The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-08-28
SPITE MlAIRlRlA(GE

thrown back. sometimes. an arm
raised and back of It.
Why" he had questioned, early
In their knowledge Of each other.
do you almost always throw your
head back. dear?"
Because" she answered lazily.
"one OF my first adorers admired
the line Of my throat. It is beautiful,
and that realization has made the
habit"
He knew II was beautiful, and he
knew all Of her many lovelinesses.
But is was the thought of those
depths he had glimpsed only once
or twice-through her kiss on his
homecoming, her gently tender,
comforting hands-the thought OF
those that made the idea of leaving
an ache.
He seemed to see her as If she
were still in the chair on the oppo-
site side of the fireplace: to feel her
eyes. which sometimes held a bitter
hurt he could not analyze, her lips
which curled occasionally with a
faint. and also unanalyzed scorn.
The problem rose.
Was 1t fair to her. who could not
understand or sense the depravity
of chap like Geoff. fair to her not
to protest? He began his pacing
again. Should he ask her to come
down to Mexico for a year to visit
him? He'd make the proposition
clear, so clear she wouldn't be
afraid. And certainly she'd trust
him. A year while she thought 1t
over. 49,
And they would play around to-
gether. and she might like some
things about the place. He felt Ger.
tain she would like Mexico City.
And they could go there once a
month and perhaps oftener. And
perhaps. after the year was up, she
might like some things about him.
LIE brought himself up abruptly,
\ And the hard lines in his face
which had been dispelled by dream
ings, came back with cruel force.
II must not let myself imagine
things!" he reminded himself half
aloud: Il must not hope again.
can't stand another cropperl"
He settled to take a magazine
from a nearby table. Dull things,
magazines. No. he must not let him.
self go to dreaming about taking
her back.
They could ride down there and
she would like the scenery. And per
haps the boys would entertain her
:. they were an amusing lot. and
they would certainly vie with each
other to do It! They'd all go utterly
mad about her and he would have
to make her understand that she
must not hurt them.
Applicable to Marsha, that East
ern maxim. Truly It is written one
precious woman will cause more
strife than twelve armed men can
quell." He would make her under.
stand and promise not to hurt any Of
the boys by playing with them. She
did keep her word.
But she probably wouldn't, for
one minute, consider going, even II
he could bring himself to tell her
that he felt she should test Tarleton
for a year, before casting her lot
with his.
A year with her for himself, thus.
But, he realized, it was her good he
was thinking of first.
They could play cards. Aleyan-
der's contract was unusually good.
No. she didn't like cards. What was
he doing, planning so? He must not
let himself go!
She would miss a piano; well,
he'd have a piano towed up from
Mexico City. He had managed har-
der jobs, he would manage that: be-
cause without piano she would be
lost.
Then at night they could have
music-he loved her voice, a voice
at which she laughed-and he could
stand near while she played and
sang those little French songs that
sounded as if they must be very
wicked. s. IL
Perhaps sometimes she would be
glad to see him when he got back
in the evening. Perhaps she'd say.
Bob. I'll never love you as do
Geoff. but I like You and l know
now. I don't like him. Somehow II
did sound quite like her. and If she
ever came to saying that. he'd never
let her go!
And he'd have an elaborate suite
added TO the east side of the place
it would get the sun In the morning
and miss it after four in the after.
noon-and they could probably rig
up a drainage system that wouldn't
be bad, and a tin tub that would
drain :. Clark would do that.
Clark who had done wonders.
with raw labor. some pipes and hia
head, for another woman who pre-
ferred Mexico and a man to New
York without him.
(cosyyisGs. 1884. b. x. HGVilasS-TaylOT)
Marsha's fraiIness. tomorrow
troubles Bob.