The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-30
Chapter Al
FUTILE HOPE

A ND then Blake said aloud: You
haven't any conception of love.
have you? You can't even imagine
loving someone so much you'd die
for them. And that's the way | love
Carol. II l can't have her l don't
want to touch another woman as
long as live"
The passionate intensity of his
voice shattered the glass about her
once and for all. She really looked
at him-for the first time. His face
was white and stark and his eyes
burned holly. He means it, she
thought dazedly; he's really mad
about her. -.
She played her trump card-an ap-
peal to his chivalry. He could be
tender and generous; she remem-
bered that from long ago. Surely he
would be that now.
BLAKE you think I'm imagin-
ing my nervous condition. You think
it's because don't want to be wife
to you. That's not true; it's just that
for q while now I'm going
through a rather-trying time. ;"
His heart sank heavily. So he had
been right in his guess. But he
could not let her plead so thin an
excuse.
"a great many women manage to
endure their husbands and make
them happy even then"
81 know" she said plaintively.
"And so could l. probably. But I've
always been so high-strung, and so
l thought best to stay away"
He was moved to pity until he re.
membered the years before this. and
he realized that her appeal did not
deserve to be needed. He said
slowly:
I'm very sOrry-for your sake
DuN yOuA CANuoC LdAto 0Oh
doesn't it? We've been living this
hit-Or-miss existence for years. You
can't justify six years with some
thing that's just happened"
She felt as if she were going mad
as if the walls were really closing
in on her. She saw herself discarded
for girl: middle-aged woman who
would become merely an object oil
humorous pity. She made one more
bitter attempt
81 understand, of course. You mar.
lried me. knowing that / was older
than you; that was sure to lose my
attraction before you lost yours. And
now that it's happened you're being
a beast, and trying to cast me aside
like an old shoe"
Fury almost blinded him, so that
he dared not answer her for a mo-
ment. At last he said with a credit
able attempt at Quietness:
"a boy twenty-five doesn't think
Irma; the poor fool just feels. You
must have seen that possibility
better than could. And since you've
gone your way so completely there's
only one answer: / don't matter to
you any more than you do to me-"
She said shrilly: But you do mat.
ter. couldn't live without youi"
His mouth twisted bitterly.
You've made a pretty good stab at
it so far"
But I've had to. I'll come home
with you even If it kills me-"
THE melOdrama revOlted him The
l. supreme sacrifice. she was no
doubt thinking. He got up and
walked TO the door and back.
"I'm sorry. but it's too late now.
i couldn't play up. Do we have to
talk about il any more? I'm Offering
you chance to get the divorce your
self. on the grounds of cruelty"
Suppose l refuse?"
Then I'll have to get it myself,
on the same grounds"
You can't do it," she almost
screamed. 81 can refute anything
you try TO say." She made a supreme
effort at control. and went on in an
altered voice.
BLAKE, wait a year and see. You
got tired of me; how do you know
you won't tire of her?'
The room whirled dizzily with
him. There was no use. of course, in
trying to make her understand.
I'm sorry. but I'm through
whether you believe me or not. I'll
never live with you again: I'm put
ting the house on the market as soon
IS l get back. and starting divorce
proceedings Immediately. II you