The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-25
Chapter 81
CHRISTMAS

Six days, perhaps, before neT
world crashed.
why not wait till Christmas?"
Carol asked. Christmas was three
weeks away. and if you lived in
tensely you could crowd a life
time into so short a space.
Blake frowned. "Christmas-with
herr"
She tried to rationalize her de-
sire for procrastination. MY darling,
you know how busy we are at the
Office" And you know. he heard her
mind adding, how badly you may
need-money. christmas is
on Tuesday; you could go Saturday
night.
His mouth was stubborn. Il want
to spend 1t with you"
But you can't. I'm going to Mere
dith, and you can't come there-yet. :"
She explained gently. "Milly's rather
old-fashioned; | don't want her to
know until the thing is settled. and
then she'll have to get used to it
gradually. In Milly's eyes no nice
girl would break up another wom-
ans home!"
Even If there wasn't homer
I'm her eyes all married people
have a home. They are one"
He touched her hand. They will
be, this time"
And you mustn't write to me-"
she said quietly. Because of the
loving curiosity of her family: be-
cause they would expect to be told
whether the letter was from one of
her beaux. "Or send me present of
any sort. That sounds conceited.
but | have to say it,"
She was right. of course. She
was nearly always right, he thought
adoringly. and his eyes brushed her
left hand
81 know what I'd like to give
you. :"
81 hope you will some day." But
the thought was too disturbing and
too dangerous for this moment. She
made he voice completely matter
of-fact. What will you tell Irma?"
1.-THE truth, unless you'd rather
wouldn't mention you?"
81 don't mind. She'll probably
guess it anyhow. And if she re-
fuses?"
II don't Sc why she should, II
keep ON feeding and, clothing her.
It's all I've done for ten years. any
how"
Assuming, just this once, that
she does refuse, what them"
LIE laughed gently. "Hell-bent on
IL borrowing trouble aren't you?"
Maybe"
"Well-then I'll have to come
home and see a lawyer about doing
it myself"
"And il you find you haven't suf-
ficient grounds"
He smiled and stretched out his
arms toward her. "a Daniel come
to judgment. My precious. can't we
cross one bridge at a timer"
"No." She put his arms away. 1t
was hard to think straight. alone in
this brooding quiet with him, and he
was too drunk with the realization
of her presence and her love to help
her out.
He reached out his hand and laid
It against the firm GOODNESS of her
cheek and she disregarded 1t de-
terminedly. "If you have to fight in
the open with her I'll be the one to
help you fight. Even "a triangle
can have dignity. II We say frankly
that we're in love and want to marry.
that's better than a cheap affair
that's obviously framed"
He looked steadily at her, and his
eyes were clouded with the intensity
of his feeling. "Do you really love
me that much?"
"Yes."
THEM could go down on my
knees to you for it I'D like to
cry. -.
She stood up and stretched out a
hand to him. Don't. Laugh instead.
It's getting cold. and we started out
to walk"
DUT Blake's realization Of his own
ID passion made him sane. For Gods
sake be q man. he told himself an
grily; don't put the whole burden
on bert He vowed to himself that
hereafter he would never ask Carol
to be strong for both OF them.
And in the three weeks that re-
NAMED he kept his promise to him.
self. They spent only few evenings
together because much Of her time
was filed.
They had three hours together on