The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-12-28
chapter rs
THE NEleHsoRs pEEk.

LIE JUST looked at her. marvel
ling. This Is she. Be
yond question he knew her--shs
was the woman towards whose love
he had been shaping since earliest
years.
And there she sat, found at last
his destiny woven into the pearly
silks at her breast-there she sal
and insulted hin as grossly as hs
had ever been insulted: rated hin
lower than any man. woman Of
beast had ey rated him yet.
lyon ignorant. conceited, lovely
little fooll@ he added; still in hii
most civil tones. barbara :
doesn't the name mean barbarian
. stranger You are only . bar
baFian evidently, strange to the
ways OF real men and women. Whal
lot am TO teach you about iiieg'
He saw her face flame and
whiten. He went on, choosing hii
words. placing hii blows. He was
not in the least sorry for her--il
was Mark he was hitting through
her. by her own choice. 1t had u
be.
you see, such lot of beauty if
offered to any man." he told her.
"any wealthy man. mean, with
reasonable health and an ordinary
appearance. It would sicken yon Il
were to describe to you one-haii
OF the number or beautiful women
who have been willing to make
their bargains with me. II would
sicken you and. because you're q
blind little small town bat, you'd
think | was Boosting. whereas
should simply be dispensing with
mock modesty. q. So we'll take the
list as read and-refrain from add
ing your name to It."
She CRIED out:
Because l was-stupid there's
no need for you to be brutal!"
"0n the contrary. there Is eYeYy
need. You're very strong. you know
Barbara, and It can only be BY
strength I'm to release you from
Mark. Markl Take your mind on
him for q moment your whole
mind. Push him aside for . very
few minutes and stand up to me al
. free woman as am q free man.
when strike at your pride and
your beauty" he went on, strike
back at my weakness and my pas.
sion--I'm not q cripple. you know,
or an old woman. or an influential
client I'm your equal In strength:
In some ways. I'm to he--your mas.
ter; in others your servant. But
just now we're enemies--so stand
up to me. you little Stacker. and
hitl"
She had struggled to her feet in
her first furious Amusement: but Il
seemed to him that he had plueked
her out OF her chair az he had
plucked her back from the truck
wheels in that far-ofg time that was
not elk hours ago.
She faced him across four fee,
OF unstained floor. piece Of old
carpet. and the emerald she had Tor.
gotten. Yes. at last she had forgot.
ten Mark. -. Armitage. using her
anger as q key tc lock Mark ont,
proceeded to make her angrler still.
you copld hnrt me. Barbara
Quentin, Il you knew how. Just IA
! can hurt you. WellS learn howstp
hurt me. when needful. We shan
often desire to hurt each other.
Perpetual pity, you know. IL not 4
bracing state OF mind. You've pitted
too much. you've lost tone. you've
gone to sleep emotionally. When
you wept over Mark. you were q
mother who had lost q child. Now
you're q woman who - most In.
tensely loved. Wellg"
He waited. He saw her swallow
convulsively At last
You may say all that you have
70 say. Mr.. Armitage. and then
you'll leave this house-my house
aud Marks"
"Betterl" he approved. There's
q savagery under that Once you
feel definitely that you hate me.
we've made a start
You fatter yourself there. 4
doa't hate you for what you've been