The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-02
Chapter II
Chance Meeting

Chance Meeting
THE two girls pushed open the
a noiseless leather-ccvered doors
and tiptoed over the stone floor;
Eileen stood a little back while
Molly curtsied to the tall, colored
st. Anthony, near the front by
the right hand aisle.
'Think what you'd be wantin'
while light the CANDLE" Molly
whispered.
Eileen could not think. Her
mind went round in circles. Ut ]
only knew what to do" she
thought vaguely. "If I could only
tell Jordan that I would marry
him, and do it, without having to
pretend loved him. Oh, well,
perhaps love viii come. "
Molly pulled her down into q
pew. 'Tl1 be saying decade or
So" she whispered.
The little candle burned bright
1y on, stuck on Its holder among
hundreds Of other candles Molly,
on the inside Of the pew, head
bowed, was whispering prayers as
the beads ran through her fingers.
Eileen, half kneeling, watched 1t.
As she watched, two people
came along down the aisle, be-
tween her and the lights. She no.
ticed the girls hand dully--en-
gagement ring, wedding ring, fur
sleeved coat. Her own hand would
be like that now in month or so.
Then suddenly, her eyes focused
more sharply. She knew the shape
inside the smart new coat. Lucille
Anders. Lucille, married, In New
York with - yes, her arm was
through a mans, a man not
enough taller than she was to
show sharply. .
They moved MS Eileen stared.
She heard Lucille whisper, "Dar.
ling, let's burn q candle, Just for
luck--to make sure it's q happy
marriagei Do you mind7"
And the man, moving forward,
Whispered back, "Ali right, dar-
ling" He moved a little ahead of
her to pay for the candle. Eileen
saw him, outlined against the
treeful Of candles; they glinted on
his glasses, his pale, regular pro-
Ale, his little stoop. Jordan Es-
81, Anthony had certainly lost
no time.
Molly was rising; there was
nothing for IL but to face IL
through. She stepped into the
aisle: she smiled and held her
hand out, Molly, behind her, made
her mouth into q round O OF SUR
prise then swept them all outside,
before Jordan could more than
gasp and color.
Isn't this splendidlH Eileen
said, head high, hands out IN
greeting. "And what a blessing we
met just now. ia have hated to
miss you. Lucille, and I'm just on
the edge OF a trip-Thow long are
you both in town 4or?"
Lucille, beaming, proud, possess
sive, talked enough for herself and
her bridegroom. They were In
town for week, then Jordan had
TO get back to work. They were
doing New York. They'd called up
and couldn't get Eileeia's address.
Wasn't she on the radio now?
What network
aJust in between things" Eileen
answered steadily. And then, Mol
", as Il proved honestly, said that
she had to be getting back. The
Estills gave Eileen the address of
their hotel. and the painful scene
broke up. Jordan, throughout. had
been silent and III At ease; he
looked at Eileen as little as he
could manage.
Narrow Squeeze
AHOLLY broke the silence as
INl they got into the bus to get
back 10 Third Avenue,
You got to hand Il to 81 An
thory," she said. he made up
your mind Cor you. Well. you
never liked him anyhow"
Shm referred, MS Eileen knew. 10
Jordan Estili, not the saint.
NO. Eileen answered. Her
whole mind was wrapped up In
the fact that when Jordan got
back---or perhaps by tomorrow, II
people carefully forwarded his
kilograms - he would have her
Telegram, telling him chat she
would come back TO him and mar
~ him.
She laughed aloud. there In the
bus, 50 that people turned and
looked az her. Wen. Jordan would
be getting little Of his own back.
SYo1 coming lnf" Molly said,
I'm surprise, ma Eileen walked with
her 10 the flower shop, brightly
lighted stiiL with Ris moving
about, plain within the plate
glass windows.
Eileen nodded.
She went straight Nd 10 Ris.
'Did you send the telegram"
she demanded. There might Be
some hope. she thought Of eoun-
demanding IT,
Ris's brown eyes drcpped guilt
.well. no-you see. Eileen, =
things went 50 fast ] just couldn't
get round to H. I'll send Il right
away. now. Molly, you see to Chs
lady, please. not"
Eileen said excitedly. NO, no,
Ria I've changed my mind. I'm