The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-10-14
Chapter AZ
A CHASTITY TEA PARTY

A CHASTITY TEA PARTY
DoSAMUND'S footsteps woke Jer-
~ Wis, who lay asleep in his soaked
clothes on the high ledge.
He shot out a hand and caught
her by the wrist as she leaned for
ward and called his name. He felt
her stiffen and fan back. His grip
frightened. She began to try to
wrench herself free. He got her
other wrist with his left hand and
pulled her down on her knees. She
kept her hold of the torch.
After q moment Rosamund
laughed.
"You needn't hold me so fiercely!"
Jervis' grasp relaxed. He drew
his hands back through the bars
and was Inundated to find that they
were shaking. Rosamund flashed
the light on his face and exclaimed,
"Are you all right?'
"That-Aeomes well--from you,"
said Jervis.
What's the matter?"
Nothing. I'm thirsty"
= sDamn! said Rosamund.
The torch swung round in an err
ratio circle a. she jumped I'D. Next
moment she was round the bend. He
could hear her running. The dusk
went black.
Robert Leonard heard sounds In
the kitchen and went in, to- find Ro-
samHnd coming cut of the pantry
with eggs in one hand and a jug Of
milk in the other. She had set q
kettle boiling on the oil stove. She
turned on him in cold fury.
Il didn't say you were to starFe
hin!"
Dead men don't eat"
Don't push me too fart" said
Rosamund. "I got him out OF the
house for you, and you went back
on me by hitting him over the head.
l could have brought him here, and
you could have dragged him-but,
no, you must behave like savage
and risk killing him! I won't have
Il. And swear to you most sol
EMMY that IL you do him any harm
Pll,give you away"
Have 1t your own way" said
Leonard.
He shrugged his shoulders and
went back to the front of the house.
Jervis remained staring into the
blackness. And then the black
turned grey, and Rosamund came
round the bend of the passage. She
had a blanket over her arm, and she
was carrying a tray little in front
of her. and on the tray there was q
candle in guttered candlestick, q
teapot, milk and sugar, half a brown
loaf, a rough chunk Of butter and a
couple of eggs with one Clipped egg.
cup between them.
zRosamund set down the tray
close to the bars and stuck the can.
die on ledge about three feet
above the floor.
1--WE been as quick as | could"
she said in perfectly matter-of.
fact voice. Then she pushed cup
through the bars. Jervis' hands
closed on it hard. but third OF the
tea jerked from the cup before he
got 1t to his lips and drank.
Better have an egg next" said
Rosamund. They're very soft.
boiled-I knew you'd hate them
raw" She was cutting and butter.
ing q piece of brown bread. Jervis
eyed the knife. II looked sharp. but
he couldn't reach it.
why doesn't Leonard come him
self?" he said.
conscientious objections to feed.
Ing prisoners.
Are yoa really married to the
swine?s
Il am. So you see had to lit
you. Stupid affair-wasn't it,"
what was the point of getting
engaged to me?"
II don't mind telling you the
whole truth" She paused and blew
out pale cloud OF smoke. I've
been married to Robert for ages
one of the fool things one does. 10
was Just before | came to weare.
The great idea was that should do
the angel niece at Uncle Ambrose.
confess all. and get him TO provide
handsomely for u.s." She shrugged
her shoulders Wen. of course 1
was 9 FOOL. Robert came to stay.
and Uncle Ambrose simply loatheti
ilim--you remember. Ii was just be-
fore yeu had that accident on Croy
ston rnclfs. /"