The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-28
Chapter SO.
BEFORE THE BATTLE

BEFORE THE BATTLE
DLAKE lay in his berth and tossed
- impatiently. cursing the hours
that lay between him and his battle
with Irma. He planned his attack
with care, and hoped fervently for
enough self-control to carry him
through the ordeal with dignity.
Irma would probably storm and
weep; it was for him to keep his
temper and his poise.
He tried to guess a. her reaction,
to prepare an answer for any argu-
ment or justification she might Of
fer, and saw the hopelessness of the
attempt. He had humored her so
long, had for the sake OF peace
given in so completely to her
whims, that her attitude was I'M
practicable. He had no key by which
to read her now.
The train roared through a night
that seemed to have no end. When
the train stopped at intervals the
silence was thick and warm and
threaded with snore from the OPP
posite berth. He swore beneath his
breath and snapped on the light
above his head. If he could not sleep
he could perhaps read.
But the printed words had no
meaning. He tried an article on
Our Neglected Frontier" and dis
carded it for a story in the same
magazine. The story was drab and
formless and wholly uninteresting
and he threw it angrily aside, won
dering why the literary maya
zines were so aver3e TO grace or
color in their writing. There was
drama in the upper strata as we'll as
the lower ones-look at Carol and
himself, he thought-but the fact
that they were articulate and fairly
solvent seemed to put them beyond
the pale.
He turned Of the light and
closed his eyes again. and Carol
came at once to him In the dark. He
lay still and remembered her: the
clear steadiness of her eyes and
the humorous twist of her beautiful
mouth. He remembered how her
hair felt to his finger: thick and
short and crisp. like q boys.
Her body was boyish too He won
dered suddenly if she would want
children. and knew instinctively
that she woulL. Her personality
would not depend for its fulfillment
upon maternity. but her curiosity
and her zest for living were to great
for her voluntarily to miss that ex.
perience.
He fell asleep just at dawn. and
slept uneasily for three or four
hours. When he woke he was at
least able to say to himself: today
I'll see her and perhaps know the
answer. Perhaps. Or perhaps Irma
would vacillate and put him off. feel.
ing a sadist's pleasure in prolong'
ing his Quivering uncertainty.
The day wore on. and he found a
sort OF respite in the mechanics OF
arriving at his destination: in
changing trains and eating break.
fast and lunch. in watching the
country take on color and warmth
with the miles. The miracle of q
summer that had come in the night
moved him greatly, and he longed
to share the miracle with Carol.
His love for her had deepened his
own awareness OF beauty and ugli'
ness. of joy and pain. and a sensa'
ton shared with her was sensa'
ton doubled in intensity. He was
glad now that he had taken the
train instead of driving; he had
not only escaped the physical strain
but night had blanketed the monot.
ony of south Georgia and northern
Florida and he had walked to a
bright new world.
.NTARSTON. trim and neat; bright
1f1 with the conviction of return.
ing prosperity and a bumper crop
of tourists. He went to a CONNER
cial hotel because he could not bear
the idea of sleeping under the same
roof with Irma.
His heart was beating thickly
and he knew that he was suddenly
afraid. This would make Irma an.
CRY. even though he had prepared
the way by curt note about an i'm.
portant matter he wanted to discuss
with her-a note that deliberately
omitted even the emptiest and most
casual terms of endearment.
He had a bath and changed into
light clothes. then telephoned her
hotel
"Irma?" he said abruptly when
ne had reached her. This is Blake"
well for goodness sake!" Her
voice was puzzled and fretful.
Where on earth are you?"