The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-03-11
chapter 80
4 Picked Up The Gun,

QloEL0w gasped. KarsanakofE
nodded at him.
1t vas my brothers name that
Cienkowit1 took when he turned
traitor and iied from Russia. he had
necFeied the Vronski Jewels among
others for bis own. Can you imagine,
thea. how startled I was on the ship
when you asked me IL knew Count
Anton Vronski7 did not know what
70 think. 1 was certain my brother
had died that night under nv ewes
But / began 10 hope against hope that
BY some miracle he had recovered
and been spared. SO | waited to see
the man who called himself Anton
Nronski-and you brought me my
brothers murderer"
karsanakoil SAT up restlessl, and
beat 81 her pillows. Then she hunched
up her knees and clasped her long
slender hands about them. Her Grim
son nails gle-med out from the white
fur Of the robe. She had grown paler
and her dark eyes were smoldering.
4 had warned myself over and over
that The man calling himself Vronski
must be an impostor. Mariushka, too,
said nothing else was possible. But
neither she nor l had guessed that it
would be that man. AS he stood smil-
ing at ne. my heart seemed 10 stop
beating altogether and / could feel
the blood numbering in my ears. Then
my heart began 10 beat again wildly
.-~a.9Iala.--a-N 4 n,..fl k~~li~ ..eob
my breath. But somehow | managed
% smile. He did not recognize me.
Hos could he2 l was a child that
might tat he came leading the mob
into my fathers hall. But his face
could never forget 1t was burned into
mF memory. For years. | walked
screaming because had dreamed it
al agaia-and Mariushka had come
20 comfort me. For years | had
walked IN the Paris Streets gazing
fearfully into the faces that passed
me-terrilled Of seeing his. -.
\ had lived In terror of him all the
tine tkat was growing up. But when
a last he stood before me-and
stopped 10 kiss my hand without sus-
pecting who / was-that old horror
lcft me. And was overwhelmed with
such a feeling Of 10y that | could
hardly bear a. Here he was. thinking
himself safe and the past too far be-
hind him 70 trouble him any more;
unWarned and unarmed. II wished,
/ could strike him down and avenge
the slaughter OF my father and my
brother and he would be as helpless
before me as fhey were before him.
The Moment Had Come
CHE reached for another cigarette.
> Blselow leaned forward to light it
Cor her
Thank you" she said. glancing at
him. III 5 70 keep me calm.
must not forget that tonight ! must
dance. But | wan to tell you
everything now. Weli-we went
10 dine. He thought me charming,
fasclaafing. I laughed at him and
Knocked aim. He thought il was only
my way Of leading him on l did not
mind. / wished him to believe that |
should Je an easy conquest meant
no doubt OF me 10 cross his mind.
danced with him. I encouraged him
70 drink. II was all too easy But still,
had no plan. That sooner or later,
should kill him. knew Nothing else
was possible But ! did not know
when. Then he suggested the party
az The studio and we went on there
and sou and Anne left US alone to-
esther"
Her sliitering eyes were fixed on
Blgelow's face. now; be caught has
breath sharply.
~He was al the teiephone-ordering
food. ! went into the bedroom 10
smooth my hair. AT the restaurant.
several hair-pins had fallen out and
my hair Is very heavy" She tossed
her head. throwing the dark silken
waves back against the pillows
Il opened the drawers of the dress
ing-table TO look for hair-pins. but
there we're none there. Then. through