The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-02-28
Chapter 10
The Only Way Open

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6HRISTINE FORESTER met
~ ne at fhe Ayon,s rail
7 wish you would look at my
brother" She was worried and up
set; after al, she vas under q
strain a. great as my Own. This
isn't a new thing. He's just one o.
the people who cannot live IN the
tropics. That's why he's spent most
Of his life IN England. The fever
always gets him as soon as he
comes into the islands. But this
time Is different. He's not coming
out Of II as he ought"
I went below with her to the
tiny cabin where her brother was
Eunked Robert Forester lay
rnumb1ing vaguely and his fore
head burned my hand. His eyes
were half open, but through their
fever-glaze he could recognize no
one. A Malay boy stood by the
bunk, tanning him perp Aly
with big palm Leaf
How much quinine is be get
fang7"
He can't hold il down any more.
Everything We put into him comes
I'D again.
Marvin Stocker came to the
door, IN white trousers and loose
raianna coat. He was grey-faced
and unsteady, his eyes bloodshOt;
here was another very sick man,
sble TO keep his feet part OF the
time only by the proved tenacity
Of the chronic fever victim.
you got TO have a strong
stomach. he said That's the
whole secret of getting along in
the tropics You got to have strong
stomach"
We sent the girl on deck, and 1
held Robert Forester down while
Stocker pumped Is grains OF qul-
nine into him. He squahed and
fought, and what we put down him
didn't stay: but il was all knew
20 do.
I vent on deck and lied to his
sister. Hell be better now, !
think"
She started to say, Il want you
70 know ! appreciate this-more
Miss Forester" I said soberly.
~let il 20. have to talk to you.
I've run into q bad thing. | no
longer know what I'm going 10 do.
or how."
| told her then what the sound
fngs showed. There was no longer
my question Of whether the Lin
lang could get up the Siderong TO
the stockades or not. She couldn't
even get into the mouth of the
river.
Christine Forrester,s face was
troubled, though of course that
was not because of the Linkang.
Il wondered about that" she adj
mitted. ct seems strsnge-Clyde
should have known"
The delta nav have shifted
since he sounded IL last
talked q little more, telling her
something about my plans 70 land
swivels In spite Of Clyde's orders;
admitting. OF course. that no hope
at all lay there.
Come with me" she said At last.
Come here and sit down." Her
voice was gentle, and now she took
nay hand and led me 10 where the
Chairs were. recognized that this
girl pitied me: she could under
g.and the box | was in, and she was
sorry, opposed though we might
be.
Unhellevably dash
DEHIND her, where we ST now.
- a great cascade Of wtItte or
chids hung upon an awning SIAN
ehion. Those white aowef3 ere
1arities' even in. the .Suman
Jungle many men must nave
worked. and worked faithfully. 10
collect so many az one tine. In
effect. that mass Of blooms was q
testimonial to how the Dyaks re-
rered these people OF the Avon
they must have brought the
flowers when they came for their
guns. ! vas In humble mood. IN.
sble any longer 90 deny that the
Avon had a definite relationship
20 what was happening In the
Siderong.
and. though | still held Robert
Forester in diSesteem, ! had lost
conhdence in my belief that these
people were fools. The boy was
the silent type Of young English
mantle greatly reserved sort.
stiffiy aloof from anything but d.
rect action- The cut Of his nose ard
jaw promised tenacity. and Ger
tain durable strength. bat had
long since come to the belief that
these coed booking young men are
silent because nothing Is moving
in their heads
But The giFl vas something else.
she waS anbel.ekably rash. per