The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-10-15
Chapter 4S
FERDINAND RETURNS


Chapter 48
FERDINAND RETURNS
TsHE storm bowling about her
! ears, Nan half walked. half was
thrown around the house. She tried
the latch of the kitchen door. 1t
gave.
Standing in the black silence OF
the room, she was startled by the
strident sound OF a telephone bell.
| 1t was not In the kitchen: she
CROPPED toward the sound. She was
in passageway.
She looked behind her; the
kitchen was in a yellow twilight
that rapidly grew brighter. She
found door across the passage
from the room on which the bell
was ringing. and slipped through.
! Nan saw Robert Leonard turn
into the room across the passage.
carefully carrying q kerosene
lamp. The ringing stopped. Through
the crack left between the door
and the jamb Nan heard an angry
ejaculation, an interchange OF
words. She. had no picture Of Rosa
mund, worried by the storm and
the consequent high tide, urgently
demanding that Leonard take Jer-
Wis up into the cellar.
Leonard said: Don't be q fool"
then Anything else?"
Nan waited for nothing more. She
had seen dim Light in the kitchen
lit came from an open door in a
far corner. She slipped back down
the passage, down the brick steps
into the cellar. In the middle OF
the cellar was a barrel upon which
stood a lighted candle, and In the
corner there was the raised lid OF
q trap door.
The inner conviction that had
brought Nan to this cellar did not
desert her now. She took her
fiashlight from her pocket, and
without hesitation plunged through
the trap door. She was so weary
from her battle with the storm that
her hand shook q little. She walked
rapidly down the slight slope: the
path grew sleeper. and she came to
feel the nearing presence OF the
sea.
A sharp turn TO the right, and
Nan saw about i've yards away.
Jervis lying as she had seen him
lie In her dream.
At the same moment Jeryis
opened his eyes and. pulling on the
bar, sat up. He saw, not Rosa.
mund, but one OF those dreams
which come out OF the darkness
and the silence. His wrist was
bound to the bar with q handker-
chief. H0 fumbled at the knot,
and Nan went down on her knees
and put her hands on his and held
them fast.
He said. Mani" and she said.
"Jervis!" and al at once it wasn't
q dream any longer.
"Nan!" he said. ''Nan!" And
Nan put up her face. and he kissed
her through the bars with q des-
perate straining towards life. and
love. and happiness, and all those
other everyday things which were
In jeopardy.
Then the black swell lifted again
and washed right over the sin.
Nan caught at the paddock with
both hands.
"It,s no USE" said Jeryis-- ''he's
taken the key" Then, quickly,
"How did you como heref"
II don't know" said Nan. II
came. saw you in q dream" She
added after q moment There's q
storm
SITS driving the tide. What Is 1t
--tnnndefs or WlnuF
"Both."
I'VE must get out OF here" said
Jervis. aYon must get out and get
help. You're not shut in9"
NO"
~Then ron must get hold OF the
chauffeur. Leonard.s armed. Is he
in the house2"
"Yes-telephoning. He came up
out OF the passage and left the door
open
you must 60"
she leaned towards him, and
they kissed again.
He said. "I'll be al right can
hold On 10 the bars." And then
without q word she ran from him
round the bend
AZ abe came 10 the steps which
led 10 the straight paved end OF the
passage. she caught her breath in
gasp OF relief The trap was still