The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-08-21
~ K K co.
Chapter rs
Tommy Starts South

TOMMY closed his eyes for |
i moment And he pictured LII
ella strolling along the sun,
| washed sands, the wind BLOWING
her hair, whipping her skirts
about her. Luella and Floridal !.
Florida and Lucia. What won.
derflil combinations
He'd do it! He reached for the
| telephone, and dialed the number
of his employer. Thank the Lord
. Martin Greenwood was at his Of
fee. Thank the Lord, he had said
Il he wanted to 90 over some ac-
cumuIated data on radio stations
+ in other parts of the country.
/ He1lo?' Tommy said, when q
voice answered the ring. THAT
| you, Mr., GreenWood?R
yes" came the reply. But
j Don't get excited Tommy
laughed. This is Tommy McIn-
| tyre
''Oh. hello. Tommyl"
you shouldn't have told me
| you were remaining in the Office,
said Tommy. But since you did,
here am, and I've got something
very important to talk about. Can
| you spare me a moment or two?'
Mr.. Greenwood chuckled. "Of
course. Tommy" he said. GO on.
Il want to leave on my vacation
right away said Tommy.
I Txll Il
wood. calling me at this hour
/ to-"
I Sits important" said Tommy.
You know I've been hanging on
/ for over a year now without get
ting away. and--and well, sort
| of feel a nervous breakdown COM
[ ing on.
Nonsensel You're the health
est-looking man in Manhattan .
! Maybe SO but sometimes
| appearances are deceptive
What do you call right aWay'?N
Mr.. Greenwood asked.
Monday morning, " said Tommy.
| Good Lord, man, that's mighty
| short notice.
Yes, Mr.. Greenwood. I know,
but"
wait minute!" Mr.. Green
wood said suddenly. Maybe you
can be spared, that is if you're
willing to combine a little work
/ with your pleasure. "
Now, listen, Mr.. Greenwood,
Tommy protested. "a vacation is
/ q vacation. / want to go down to
Florida, lie in the sand, and soak
up a lot Of sunshine. / want to
watch the waving palms. / want
/ to do some fishing, / want"
Stop It'll" Greenwood laughed,
you talk like a Miami advertis-
| ing circular. So you want to go to
/ Florida?n
yes. On Monday morning"
I 'sOkayis
Meaning you'll grant my vaca-
ton now"
Right. On one condition"
i was afraid Of that.
Afraid of What?n
"Of a catch of some sort"
mo catch at all, my boy" said
Mr.. Greenwood. Go on down to
Florida, and have a vacation. You
deserve it. All want you TO do Il
do bit of investigating, in 4 lcis
surely sort of way, mind VOL
keep eyes and ears open, and see
how things are with some of the
broadeasting stations down in that
neck of the woods. Just a matter
of routine, that's all. Now that
we're making a lot of recordings
especially serials for broadcasting
in weekly installments, I like to
know just what's back of the sta
tons throughout the country
financially, and all that. Get itge
YES, sir" said Tommy Thanks
| a lotw
you don't mind mixing this in
vestigation with your vacation
ing?"
mot at ALL said Tommy. I'm
SO darned used to work, come to
think about it, I'll probably enjoy
myself more. Pm keen about those
recorded serials, you know that;
so I'll certainly keep my ears and
eyes open"
| Tommy hung UP. His heart was
singing. For once in his life OF
| thirty-odd years he had gotten a
break He did couple of compli-
Gated dance steps around the
room, and then dropped down
into chair. He lit cigarette
smiled at the wall facing him.
Away from New York, away
from all the rush and the noise
and the worry that went toward
making UP city that could be
beautiful at times. and hfdeous at
others. Sunshine and palms. Is.
Long white beaches and Luz
ella.
He could see her-alnost hear
| her. Luella. sWeet-adorable--liv-
| ing in his little cottage. And
to think" he told himself, Il kept
trying to persuade Marie to marry
mel"
Sweet Place
| + UELLA reached Miami Sunday
- morning, and lost no time in
getting out to Tommy Mcintyre
cottage. The keys were in an on.
| velope in her purse. Tommy IL, q
handed them to her at the Penn
sylvania Station.
make yourself completely al
home, Lucia" he had said. 'And
try not to feel too badly over all
that's happened. I'll be thinking OF
you--even praying for you" He
grinned. That is, if you think the
prayers of an old sinner like me
will be any good.
THANK you. Tommy" she had