The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-08-18
Spite MIfNlRRILfAIGIE


see might break down to settle int
q nervous condition.
And II she did that, he knew that
deon Tarleton would throw her
over. Gle had not needed that let
ter from his mother in which he had
been asked 70 think OF Marsha,s
needsD Tarleton wasn't the sort
who could love q sick woman or be-
patient with her. Bob lay awake too
many nights worrying over the pos
sibility Of this.
Then he decided that IL she did
grow III and Tarleton did throw her
over, he. Bob. would ask II he might
care for her, explaining that he
would prefer to care for her, and
that the care would be most imper-
sonal.
That would quiet her fears; any
fears Of hers, made by the thought
that he might bother her in any
way" He felt lightened by the de-
cision and it started the kind OF
dream that even wholly balanced
man may indulge when over
worked and lonely and divided by
tropic jungles from the world where
he belongs.
The fabric of stretched, torn and
shocked nerves and loneliness
helped him to make his pictures. He
saw himself sitting by Marsha's
bed and reading TO her.
Haven't you been sitting UP
rather long?" he heard himself say
aloud one night. 1t appalled, him.
He'd known one chap-on a lob in
the East-who had begun by bab-
bling and then
pUT he could not stop the dream
~ ing. although he could keep 1t
from slipping to words. In dreams
he drew her negligee close around
her; he saw the white, smooth love
illness Of her throat. Once and again
dreams ended by his sitting. sodden
with despair his head in his hands.
Dreams will. sometimes. end in this
way.
He wrote, in parenthesis. Don't
wear yourself out knitting, please!"
The rest of the letter was tremulous
With gratitude and the letter should
have been encased. from start to fin
lsh. by that sign she had informed
him, would tell her of his sincerity.
lie had. two weeks later, her
ilippant reply; II know" he read.
that it looked as If | did it on a
crowbar. but | didn't, and you
mustn't agitate yourself over the
strain. The people who receive
them are more to be pitied. When
you drop the needle land they are
very Slippery these funny looking
holes get in. wanted to put on
patches. but your mother says it
isn't done"
After that he stopped worrying
about the nervous breakdown that,
in his poor. tired mind. was oddly
connected with knitting. but he
found another subject for anxiety
in Geoff.
He wondered how Geoff would
treat Marsha? He knew a good
deal OF Geoff. and Geoff had. in the
past. been known to deal rather
harshly with people-women to be
exact-who had worn his interest
thin.
After Bob considered this from
all angles he decided. and he meant
il. that he would kill Geoff If he
didn't treat Marsha we'll. and then
he dismissed that particular phase
Of the Marsha-Geoffrey compiled
ion 30 go on to another.
Il she had thought him somewhat
the conquerer. the entirely knowing
devil and the keeper Of his secrets,
would she-have married some one
else tO-let him kiss her? Perhaps,
but he did not want that-"an af-
fair"
Perhaps, even married to him.
she would have loved him if she had
felt him TO be something Of the rake.
He. the Judge and jury and the de
tense. weighed ali aspects of the
case. What might have happened
if he had kicked this stone aside. or
If he had rolled this boulder in front
of her to block her path? If he had
said. to Geoffrey Tarleton. for in
stance. upon that day, mo. you
can't have her!" And to Marsha,
"You are my wife,"
But OF course that particular
boulder was impossible for him to
roll before ner in order to block her
path: no man would hold a woman
against her will.
And yet perhaps he would. Bob
strangely felt that perhaps Marsha
needed just that-holding against
her will.
Again the ghost of Tarleton rose
before him. What would Geoffrey
have done in that situation? Bob
could see him tossing aside girl to
whom he had grown necessary,
without a thought.
oh we'll, thought Bob. one is not
made to ones own specifications,
like a bridge. He was no Tarleton;
that was sure.
(cotyiSAf. 1884. BY K. RaV9saa-TsylOT)
The situation In New York grows
more acute. Monday.