The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-07-12
Chapter 80
NICHOLAS CROSS
you didn't answer my letter"
George said.

VoU didn't answer my letter.
George said.
Perhaps | hadn't anything to
say" Nicholas replied, and then with
AZ effort. ut was kind of you to
write; kinder of you to come here"
That little lump in Georges
Throat was threatening once more
ito choke her; she wanted so des-
Eperately to say something that
would comfort him-to say that she
didn't mind how he looked-that he
would always be the same to her
the dashing hero of the silver screen
who had first captured her girlish
fancy. but she was afraid Of hurting
him, Of driving home to him more
deeply the realization of all he had
lost.
II was he who broke the silence
with an attempt at lightness.
80 you have been making friends
with my wife?"
mot friends" George said, then
realizing that her words were not
very polite she fastened to amend
them. 81 don't think am the sort
lof girl she would make friends with,
but she was very nice. / went to the
studio to see her making a picture"
"And did you find 1t very in.
ltriguing?"
"Not very"
''It cured you of your ambition to
fbe a film starr"
yes"
"And SO you've been having a hec-
tic timer" he said after q moment.
Lots Of fun and dances and pro.
lposals. suppose"
! She did not answer, and he went
ION: ITS wonderful to be young and
happy, Robin. Make the most of It,"
I'm not happy" George said. "At
least, not In the way you mean. And
u wish you wouldn't talk to me as IL
were child"
"You are q child. You looked SO
much Of a child when | saw you
standing out In the hall there just
inow that felt as il ought to have
brought you back DOLL"
She made no reply. and suddenly
he knew that she was weeping, quiet
weeping which was so much harder
Ito listen to unmoved than q burst OF
sobbIng would have been.
He bore 1t in silence for a moment,
then he said almost angrily: Il don't
know why you're crying. Idon't cry,
and after all It's my funeral"
George looked at him through her
tears.
4 "Pm crying because you've shut
me out Of your llfe," she said In Q
broken whisper.
!. "Shut you Quit" He laughed mirth.
1sssly, Don't you know that there's
mo room for you in my prison? I've
been trying to make you understand
. that ever since first met YOU"
sand I've been trying to make you
understand that there is" she re-
ltorted with sudden courage. You
said Just now | was a child. Well.
children don't take up much room"
"Don't they?" he submitted som.
berly. Il think there are some chill.
dren who All the whole world. II you
care for them sufficiently WE'LL"
She moved a hesltating step near
Ter to him.
1T must be rather sweet to be
cared for so much,' she said breath.
lessly, and again her hand stole into
his.
NICHOLAS moved suddenly. touch.
a. ing switch in the wall and
flooding the room with light.
Now look at me-" he said.
George looked; her soft brown
eyes rested on his SCARED face with
quiet and happy assurance.
"Well?" she said softly. You're
Just the same to me as you've always
been"
You're a little fool, Robin" be an.
severed. almost violently. and he
turned his disagured face away.
George said: Il wish you would
I put out some Of the light again.
want to say lots OF things to you.
and It's easier when It's not so light. +"
Because you can't see what an
ugly brute ami"
George Ignored that. but she
clipped past him aud turned out
some Of the tights herself. then she