't get there In tire
Two receivers clicked back into
their hooks.
Henry stood perfectly still fol
several seconds. feeling numb
like one whose limbs had turned
to water. Then, suddenly catching
up his hat. he hurried out. Hi
couldn't stay in the place mo
ment longer. II was almost a
though someone had died there.
No New Job
"a S SOON as he reached Rookie
a Teller Center. Henry lost n
time Ia taking the elevator to tn
thirty-eighth floor where the Rec
tor-Everett offices were LOCATED
Going after job at any time wa
not easy, but going after 10
only few minutes after YOU hay
discovered that your wife ha
walked out and left you wa
something that took backbone
Henry hoped his backbone woul
bear up under the strainl
MIR. Pell to see Mr.. Rector,
he said to the receptionist.
Just moment, Mr.. PeIl,n sal
the girl She spoke over the tele
phone, and then turned back |
Henry. "All right. Mr.. Pell, 70
may so in
Henry went through a doc
marked Private" Malcolm Ret
tor was sitting behind an exper
sive desk in a highly-modernisti
Office. He looked up and smiled.
Well. welll'' he said. sWhere'v
you been keeping yourself, Pell?
The firm sent me out to Oh.
cago," Henry answered. I'm sorr
I've not been able to come
sooner. But, here ! am now. an
I'm hoping you've got good new
for me. About the job. you know.
ooh, yes, about the Job" sal
Rector somewhat vaguely. II
cleared his throat. fiddled with