The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-17
BY MARGARET MInnENj

knees almost LOucllng l6rS. In
the short silence she heard Lewis
car driving away.
Eileen, you and ! started off on
the wrong foot. What you heard
Caroline and me say in the flower
shop that night was true. I'd heard
my mother say all my life that a
woman ought to be able to say
and do anything a man could. I
thought / believed it. Well, I
know now it's the bunk. The only
reason / didn't feel sick the night
you put it UP to me was, it had
been happening to me anyway,
every way but straight out, ever
since was eighteen. I thought
you Were cute, and / thought you
might block my being trapped
into the engagement with Caro-
line Dempster that was darn well
closing in on me-"
Exit Caroline
TRAPPED by Carolinel
L Haven't you married her?"
Il have not" he said shortly.
Lewis said-you said we"
He seemed to understand her.
Il meant Mother was at the
apartment. Not Caroline, good
heavens! Listen to me-"
Dazed to the point of shock by
this news, she sat quietly, while
he went on.
"That was why took on your
proposition. Understand"
$50 you took crazy chance"
I've always taken crazy
chances, you know that. They've
been the only things that made
me forget the silly trap was
born in"
Il never thought of that" she
said slowly.
Nobody. did. Nobody ever will.
Skip that. You put up PROPOSE
ton to me then. / took it over. I'm
going to put one up to you now"
''Well?"
'You said that night we met at
the flower shop that I was the
man you'd always wanted, al
ways made up in your mind. All
right. I'll show you / am"
He loved her. He must love her.
But that wasn't the point. She
clenched. her hands tight. She
spoke almost inaudibly. you're
not. That man was honorable. An
honorable man would have kept
still about our bargain. The per-
son you picked to spill it to was
Caroline. That's why I left you.
That's why I'm going now"
She got up.
"You crazy? You mean that was
why you ran out on me?"
She nodded. She couldn't speak.
1T was Lewis told Caroline, you
dumb little bunnyl"
"Can you prove it?"
He shrugged. ooh, yes, can
prove it. But if you remember
what you know about Lewis your
self, I don't see why you want
more proof"
NO" It was hard to speak, still.
Lewis is out" he said, mo
matter whom you decide for. Don't
expect me to have mercy on a
man who's betrayed my grand
fsther's one big hope and ideal.
Pm not too old to take training
and handle the thing myself. You
won't have any easy life, Eileen,
If you take me on. Not a spot of
cafe society in a carload. I've
found somewhere to put the
brains and force and capacity they
passed down to me and wouldn't
let me use. I'm taking Lewis
power, and more. As well as his
girl if I can get her. Power to
make things so girls in this state
in this whole country
have their backs to the
wall, frightened and half starved
and desperate"
I'm not Lewis girl
well, then? Going to play
fair? Going to give me the
chance / gave you? Does Frank
take you to the inn? Or to the
late express?"
He stood further away from
her, leaving her quite free.
She looked up at him. She said,
yawning a little, you said / was
still legally your wife In New
York State. l feel awfully tired.
Darling-do / have to have Frank
take me anywhere?" She laughed.
She reached hand up to where
he stood, and pulled the little
gold ski from where it hung. She
bent over, very occupied, and
bit it back on her bracelet.