The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-11-23
DON'T MARRY THE MAN


/ 100 large. Sne was Llreu. One q
been tired when she had left the
Gregory house was it only last
evening? She looked at her watch.
Four o'clock. Ten hours ago she
had sat across the table from Old
Balmy.
Her eyes filmed with tears.
Through the blur she saw the
headlights Of a car. Probably
someone coming from Neutrality
with supplies.
But no, surely no one would
come a. such speed unless they
were bringing news of some kind.
She looked back towards the
mine, it seemed deserted. The
fresh crew of muckers had gone
down while she was at the hos
pital; the others were in the COM
missary; still others, waiting to be
called, were sleeping, gathering
strength for their ordeal.
The car raced on. then came to
a slithering stop.
From it stepped Donald Mac
Donald. His face was chalk-white
his eyes immense and blazing with
a contempt she had never before
seen in anyone's eyes.
He saw her and with his 1.-the.
panther-like step came up to her.
For a moment he scanned her from
the tips of her toes to the top Of
her tousled head.
1.-THE Golden Girl" he spat.
Golden brass is the word. Here
you arel"
He thrust folded paper at her.
Here's what you came afterl You
were going to barter your beauty
for it. Instead you're bartering the
lives of men. I'm telling you this.
You're not getting this right-of-
way because you've done anything
to win it. You're getting it because
the little finger of any one of those
men down there is worth a thou
sand womer like you."
Plated Tin
THE paper fell between them.
i Kathleen looked down at it. In
moment she would be able to
| think, to reason. In a moment this
queer numbed feeling would leave
her meanwhile. some place be-
hind the frozen immobility of her
conscious mind something told her
| to take it. This right-of-way tD1S
what she had come after. She had
been willing to barter her beauty
for it. She had said there was moth
ing she wouldn't stoop to do to
| fr;l1Yoylh nxyoV fhic man
And what victory this would
give her. She would accept this
symbol of success, seal the bar
gain and only then LET him know
he had given it needlessly.
There's a clause in there allow
ing me use of the mine property"
Macdonald told her.
He strobe away to the office.
Stiffiy Kathleen knelt to pick up
the contract. She felt she hadn't
strength to arise again. Palm OF
her hand fat to the earth she
braced herself. and then she re-
coiled from the touch of the earth
Down under the surface: two thou
sand feet down. Old Balmy was
waiting for her to carry out her
promise. Slowly Kathleen fol-
lowed Macdonald.
He was shouting into the tele-
phone when she reached the door.
Kathleen could hear the hollow
tones of the operator.
This Is o private company. we
have no connection with the Mac
Donald trunk line"
"Then damn II all. get hold of
Old Balmv: get me some Gregory
miners. til paw them anything ="
Kathleen stepped up to the desk.
THAT isn't necessary" she OBJ
served iifelesslv.
| Macdonald glared Up at her. as
she continued.
"Every able bodied man in Neu-
trality. Macdonald and Gregory
are working on the rescue. Crews
have been blasting through to your
level from The Golden Girl since
earlv last night. Thew were below
within an hour of the discovery Of
the fire."
Her voice had a peculiar tone
less quality. now II deepened. CAS-
for this" she held out the con-
tract and with swift motion tore
| II in half, rent the sections. pulled
the small pieces to bits and with a
final burst of fury threw them into
the face of Donald Macdonald
"the Greqorps do not bargain in
human lives. They are not like
you. Donald Macdonald. You
would rob Ave hundred miners Of
their livelihood because you're too
bigoted to give right-of-way
which would mean work and bread
to them. Old Balmy could have
forced your hand. But he believed
in PRAYER. He believed your heart
could be softened and the right
of-wav won in harmony. For the
first time | doubt the power OF
Balny's prayers. He was praying
when he went down your winch
| shaft TO carry an AIRLINE to YOUR
miners: a GREGORY 10 save Mac
Donalds. But II his prayers have
no more effect on his piercing that
| fire hole than they had on your
heart. then God pity all of US. He
believed ir YOU and loved YOU. ]
| believed in you and I loved YOU.
Notp I don't ereT ,rdnf 60 see you
dcain. Brass. am II Well II Tn
brass. Donald Macdonald. you're
plated tint"
She wheeled through the door.
Cleo
| She turned back once. the
j name Is Kathleen Gregory-GTeo-
orr. you understand"
| fcssriTas. 1854. lss@as ss~~s~l