The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-11-04
DAWSON


boy. We might as we'll heIhonest."
81 should hope So" he humoredi
her.
She squeezed his arm.
"Then stop thinking about
Dicky." 1
His restraint melted.
81 hate the sound of his name. l.
can't bear to hear you mention him.
But he keeps bobbing up like
jack-in.the-box."
"He won't presently" She petted
him. Talk him out of your system.
How does he bob up?"
"As though he were taking his
revenge. AS though he were deter.
mined to spoil"
HE can't"
She slipped q cool hand over his
mouth. Kissed each separate finger.
But Santa. dear. he has so far.
We've been married like outcasts;
as though we had no right to be
married. That first minister who re-
fused to perform the ceremony,
treated US as IL we'd asked him to
bless a liaison."
He was a back-number," she
soothed him. "You wanted me.
wanted You. We want each other
more than anything in the world.
Here we are, with our wish granted.
Does anything else matter?"
mot really"
Il can't tell you, Give" she cooed,
show I've longed for you. During
all the time that | was married to
Dicky. Wicked OF me. wasn't It? l
would imagine he was you. Close
my eyes and imagine"
CHANGING down, all he could see
was her dark head against his
shoulder. Fields rushing by, grew
vague in twilight.
$50 you see, Give. If II makes you
feel better. even when / seemed to
be Dicky's was yours"
makes me feel glorious" he
whispered.
"And yet things that oughtn't to-
matter often matter terribly" she
continued. "Dicky had had heaps of
women friends. Something he let
out on the honeymoon warned me.
at once became afraid Of what
you're fearing now. But you're not
an old story, Give. You're excit
ingly new. Always will be. l swear
it."
He gathered her to him.
THAT'S all right, little woman"
at isn't all right" She twisted.
"Pve got to make you certain.
You're tn gamer by my first mar.
rage"
Draw it mild" He was thankful
the compartment was nearly dark
SO that she couldn't see his express
sion.
II mean 1t. rye learned the mis-
takes to avoid. I'm trained to be- q
wife. / wasn't when you first asked
me-"
A flock of retorts winged across
his mind.
"But I'm not trained to be o hus.
band. Santa"
'Eyer3thing's happened for the
best" she urged: "in the only best
way it could have happened. All the,
faults weren't on Dicky's side. ]
was unyielding. I'm not any longer.
You have Dicky to thank"
You'll never catch me thanking
him."
Then youll at least acknowledge
that without intending to. he taught
me to realize your valner'
"If that's the case, wish you'd
found some other way to learn my
value.a
She laughed. her lips all but
touching his. Her laughter was
startling, bubbling rom the dark.
ness without warning.
"pm so free--so happy. The hap
piness has gone to my head. was
in prison. Despairing. Then Q key
turning and you."
He was consciencestricken.
poor ANGEL"
"I'm not poor" She ciasped- him
strangllngly. "We're both rich"
Later. across the table In the din
ing-car. she beamed at him.
"Isn't It marvellous how We can
say absolutely anything?"
He crumbed his bread.
Il guess you thought I'd got cold
feet"
Didn't" she contradicted. "T
thought that I'd had practice and
you hadn't"
Like learning to ride . bicycle?"
He appealed to her superior wis
dom. "But look here. Santa. don't
let's try to be too marvellous"
Certainly not. She pulled q
monkey face. This Is the last time
Wen refer 10 Dicky. We've been
placing flowers on the grave OF the
dear departed"
Give grlnned whimsically.
fcebEvtsAf fsyI.lsss, cesisssby Dsssssl