The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-25
Chapter Seven
Mrs. Jackson Speaks

Mrs. Jackson Speaks
DRETT went about ordering the
- supplies at the small village
store on the mainland with no
very good grace. His telephone
call to the hotel had only con-
/ firmed his fears that the party
had already left. The clerk men,
toned six guests leaving -remem-
| bering Mr.. Howe, Brett had de-
cided that he'd better order
! plenty.
Luckily, he had consulted with
Mrs. Jackson and she admitted to
having enough of the staples. He
| ordered fresh foods lavishly,
therefore, and kept his unwilling
boatman busy carrying packages
back to the skiff. There was a
! solemnity in the mans manner,
as If he were preparing for a
funeral feast, that got on Bretts
nerves. He was glad to escape at
| last and 60 to the small hotel
| where he had spent the night be-
| fore to gather up his clothes.
His thoughts of Gina GeodeH,
as he walked down the pleasant
tree shaded street, were not kind.
True, she had said she wanted to
come down within a week, but
| Brett had been busy on another
commission and had not been
| able to come south right away. He
wished now that he had let the
other work go; he hated Mrs.
Marbury to get the wrong impress
sion. If he had only a day. to get
the place cleaned up.
The plane droned overhead as
he was paying his bill. Brett
snatched his bags and ran before
he realized that no matter how he
! hurried, they would have landed
before he could return to the
island. He slowed up then, but
the thought of seeing pretty Eve
Prentice in that beautiful old
room that would be such per-
feet setting for her, made him
hurry on again.
The boatman broke his silence
long enough to say with satisfac-
! ton:
Guess we'll be too late to well
come your folks down"
Brett did not reply, but threw
his bags in and stared at the
water while he tried to forget the
maddening elaboration of the
/ boats owner as he united his
craft and got the motor going.
The line of the island was very
faint in the distance-Brett could
not see the plane at all, and gatn-
cred that the pilot had landed as
| near to the pier as he could, TO
take advantage Of it.
They were only halfway there
when the roar Of the motor was
heard again; the plane climbed up
and, circling, headed north once
more. Brett saw it go with an odd
uneasinasS. Mrs. Marbury must
have decided, without hesitation.
to stay. He hoped that Mrs. jack
son had managed to remove some
of the dust in the last few hours.
In spite of Brett's orders. the
boatman again refused to go near
the pier, but tied up where he
had before and handed out the
packages one by one.
"Listen-I'll give you dollar
to help me get this stuff up to the
house, Brett said, taking out the
money. But the man shook his
head.
jackson can help you. He amt
crippled" he said laconicaIly.
Besides. got man waitin for
me back there" IS
Brett paid him, and noted with
some bitterness that he cast of
! and got away from the island
with more speed than he had ap-
preached il. Eerating the man
/ Silently but with vig0r, Brett
! picked uu two of the bundles and
trudged of toward the house.
| More Cheerful
AS HE came again to the grassy
n terrace, ne saw that the house
presented more lively appear
ance. The shutters we're thrown
back, and voices called to each
other from the rooms inside. he
heard Ewes husky laughter. and
the next minute a black dog raced
out. chasing a white kitten, VIII
Hamilton Willard In pursuit. The
1 kitten fed UP a tree and, above
/ the dogs excited barking, Han
called a greeting.
aSay--let me give you a nant
I with those things. ! supposs
/ they're the groceries.
Part Of them - the res& ar
/ down By the shore. I'll get Jack
son 10 bring them up.
81 don't think you viii, Han
contradicted cheerfully. The iro'
woman that calls herself his viii
has got him doing his first homes
work in years I'll 60 back an
help you tote iem up.
Without going inside he en-.
Brett turned back and managed
in the one trip. 20 get al tn
packages to the terrace Lord
Mac. considering 10 some kind Q
4 new game, ran In circles srount
them. and paved eagerly at %
bundle Of meat
Meanwhile. Ham. putting unde
his burden. told Prett about ~
trip down. and confirmed n
kloouYy suspicion thar Mrs. btal
bury had been delighted with he
FIRST glimpse Of the place.
shes already planned for
Il -