The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-08-23
chanter Al
Marriage, Or Else


Marriage, Or Else
THE sight of Josh Hastings
i brought to the surface Kay's
subconscious feeling that he was at
the bottom of this outrage, and a
sense Of furious indignation swept
away her fear at this confirmation
of her suspicion.
''How dare you bring me to a
place like this?" Her voice vibrat-
ed with scorn as she faced him,
proudly erect.
He came in and started to pull
the door to behind him. without
speaking.
With a broken cry of rage, Kay
znrang for the slowly closing door
end tried TO force her way through,
but Josh Hastings closed his hand
over her wrist like a wise and
pulled her back, as he slammed
the door. Kay tried to wrench her
self away, and called loudly for
help, but the grip on her arm only
fightened.
Don't be a fool" Josh Hastings
finally made himself heard above
Kay's shouts. There's nobody to
hear YOU"
Painting, and with her breath
coming in great suffocating gaspS,
Kay braced herself against the
closed door. In the darkness she
could make out the bulk of Josh
Hastings figure, and feel his pro-
truding eyes peering at her.
There's nothing for you to wor-
~ about" he said at last. IF you'll
behave like a sensible girl. The
time has come for us to reach an
understanding"
Kay's eyes burned at him out of
the darkness, but she made no an
swer as she waited, every nerve
tense and tingIing. for what was to
come. How far would Josh Has
tings dare to 60?
He paused a few moments, as
though summing up his arguments
to himself, before he brought them
out. When he finally spoke, his
voice had the coaxing tone that
one might use toward an unreason-
ing child.
Now there's no point in getting
all wrought up" He loosened his
grip somewhat. although it still
held with a firmness that admitted
OF no pulling away. 81 had to get
you somewhere where / could
make you see reason, even If it took
some time to do it"
There was no miStaking the
yelled threat in his suave tone.
KAY held herself rigid and motion
less. waiting for him to 60 on.
The first thing to get clear is
that / intend TO marry YOU" he
went on. 'sThe sooner you give in
on that point, the easier it will be.
Not that il will make any differ
enee in the long run. !"
''Pll never marry your Kay said
through clenched teeth.
4 expected you to say that" he
observed calmly. But in an hour
or two, or a day or two, or'-he
paused for sinister emphasis - "a
week or two, if necessary, you'll
think differently"
A deadly weakness gripped
Kay's knees, and she nearly col
lapSed at the realization of how
completely she was in this mans
power. 1t would be easy enough
for him to give out some plausible
explanation of her absence to Aunt
Kate, and no one else would have
any way of knowing she had dis
appeared. Shrinking back. she
stared at Josh Hastings and waited.
Hen Hang, Unless -
TxTHY you pulled this fool stunt,
w at the trial, God knows!" he
went on at last, unless you think
you're IN love with that murderer"
He waited a moment to gauge the
effect of this remark. but Kay pre-
served her same attitude of rigid
attention.
He gave a disagreeable laugh.
''Not that il matters to mel I'll soon
cure you of that, after we're mar
ried. But it struck me that il might
be a good bargaining point"
s.What do you meant" Kay hard
" recognized her strangled voice.
Just this. You've succeeded in
delaying his necktie party, I'll adj
nit But II is nothing but a delay.
"A necktie party in Montana can do
the trick as wen as ore in Idaho,
and. believe me, Ted Gaynor'u
have one. IN a week or less. "
Blazing indignation got the bet
ter Of kay's caution for the mo-
ment. Don't be too Surel
Il couldn't be-" Josh Hastings
answered coolly. Hell hang as
sure as you and I are talking here.
Unless" he left his sentence TN
finished. waiting for Kay to take
him up.
unless what2"
tTfniass I tell something I hau-