The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-05-20
Chapter Six
Tete A Tete

Chapter Six
Tete A Tete
JORDAN ordered with unaecus-
- toned lavishness. 1t touched
her-as if he was afraid he hadn't
been giving her a good enough
time. spending enough on her.
She wanted to say, "Oh, please
don't-it isn't thati" But she
couldn't. Any man would rather
think his gifts had failed. than
that he had.
The musicians filed in when
they were half through, and Jor-
dan - again - suggested dancing,
Immediately. Usually he fingered
through any moments he had
with her alone.
She had not danced here since
commencement night. Not since
: Martin had caught her, whirled
her out with that quick grace and
strength she remembered now
it must have been very good. he
had been neither awkward nor
overbalanced; it had been all
quick, casual-seeming motion.
Martin Martin MD. That
sounded like a doctor, but he
wasn't doctor. though he might
have been old enough, if he had
time to fly from New York to say
goodbye to somebody, and then
fly on to the coast just to get a
moa in New Zealand. Not really.
He was just Raging about the
She laughed suddenly there in
Jordan's arms, and he looked
down and said. What is it,
Eileen? and she came back, al
most losing step, to Jordan. and
Jerry's, and the blank feeling
that there was no Martin. That
if it hadn't been for the gold ski
on her bracelet-the whole of
Martin was something quite un-
real and untrue.
Jordan, what's a moa?"
He answered as she had known
he would, seriously.
tits a recently extinct bird
one of those big birds with use
less wings, like the penguin. The
last were killed in New Zealand. :"
Martin couldn't ever bring her
one, then. He wouldn't have any
how. It was all a crazy dream.
The reality was 5choolteacher
aunts, an instructor lover, a neat
sound safe routine.
People were beginning to sift
in as they returned to their
tables; their own crowd, calling
to them echeerfully, wing,
brushing them. and stopping a
moment to gossip as they went
by. A good crowd, a crowd she'd
belonged to this long time. All
greeting her, waving to her,
building her up, the old way
II love Them" she said impul-
sively to Jordan.
eileen, everybody loves you.
You belong in this town."
For heavens sake" she said
impatiently, 'you act is if l were
going off TO the other side of the
continent in a covered wagon"
Jordan was not a stupid man.
He was slow-Spoken and set and
little shy, that was ALL
He said, Eileen, part of you
has"
what on earth do you mean"
Something happened COM
mencement night"
We'll, of course"
He said, again, Don't fence"
She held herself very still. She
hadn't realized that Jordan had
seen anything.
WELL" she said lightly. Eek
cept for commencement and the
dancing here, and the Onderdonk
party all of which happen
every year what happened,
would you known"
He frowned.
"You turned into something
] don't know-as if part of you
was gone away. can't say it
clearer than that"
at certainly isn't very clear"
He frowned.
ave been thinking. Wondering
And / wondered if ii wasn't Miss
WiIlesdon."
Almost Right
co CLOSE. and yet so far off,
- Eileen said, with relief:
What makes you think so?"
She's a spellbinder. Most OF
the women who did her job have
forgotten all about il, or dried
up into Illustration from getting
what they wanted. Blu. that wo-
mans empowered: she's ruth
less and charming. she could
make anybody do anything. When
/ heard her talk ! was nearly
swept away myself: she practical
4 " had me sold on" Jordan
!. spoke mora haFshly tkan usual
"sargessEng that I turn into q
+ clingIng vine for some strong girl
to support
Eileen felt herself coioring
"Bat that's silly. That isn't an
issue any more. We do the best
we can, Just as il happens.
He nodded. "Of course. But
somehow I wondered. because
c0uldn't think al anything else.
il wf4at she said about girls
shamelessly and frankly propos-
Ing 20 men they happened 20 Like
had got yuKI
Efiasn giggisd Suppose It
had
You might have some sort o.
crazy idea q gosng eft and"
And rysawse1a a career q ~