The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-04-04
Chapter 20
So Near

QoGER felt he had never
walked up so many stairs in
his life. The Hulse fiat, he found
was on the sixth floor. His hand
trembled as he knocked on the
door. His heart lifted with a sort
of eager fear. He was sure as
he stood there in the shabby hall
that he caught the faint scent Of
Lovely's. perfume. She must be
behind that door! Within the
time it took to open door she
would be in his arms again.
arms that ached to strain her to
his heart.
But no sound came from behind
the closed door. He knocked
again. more loudly. Still no re-
Spouse. Finally he called and
banged on the door so wildly q
neighbor poked a head out of the
opposite door.
"Ain't nobody home there" the
woman said shortly and was about
to close the door when she
paused. It wasn't often man so
well dressed and groom e
knocked on a door in that tene-
ment.
Have they company, do you
know2 House guest / mean?"
Roger asked.
mo" the woman smiled pity
ingly, as if she thought he should
know better, mo one around here
has company. Hard enough to
feed themselves, without asking
other mouths INF"
Roger felt his heart turning
slowly to granite as he walked
downstairs. Lovely must. he
thought, have been behind that
door. And she wouldn't come out
to see him. It was raining hard
and a cold wind cut through the
street like a knife. No one would
go out on such a day. No one but
himself on a love-mad quest.
His car had just pulled away
from the curb and truck, huge
and high. had fallen into line be-
hind it when Lovely turned the
corner, walking against the driv-
ing wind.
Up To Lovely
IT WAS dark when Roger finally
4 left the friends he had gath
cred during the day in one drink
ing place after another. And he
was sentimental. A trace maud
lin. =
He drove home, thinking a
thousand aching thoughts. OF the
night in Victoria Mexico, coming
or I h from their honeymoon,
when the scent of orange blos-
SONS hung In the soft air like a
benediction. When Lovely came
home with Getta, sweet and
laughing and gay. When she saved
little Midnight at the expense OF
a favorite suit and a party. Could
that girl have sat behind that door
laughing at him? The only answer
his heart could make was no. He
stopped for dinner at the Shat
tamuc Club. He felt unequal to
facing Marcia and Kar. But by the
time he reached home he had
steeled himself.
Marcia and Kar had gone out
but Emily, hearing his car. called
70 him as he passed her room.
She stared at him q moment and
then stepped back from him in
distaste,
Roger, you've been drinkingl"
What If / have?" he demanded.
This Is no time to charge me with
III A little softness and gayety is
what | could do withr'He moved
toward her as if about to put his
arms around her.
"Roger!" Rebuke sharp in the
word. Emily stepped back still
further from him.
Afraid of mel And you thought
you loved me oncel" He brushed
past her. and went to his room.
Sunday morning was clear but
cold. Roger was at breakfast
when Emily appeared in the din
ing room. His face was set and
stern. but he smiled as he got up
TO seat her.
IT was pretty bad last NIGHT
Emily" he apologized. ~ m
sorry.
Emily was a bit strained as she
said: SITS all right, Roger
And Roger was aware that
Lovely would have laughed at him.
made face al him. But with EN-
Ivy his wrong still hung between
them like a curtain. That's the
wax Z would always be with EN-
ilY There would be another cur
tain and another until they could
barely see each other through
them. 80
Marcia and Kar came in.
Lovely getting her beauty
sleepy" Marcia asked brightly.
Roger told them then. sparing
nothing No use trying 10 keep II
secret any longer. No use Of try
ing 10 make things look right for
Lovely. When Roger had finished.
silence closed down over the lit
lie group like the covers of a
book. holding them all close and
united within.
Lets 90 for a drive" Roger
suggested 20 Emily when the ten
sion In the house had at last
grown unbearahie. Il can't stand
I this
They were driving along the
dirt lane by the river, Getta be-
tween them. when Emily finally
forced herself 10 saw what she had
beer thinking all along.
ewhy don't you 20 back 20 New
York Atodayg1 she asked. "She
must be VIA some OF her friends.
DE- sonie a them must have seen
her,.