The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-08-03
Chapter II ~s'
MARSHA's CALL

MARSHAS CALL
THE third week of the honey,
4 moon. was changed in pattern
by a necessary trip to town. Bob
had run in before to see his mother.
but his visits had been short, and
he had broken all speed laws in
transit In order to get there-and
back"
Now Bob had to see one OF the
heads of his company about IAN
other bridge" his mothers birth
day must be celebrated by them to-
gether and Marsha wanted to go to
talk to Doctor James--a want she
did not coniide to Bob.
Hang it," he said ON the night
before their early morning start. II
hate leaving here. It's been so per-
feet. have an odd idea that it won't
be here when we get back. |
wouldn't be surprised to come back
and find, where this house stood. an
empty space. and you dream. But
I couldn't survive it! Couldn't. And,
my dear, please. remember that"
She glanced around the room
where she. who had not thought
herself to be domestic, had begun
her housekeeping to find she loved
it :. planning meals, arranging
flowers, ordering things.
At the start she had said and tim
idly. II think that little table would
be prettier by the window" and
Bob answered with an easy-going,
casual. And why not?" And they
had changed 1t.
1t was strange how it had made
her feel: she had suddenly known
it was her house too. and that Bob
saw it So. wanted it so. She had
said. Il never could change any
thing at Aunt Gertrude's and Of
course | had no right to- but this is
interesting; l do like 1.-THE real.
ization that ! can move chart"
! We'll tear down the place. if you
want to-" he promised. 1t made him
fighting mad" to think Of Miss Ger
trude's sitting on any little thing
Marsha wanted to do" who was
still SO wholly the child when en-.
thusiastic. and charmingly. appeal
ingly so.
She had not understood his rise
OF tenderness that had seemed to
grow from their moving the little
table. she had only begun to know
that happiness hurts those unused
to it.
She did not sleep easily nor long
at any one time, that night before
their start for the two-days' visit in
town: Bob's pretended fear about
the house and its fading. and her
slipping away, had troubled her.
Something could happen any time,
she reasoned. to so change the
house for them that the ground
might as we'll be barren.
She would tell Doctor James all
about 1t: OF how. she had come to
marry Bob Powers and of what had
happened to her, married to him.
And of how ineptly and weakly dis
solute she had been, before Bob.
And she would ask Doctor James
whether she could make up for
cheating Bob by the utmost of sim
certify. She gave him nothing but
that now; she could give him moth
ing less.
a STRIP of cold winter moonlight
\ lay across a braided rug; sit
ting up-she was so restless-she
saw 1t and in that gray. half-light,
that Bob slept. she thought soundly.
An impulse that had never before
swept her, made her slip from the
bed and to her knees; and here.
head buried in her arms, she asked
OF something or some one whom
circumstance had made remote for
her, the boon of being always with
Bob.
When she lifted her head she saw
Bob raised by an elbow.
Il hope you don't mind, dearest?"
ne whispered.
NO" she murmured.
He took her hands In his to kiss
them lingeringly.
"I've always believed in trying
anything once!" she explained.
She, somehow. had to get back to
"a sort of ease," but it was difficult
to do so with Bob. more serious
than Doctor James in his chancel
and equally. seemingly even more,
hushed and devout.
Some day." he said. will you
tell me what you askedg m,5,i
II hope l shall be able to. some
day" she answered She shivered
then. He laid a hand on her bare