The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-16
Chapter 20
Quarrel

get done?" Martin asked. i
was a voice she hadn't heard. de.
tached and businesslike.
''If you'd talk to her, or If that:
too much bother. get your lawyer
to. Or perhaps your mother
would"
idea. Mother never objects t.
things because they're too much
bother, like me. Rather likes te
see flying fur. Is your ultimate
intention to get Violetta replaced
in her job. Eileen?"
81 suppose that would be i'm
possible, with Lewis at the head
of things"
well, boards expect a man tc
handle things when they give him
control, you know"
II know" she said meekly. 81
only thought perhaps you could
get them to let her have the pen
sion she'd have got to in a few
years now. And. maybe. if it ISM
too much trouble"
"Skip it. Go on the principle
that for once I'm willing to take
trouble. To the extent, say, of five
minutes with telephone. or a
checkbook."
The car jumped ahead. She
looked at the profile beside her
Lips set tight, head reared an
grily, color run up under the tan
She had not know that Martin
could ever care about anything
enough to lose his temper. Hers
snapped up to meet it.
All right. I will. She's going
out with a black eye. Have Lewis
give her testimonials or whatever
people in her position get"
She'll get thoSe-theoretically
All sorts of gilt-edged stuff. What
will have to be fixed is the real
underground story that filters out
through; the boards feelings
about her."
81 didn't know. I suppose that's
harder"
mo. Personal interviews with
key members"
Perhaps your mother"
"Or my nursemaid! Eileen, if ii
wouldn't chuck us into the en-
bankment I'd slap you harder
than you were ever slapped in
your lifel"
For heavens sake. Martin,
what ails your"
He said, suddenly relaxed and
grinning. What used to be called
'quarreling like, man and wife.
guess"
She said holly, That's a brutal
reminder, under the circum-
stances!"
He shouted with laughter.
what did / say?"
In spite of the tears that had
sprung to her eyes she found she
was laughing Historically herself.
She checked the laughter. She
said sharply, "How's Gardiner"
"Prettier than ever. Gone up
swept"
That ended that.
He said. after another of these
silences that were getting more
and more uncomfortable, This is
going to make Lewis annoyed
with you. He likes to be seen eye
to eye with, you know. Want me
to handle it on the quiet?"
'No. / don't"
WELL" said Martin, "that sim
plifies things. / can go to it
straighter." He glanced at his
wrist watch. Well long-distance
him after luncheon. Hungry? /
am. But lands in sight.
Land proved to be the inn she
remembered on their drive up to
the Dane lodge. She had almost
forgotten the ritual of walters
devotion that was always loosed
around Martins kind. He ordered.
as usual, perfectly. They made
conversation across the little
table. Quite pleasant conversation.
Martin only had one cocktail. He
never had taken much. she re-
membered. Probably because of
his sporting record. Unlike the
rest of him.
You're silent as the grave he
said, "and we're through. Come
along. the fatal moments ar
rived"
He had taken a room upstairs.
as there was no pay box. He
dropped into the armchair beside
the bed-telephone stand to talk
at his leisure. Eileen. az his ges-
ture, perched on the bed beside
him.
Action
LIE LOOKED so boyish, such a
Ii nice kid, there with the re-
ceiver against his pullover. his
long legs sprawled out easily and
his tousled fair head bent to the
mouthpiece, that Eileen felt an ir-
rational pang of pity. Irrational,
for certainly plying Martin Dane
was pretty crazyi
But il only his dominant father
and grandfather, his cause-hunting
mother. had left him any job To-
do, he might be more OF match
now for hard. brilliant Lewis
Deievan. Lewis had had the luck
of having to fight for his own
hand IN a world where. right or
wrong. you have 20 fight Martin
hadn't.
And so he would probably be a
uushover for the first few con-
vincing sentences Lewis would
lie bad Lewis iaMmediately. BY
a number she had never heard.
@Ffeffo. Lewis Feeling fine.
Oh yes. we've been back couple