The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-09-24

"And on top Of that" he went on
there's the liking you a lot would
De sorry" he said. ito like Won AZ
much II ! were sure that you were
never going to like me. because then
Ia know that there were pain ana
misery ahead OF me and | am NOT
used to either"
"You have always had everythine
you wanted in this world. Just about
when you wanted II. haven't your"
zone OF the lucky ones" he ad.
mitted. "Why7 Am | as spoiled as
that? Does It stick out all over me?',
You're not as spoiled as you might
be-" she said.
mot by you, I'm not"
He heard the whisper Of a laugh.
But you ought to reform" he
said. "You have been bad to me. You
just said so yourself. The best way
to make up for that is to spoil me,
II only little"
Ivy quoted from the Blake poem
in caressing Voice:
"Tiger. tiger burning bright. :"
For answer. Bowers returned an
admirable imitation of a cat purring,
and they both laughed.
How old are you anyway?" asked
Ivy.
"Thirty-three."
"Why don't you grow up?'
II Will" he said, "if you'll promise
to go on that camera.hunt. 1t would
be great test for both Of u.s."
"a test of what?"
MTELL." he said. "if we found at
the end Of three months or SO
In the Jungle Of Southern India we
were still friends, then we'd know
that we would always get on together
anywhere"
Would that be worth finding
out?"
"That," he said, "would depend on
you. Are you interested?"
"I'd be fool If wasn't. Once
this jobs done, have no place to 60,
no one to turn to. Those things aren't
easy to live with"
"You don't have to worry about
that" said Bowers. "If the worst
comes to the worst, II you won't go
camera-hunting with me. I'll see
that you get back to America, and
that there is the kind Of Job you
want waiting for you. So although
have issued you a polite invitation.
you are under no compulsion what
ever to accept It"
II can't help believing you," she
said. II think you'd do a lot for me
with no strings attached"
'This trip" said Bowers, ''has
been fun. but now that we have de-
cided to be friends and stop sparring.
it's going to be more fun. suppose
you know that when tell you like
you a lot, mean lot more. think
about you all the time. VIII you be-
lieve me IL I tell you that it's new
experience?"
First you tell me-" she said
lightly, "that you are thirty.three
years old and then you want me to
believe that this is the first time you
ever felt in certain way"
at is the first time," said Bowers,
land l give you my word. that my
feelings about any young woman
have been domestic. When ! was
cleaning my guns and you were
dressmaking and We were close to-
gether and nobody saying anything
| was happy"
81 liked it too" she admitted. "Be
ing alone is no fun. / have had my
fill of that"
"You don't have to be alone any
more ever If you don't want to be-"
"Just what do you mean by that?"
THAT you can have me always as
a companion IL you'll say the word"
"Pd better tell you" she said. shat
! have heard that before and It didn't
! urn out that way"
$50 far as am concerned" said
Bowers, "your life began the day l
heard you scolding Helen In the
! tent. Anything that happened to
either of us before that time ought
to have no more importance than so
much dust down the wind"
They were both silent for time.
Then Bowers said, almost brusQuely.
swell how about it?"
about the dust down the wind"
"You know perfectly we'll what |
mean. I'm asking you to be my wife.
IL didn't realize that" she said
quietly. 81 think you are sincere
But I wouldn't be an honest friend
IL Jumped at the chance"
"Why not?"
| (coAvr;skE 1894. 6p G0sOeSHesr Morrill,