The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-08-20
Chapter "a
Internal Triangle

Ndrink. I've got TOO mucn
thinking to do"
"Very we'll, suit yourself.
Marie went into the bedroom and
closed the door none too gently.
Henry, left alone, sat down at
the piano. He ran his fingers up
and down the keyboard a couple
of times, and then he began to
play over the setting of one of
his songs.
He played softly, slowly--his
thoughts going southwark, cross
ing the Mason and Dixon Line,
coming to rest beside a slowly
flowing river. Willow branches
caressing the surface of the water.
Sunlight Pickering through
the leaves. A woodthrush
calling from somewhere in the
thick woods. 3. A negro woman
calling to a runaway piekaninny.
-. Home--tranquilty--
"All right. said Marie back of
him, lets have a showdown"
Henry turned quickly. Il don't
like that word ne said. Il don't
think we've got to have any such
thing
Call it what you like" said
Marie. She dropped into low
chair. "All | know is that I've
never been so mad and upset in
all my life. p
Henry sat { .wn facing her.
Anger became her, lie thought.
So did the deep red material of
which her lounging pajamas were
made. The color made her eyes
seem even darker, brought out
the rich auburn tints of her thick
hair, auburn tintS that weren't al
ways visible.
Pm pretty well upset myself, !"
he said presently.
"The idea, giving that job to a
female" Marie f1ared. 81 could
wiring her beak with perfect de-
light"
There, there, honey" Henry
soothed. Get hold of yourself
feeling like that doesn't do Alma
Latham any harm, and you any
good"
What's more, Henry" Marie
went on, Il could wiring your
neck also"
Really? -. Well, if you must
know the truth, Marie, l could
wiring it myself" Henry gaaed
across the room. Everything
! happens at once, if it's bad"
What do you mean?"
Il didn't get the radio job, and
Luella's gone"
Gone? -. Where2"
Back home. She's left me-"
We'll, for heavens salsei"
I'm a grass-widower," Henry
said. He was glad that he cnul
sound sort of flippant. "She's left
me fiat-in fiat" He grinned,
mot bad. eh2p
Henry. will you stop trying to
be funny" said Marie, land tell
me just what happened?"
out on me" said Henry. Il found
note when / got back from Chi
cago this morning" He shook
his head slowly. Little Luella
couldn't take the bitter with the
better, after all. Or maybe She
thought there was too much of
the bitter"
"You mean she - she - found
out that was in Chicago also?"
"Yep."
"Who told her?"
Tommy Mcintyre said Henry.
Then. as he saw Marie growing
angry, he said: wait minute,
Marie. He didn't tell her inien-
tionally." Henry explained hnw
1t happened, and added: $50,
there you arel There's. our littln
internal triangle in a nutshell. g
He grinned again. Mixing nv
metaphors perhaps, but let it
pass.
No Solution
"CHE had no right to jump at
- conclusions" said Marie.
Shes got nothing on either of
us. You know that as well as I
do"
''Of course Henry agreed.
But, ] suppose you'll have to
marry me now, Marie, and do
right by little Henry"
Don't talk like an IDIOT Every
things gone wrong, and it's all
your fault"
My fault?"
"Yes--not being here to get the
radio job, and letting"
Listen, Marie, my job in Chi
eago meant livelihood" Henry cut
in. Il couldn't leave things there
unfinished and rush back here to
see about an uncertainty"
1T wouldn't have been an UNI
certainty, if you'd shown more
spunk"
Meaning, / suppe e, that I'm
just a spineless, spunkless hunk
Of humanity. Is that it,"
v "Oh, Henry" Marie walled
"i'm sorry. didn't mean to sound
SO much like a fish-wife or some-
thing
'aOkay," said Henry. Were
both on edge. Believe it or not
Marie, its something Of a shock
to come home and discover that
your wife's departed"
Yes, / understand, Henry,
dear" Marie said, now calmer.
you poor dear boy!"
add to that the necessity of
facing a situation that's darn Sc
riouS," Henry said. Getting the
business with Luella all straight
ened out"
You mean you're going to beg
her to come back to your"