The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-12-22
Chapter Sd
DEPARTURE

Cnapt6E %
DEPARTURE
HURT stood up and gave Sonya
~ his hand TO rise. As his glance
met hers he saw tears In her eyes.
saw her lips trembling. "All right.
Curt" she said quietly. with a hu.
nifty that shamed him. She
glanced down at the ground. started
TO say something more. checked her
self and turned away to her tent
Hethrnst the clips into his pocket
and walked MP to the little stone fort
which he and Paul had rolled to-
gether. Paul was carefully inspect
ing II and plugging chinks so that
no arrows could sift through. They
did not count on having to use the
defense: but their situation was
delicate. LeNoir was crafty fellow.
and It was wise to guard against the
unforeseen.
At the upper tip OF the island
Ralph was sitting at the water edge
occasionally drawing In fish on the
hand-line he was holding. He looked
lonely and disconsolate. Curt won
dered whether Sonya had really told
him the truth about her trip. Ralph
was an unselfish soul. but to bring
the girl he loved into that country
and help her join another man
seemed q bit too self-effacing even
for him. Probably she had spun
him some lie.
As he brought Paul an extra rock
he was startled by theiow qnayering
call OF an owl six hundred yards out
upon the lake. He dropped the
rock. stood listening. LeNoir7 It
couldn't be: the red star ives
nearly two hours high. But then
the call came again. no nearer but
louder: and he distinctly caught the
falsetto quality OF II.
-Hell! II IL LeNoir. Paul! He's
come early for her."
Paul nodded. yes. it's he. Siam.
Kiale and he must want to get the
whole business over with tonight"
They crouched down behind the
rocks and waited. Curtis eyes were
upon the tent. where Sonya would
come out He had not imagined that
her going would be az oideal, he had
even thought he would take q say.
age pleasure IN being free OF her
for good: hut nov when she actually
was leaving. II seemed impossible
to let her 30.
When she stepped outside the tent
and looked around cautiously to see
where Paul and he were. be rose mp.
overwhelmed By the impulse to 60
down there and keep her from leav.
ing. Paul checked him. took part
Or the burden Of decision upon him.
self.
Don't, partnerl You'd be sorry.
Let her leave. She'll be In no dan.
ger. Remember. w ara following
her and can see that she gets safely
Dut."
Sonya hurried on down the island.
In the owl dusk her slender form
grew fainter and fainter till Curt
no longer saw her. A canoe grated
on the pea-gravel 40 she tugged ut
the craft to get It afpat. q dark blur
moved away from shore Curt cor.
cred his face with his hands to shut
ont the sight oft. when he looked
up again. the blur was gone.
DAuL touched his arm. moments
l afterward.
WED better be somewhere else
In an hour from now. This island
Is going to have sl6itora"
Curt pulled ihimseIf together. !
"Yes. we'd better go" he. said Jerk.
iiy. Wen take what We need Of
our outfit and get away TO one OF,
these other islands. and then split
up" Ss8 3{ q
FRANCOIS and Jockh haven't cone
back"
Curt turned toward the carbon
island. barely visible In the deep
dnsk. It just then occurred to him
that be had not heard the guides
shoot Their silence was strange:
they had been gone long enough TO
make two such trips.
He hurried 20 the lower end.
launched the remaining canoe and
darted down lake. a few rods 90.
shore he called In guarded voice:
-Jockul You and FRANCOIS get ont
Of there Come alive! We haven't
any time TO waste"
No answer came back. His voice
sent the little band Of caribou tear
ing through the swamp birch to the
other side Of the island. but neither
Francois nor Jccku answered.
The explanation dawned on him
with q crash. Ne remembered. too
late. that the guides had sat on ~
themselves al day. talking In lOw