The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-03-20
Chapter lG
Ruined Dinner

p OGERS father leaned forward
IN trifle as if he would have
spoken, but Emily turned her at
tention to Rogers mother and
spoke in a harsh, hard, too bright
voice.
"You and l were afraid of fire
that Sunday when we asked
Roger TO go down and send those
picnickers away. Well, there's a
fire all right but not the kind we
were thinking Of"
The sound that issued from her
lips was supposed to be laughter
but ghosts walked in it. 1t was
dry, cracking, lifeless and bitter
Emily" Roger said sharply.
"this wasn't necessary! / don't
like you in this brittle mood. 1t
isn't becoming"
Emily was laughing then be-
yond control, still that harsh
mirthlesS sound.
He doesn't like it," she said
"He doesn't like it," Then, the
laughter suddenly ceasing: What
difference does it make COW
whether you like my moods or
not?' she asked. "The time when
anything like that mattered is
gone forever! And we might as
well have the thing out and over
with now. There's no use going on
with this farce. You do love that
girl You know you do" She was
talking directly to him.
Roger had no reply for her so
she went on:
Let's put all the cards on the
table We can't 60 on with this
wedding. | don't want to marry a
man who's in love with another
girl. And you wouldn't go through
with the thing even if wanted
to. So it's off"
Emily" Mrs. Perry was speak
ing after a stunned silence,
you're overweight I'm sure
you're making a mountain out of
a molehill, Rogers always been
in love with you. He can't change
suddenly now"
Mrs. Perry looked across at
Roger as if she expected him to
agree with her, But Roger
couldn't lie with Emily's clear
eyes on him in that penetrating
way. 1t was as if they were read
ing to the very depths of his soul.
He had never lied &c Emily.
Il think we must be sensible
about this" Marcia Cosgrave's
clear voice was as beautifully
poised and as assured as it al.
ways was. There could be no real
difficulty. There never was
Perhaps" she went on. Roger
has some silly notion about some
new girl he's met. But he must
think of the families--we must
all do that We can't have a scan
dial. We couldn't just tell every
one that Roger had changed his
mind and found he was fond of
someone else, Things aren't done
that way. No one would believe
it. They'd all think the most I'M
pleasant things" Her voice
trailed off into delicate silence as
ii so often did when Marcia felt
everything had been said that
need be, and things would happen
exactly as she wished
Does it make any difference
what people think when lives are
at stake?" Roger asked suddenly
Marcia looked surprised.
Mr.. Perry had gone terribly
pale, and looked as if he was 60
ing to be Ill,
Roger" Gentle rebuke in Mar
cia's voice.
This wedding must go on"
Mrs Perry said forcefully. Il
won't be disgraced! | tell you
won't"
Emily looked at her mother
Her young face was emotionleSs
I'm sorry, mother" she said. Il
felt that way too until I'd seen
the girl-Lovely. Her name Is
Lovely" She paused on that as
if thinking. II thought we could
go on with the wedding and !
could just wait until Roger got
over this Bat after | saw Lovely
/ knew there was no use Men
don't forget girls like her"
What do YOU mean, Emily
girls like herr" Mrs Perry asked.
her voice tisht and brittle
Il mean" Emily paused thought,
fully Well she's the kind of
girl who could flip 4 coin about
the man she loves, Sporting Don't
you see YOU can't beat n girl like
that? ! went up there"
Mrs Perrv'S shocked voice cut
the words short:
You went up thcre9 You mean
you went 70 see this-this per
SOM"
"Of course. How can YOU fight
something YOU don't know any
thing aboute" Emily paused a mo
ment for answer. All eyes were
on her but no one spoke. She
added: "No. that I'm fghting,"
Still No End
CHE went on again after a little