The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-03-11
Chapter 80
JULES, AGREEMENT


JULES AGREEMENT
IN her need and dire extremity her
n husband helped her.
$50 wen cry quits" he said, "and
understand each other. Any time
that Pm=-ah--deeeatad,' shall we
say. 'o'ertook, under the influence
II have been dragged. Any time
that Raisui makes himself. shall we
say, a nuisance'-it's harmless
IMITATION and no harm done. AS
you say, we're absolutely in his
power. And what's got to be done
may as well pc done cheerfully and
with good grace"
Margaret,s blood boiled, and her
fighting spirit raised it's head.
Not for nothing had she grown
up with Ohio BelIefDe. shared all his
games and sports and pastimes, fol.
lowed him, fought with him, loved
him and imbibed his ideas, adopted
his beliefs, accepted his standards.
81 Say and DO" was otho's motto.
She raised her head from her
hands, looked at her husband in
wonder and rose to her feet.
~Pm going home." she said quiet
ly.
She had said It. and she would do
Il.
"some day, perhaps" assented
her husband. when Raisui agrees
and provides the eamels, mules,
water. provisions, fodder, camel
men. muleteers and escort.
MEANWHILE" he continued, sup
pose--iust for q bit of fun. suppose
you don't offend and antagonize
and infuriate our best friend and
worst possible enemy. No more
idiotic schoolgirl heroics. What
are you staring att"
For Margaret was regarding this
man, her husband. with q cool. I'm.
personal but searching scrutiny.
What was it--this thing2 An eel
that slipped through your hand as
you grasped It. leaving nothing be-
hind but q Shiny emptiness? A
quicksand. morass which. looking
like firm ground. gave way beneath
your feet, leaving you roundering-
nay. foundering-in mortal dangerf
A haystack OF feathers or soft wool.
az which you struck In vain: u thing
invuinerable in its softness. o thing
against which one could beat one
self TO death as one who beats the
air until exhausted?
Il am going home" repeated Mar.
garet. "Will you take met"
IL won't and I can't"
"Win you come with met"
"No. cant. MY business -"
~Pm going home. II you take me,
wen forget this nightmare and
start again In England. Il you Won't
help me, bat win come With me.
wen talk things over when we get
TO England. and II you'll promise
not TO come back TO Morocco I'll 40
my best TO continue as your wife.
II you leave me TO go alone. | viii
never speak to you nor see you
again"
II fully agree. You certainly
WON'T" replied Jules Maligni. "it'a
q pity Ohio Belleme rushed on to
the French Foreign Legion. isn'titr'
Il also fully agree. Il certainly
s." replied Margaret quietly. gently.
And nothing more that her hus-
band could say had any power 10
provoke her TO recrlnlination. con
tradletlon or any show OF anger.
The days and weeks that followed
were such that occasionally Marga-
ret looked In her little hana-mirros
to reassure herself that her hair had
not turned white.
More than once che had spent the
night alone In her room. unable to
sleep. in spit. Oh the fact that she
had doubly barred and bolted the
door.
More than once she bad encoun
tered Ralsul. In courtyard. garden
and corridor and had frankly faed
with moro speed than dignity, pur
sued by his mocking laughter.
A specially hideous fear and Z
growing belief against which she
fought and OF which she wal
ashamed augmented her general
state OF terror. anxiety and appre
henslon and almost brought her e
despair and aeieAe-the fear and
belief that her husbands presence
In the castle was no safeguard:
that. far from being tower oil
strength. he was q source OF weak
ness and danger
Indeed-though she ehrank n
every fhre OF her soul from admit
ting the thought=she began to Tee
that no was q traitor In her cant
.. that the Watchdog was a treach
erOus wolf. a laekal. q hyena..