The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-10-08
.othin Venture

81 Pssvic1o Wsa.i0orfh


The shock had numbed feeling, but
1t left her voice quiet and level.
"You saw Miss Rosamund. win
you tell me just what you did seer"
Mrs. Mellish put the linen hand,
kerchiKf to her chin for a moment.
and then to either temple. The
moistMre stood on her pale skin.
II Blew out my candle, and so
soon as It was out. could see there
was aslight somewhere. And I
looked round the crack of the door
and there was Mr.. Jervis' door
open and a light in the room. and
Miss Rosamund coming out with
suitcase in her hand. And just
rs looked, the light went out, and
I shut the door quick and come
away"
Nan sat there pale and straight.
She had brought this humiliation
on herself. Mrs. Meliish would
have spared her, but she had forced
her to speak. Well-since she had
come so far, she must so the whole
of the way.
you're sure you saw Miss Rosa
mund?n
Eyes, ma'am."
II was no use--she couldn't 90
on. II there were more questions
to be put, then someone else must
put them Ferdinand, or Mr.. Page.
She would have to send for Mr..
Page tomorrow IL there were still
no news. Resamund! Rosamund
with the suitcase In her hand. She
felt very sick and giddy, but she
managed TO get mp and to speak
steadily.
THANK you. Mrs. Mellish. You
won't speak Of this to anyone?"
Mrs. Mellish recovered her poise.
"It's not by any wish Of mine
that I've spoke Of 1t now" she said,
land withdrew without haste, and
with the consciousness Of high
moral worth.
It was some time later that Nan
realized she was still standing as
she had stood to see Mrs. Meliish
go. The realization came with a
slight sense Of shock. 1t was some
time since the door had closed, but
she did not know how long.
Everything had stopped when the
door shut; now 1t went on again
with q little jerk. but slowly. un-
evenly, and as IL II might stop again
at any moment. The sense Of strain
and of1expectation was gone.
Jervis had gone away with Rosa
mund. She felt inundated into the
very dust. They had gone away
secretly and Rosamund had lied
to her. al the time she had talked
about drowning and about Jeryis
getting eramp, she was lying. She
had been In Jervis' room at three
o'clock in the morning. She had
stood IN the door with his suitcase
In herthand.
Nan was too numb to feel hurt.
The thought of Rosamund was like
q heaxy weight that numbed her.
Jervis had come into her room and
been Kind. Was he expecting Rosa.
mund then2 Was that why he was
awakey Had he only been kind
because she must not be awake?
She must sleep and know nothing
because Rosamund was coming?
Her mind filled with pictures.
They came ND like bubbles In dark
water. She could see them coming,
but she could not stop them. Az
each one reached the surface OF
her mind. It Aoated there. showed
its iridsscent colors, and broke in
q spray like tears.
She saw herself and Rosamund
side by side. Jervis loved Rosa,
mund.
She saw Jervis comforting her
the curtain blowing in the dranght
from the open door-the door be-
tween his room and hers He
wouldn't have left It open II Rosa.
mund had .hasn there. She trem-
bled against his shoulder and was
comforted. The door was open. and
the curtain blew.
She saw Rosamund with the suit
ease In her hand.
She saw other things.
After o long time no more hub
bles rose. Her mind was dark and
empty. She went up 10 her room.
and al the flrst sound Of her foot
on the stair, there was Bran. keep
ing step with her. She locked the
door upon them both: she locked
the door into Jervis' room.
Then she undressed and lay down
on her bed. A heavy weight Of
fatigue made all her limbs feel like
lead. She lay down and covered
herself with the sheet. With no In
terval at al. she dropped into the
deepest depths OF sleep.
Copyright. 1855. Lsprsaeoftl
A Iifsse llohs salis ON ssss ,nw.tsrv