The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-07-01
Gypsy l0eatGerAtNeS
- MARGARET RELL HousroN ~ ~
By MARGARET RELL MousToN


when I was about to tell you every
thing. was desperate, and I seemed
to feel your sympathy, your desire
to help me.
eft was then saw you watching
me-watching me in the little mir
ror on the mantel. Watching me so
! can't describe it. 1t was as if
you were in ambush. and had al
most caught me-"
"You were nervous and on edge"
Dirk said.
81 know. But / knew then-what
was true-that it had been you spy
ing on me-not Rupert, not Tor
robin"
poor Hope! No friend at all-no
friend she knew about"
81 had Olga and Pipolo. Only they
were away. And l still had hopes Of
winning Rupert. Elinor's dinner
showed me that same night how
foolish such hopes were. The
rodeo came. and it was agony seeing
Roddie ride the animals no one else
wanted. Afterwards l went down to
the Garden in Roddie's absence. and
saw Torrobin. l gave him a thou
sand dollars of the money Rupert
had given me, and he agreed to go
away and leave Roddie alone.
"OHOWDHURY had been caught
~ by then. and Torrobin wanted
to make a getaway. Torrobin had
always said that II he were caught
along with Chow. Roddie would go
back to Texas. And howl he said.
He was always afraid we would tell
about his game with Chowdhury.
He was always reminding us of
what would happen. He reminded
me again that day.
II had no intention of telling, and
/ knew that Roddie hadn't. was
happy because he was going away
and leave Roddie. Adelaide's party
was that night. remember you said
/ seemed happy. was happier than
I had been for months. had visions
OF big ship taking Roddie and me
away. 1t would take money, but
somehow I would get it.
"And then they got Torrobin.
They got him as he was boarding a
ship himself. He's in Jail. He'll never
get out. They've got other things on
him--a long record of things.
II read it in the paper when I got
back from Big Moose. was certain
It was Chowdhury who gave him
away. for Roddie said he had kept
in touch with her. But / was
frightened, remembering Torrobin's
threat, and l couldn't rest till l had
got in touch with Roddie. Martin
was watching me then. | knew, and
felt / was watched at night. though
I never saw any one but once.
II got Roddie on the phonetic
day read about Torrobin. the day
| got back from Big Moose-and 1
made him come out. Even then, SO
far as knew. they were hunting for
him."
That's what made you ill.," said
Dirk. Fear for Roddie."
81 thought / would die. But 1
knew had to live. :. Roddie came
that night-down by the secret way.
1t was a terrible night, showing
hard. That was the night Martin
heard him. Roddie didn't want to
stay. He SAID he was safe outside.
But he stayed. He saw would die
Of fear if he left me.
1--WE carried bedding from a closet
in one of the closed rooms. His pallet
just fitted across the narrow passage
but you saw it. We found an old
lantern, and kerosene stove. used
to forage for food for him in the
dead Of night. And books for him to
read.
Even IL Torrobin sent them here
here to Lowrie Wood-no one
knew about the passage and the
stair. But still wanted to get away
10 go away on a ship with Roddie.
"Pipolo was back in town. Pipolo
and Olga. Merritt's show had broken
up down in Georgia, and they were
here. planning to go to Finland and
have their own circus. Roddie said
they were at Fazzini's.
81 slipped away one night -
knew Martin was watching me by
day; by night too, for that matter,
for hadn't he heard Roddie?-but
went by the front. If I went by the
back Roddie would know and go
with me, and / felt he mustn't be
seen.
(cOtyiSIt. 1855. Margaret Bell Rosstoa)