The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1942-12-07

Cn, no not InaL! cunning
hams voice was stern. tom Raj
ston was the soul of nonor. A
dreamy sort of fellow in college
always thinking up some al
truistic scheme and somehow
carrying it through. He was one
of the few men / ever knew
whose conviction that right would
triumph was absolute"
How naive" murmured Gloria.
81 don't know about thatI"
Cunningham frowned at his
daughter with active irritation.
Sometimes he wondered lately
just how thick that shell of sell
fish Sophistication went. But he
didn't feel UP to arguing the mat
ter with her. He knew too well
what her pragmatic views would
be-the same views he'd opposed
Tom Ralston with in college
when Tom had laughingly called
him, "old money bags
"If he was as honest as you
think" Gloria prodded humor-
ously, "why are the ranchers so
stirred up?"
They aren't questioning his
honesty" Cunningham controlled
his irritation to explain patiently.
''They just can't find the records
showing where the borrowed
money went. 1t all went into their
plant, of course, I'd bet my last
dollar on that"
els there any way he could
have cheated them?" Gloria's
voice was playfully light.
| Cunningham smiled. "Of
course. Very easily. He could
have put a couple thousand into
the ranchers' business and the
rest in his pocket if he'd been
that sort But that's sheer nom
sense, knowing Ralston."
His irritation was rising again.
He put the letters back into his
brief case and ground out his
cigar. 81 think I'll go to bed"
| Gloria Plans Things
lCLORIA said softly as he
~ stopped by her chair to kiss
her, "You know, Dad, I've been
feeling terribly low lately"
| Cunningham's irritation van
ished with guilty speed. AS he
looked down at his daughters pale.
listleSS face, he realized what a
beast he'd Ieen to sit criticizing
the child for her selfishness when
she was unhappy-maybe i'll
whats wrong, honey?"
81 don't know" sighed Gloria
Maybe if I took a trip some
where-California's nice in the
spring"
Cunningham felt vastly re-
lieved. It was only boredom then.
He pinched his daughters cheek.
"You little vagabond," he smiled.
'Well, run along. I'll miss you,
but l know it must be dull in
New York these days with all the
young men in service"
| "You really wouldn't mind?"
she asked eagerly, almost for
lgetting to maintain her pose.
"Of course not" He turned at
the. door. "How's your bank &C
eo,lnt?"
| Gloria laughed. +1ts hike ii
usually is-pretty low" i-ib@.
| Cunningham laughed, too. as
he called from the hall. "I'll look
into that. Maybe I can declare a
little dividend for you"
For a while after her fathers
door had closed. Gloria sat
quietly in her chair. She was by
no means quiet in her mind. What
she planned would need a good
deal of skill, and more than a lit
tie luck.
But she had allies. One of these
would be Duffy, whom she had
charmed into strange state of
compliance. Or perhaps dazzled
was the word. Duffy's idea of
heaven was the life Gloria led
money and fun.
And another ally was the situa-
ton at Blossom Ranch. Gloria
had no idea why Rita Ralston
should run away from the ranch,
but she was sure she could use
the fact advantageously.
AS she got out of her chair
her tongue fiickered for a moment
across her too-red lips. She had
no time to lose.
~. l.. -.-s.-x