The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-05-11


turning from the moods Reuben
diScoUeTs tUhdt mas happened.
Blindly angry he remoUes the
babies to his tent. Terror, then
rage grip Judith Uhen she comes
back to the epppty house.
Chapter 80
The End Or The Beginning ?
MOVING hastily about the dim.
4fA fragrant bedroom. picking up
small garments, comb brush. her
faded blue linen-f1inging them
all into the open bag. Judith tried
vainly to down her growing re-
sentiment. Why couldn't he have
left her here to this white bath,
to these firm smooth beds. to COM
fort for Just one night?
Judith shut her ears to common
sense. Reuben was sulking Jeal-
Gus of her comfort. A dog in the
manger. Because he had failed to
provide all this himself. H r
nerves were stin quivering. her
pulses not quite Sleday.
The tent at plot 10 was dark as
"a Egypt under its pine-tree. Neith-l
er Judith nor Gary saw the khaki
-cladsfgure sitting in the opening.
- HBfiuging the old car to webbIy
NhAlt Gary said: II don't notice any
light IN the window to guide the
wanderer bone"
Everything is right as a trivet, :"
Judith assured him. Drive my
Rolls back to your place. Gary.
!. You can return it tomorrow"
I'm thanking you for the most
wonderful EVENING"" Terribly he
wanted to kiss her but he didn't
even touch her hand. Goodnight,
Judy"
Goodnight, GaryI"
He got into the car and ratified
away. Judith stood for moment
watching the red tail light dis
appear, then she turned and went
slowly up the slight incline to the
tent. A tall figure arose wraithlike
and filled the opening.
"ReubenI"
At the sight of him her anger
burst into a flame that defied sup
preston. He had been listening.
eavesdropping. ''Why didn't you
pop up sooner, Jack-In- the. box?"
WEAKNESS and black rage tied
his tongue. He stepped aside to
allow her to enter the tent ahead
of him.
Judith held back. "You 60 first
and make light"
STOPPING his tall length Reuben
went inside. Judith followed,
slowly, uncertainty, blinking at
the sudden harsh light which Reu-
ben switched on.
For fieeting second they stood
staring, silent-a few yards be-
tween them--the width of the
world between them. Each knew
it was there. Neither tried to span
it.
Judith was startlingly aware Of
new virility, new poise about
the man who was her husband.
His hair. so lately released from
the BARRIERS administrations, had
been worried by restless fingers
until every hair stood tumbled.
vital and duly bronze. His shirt,
turned in at the neck, displayed
a length OF sunburnt throat. II
modelled his superb shoulders.
Shining puttees drew attention TO
his straight legs
With effort Judith turned her
attention from him to the tent
with its taut white sides, its slop-
ing top-deep enough to divide
into three rooms
Useless to pretenl interest In
the tent. Reuben's masculinity
dominated it; filed it to overflow
ing. This new thing between them
sizzled and seethed like water too
hot and too long confined in steam
dpilazD An saxplcsion was inevi-
2tnhledsN OMIT
Duly, but with a mixture of
5HauEnTisaI and relief. Judith
z thoughe sThis is the enri-the
70 end or my marriage" ~
With caveman exultance Reti-
= ben thought: This Is where |
should have started that day be-
fore the bishop. This is the be-
ginning"
Their eyes locked in hostile
combat. One would go down to
defeat. Each watched for the other
TO make the first move.
Now Or Never
THE beginning or the end7 They
had come 10 grips with Life.
with each other. Judith and Reu-
ben, who until now had so very
carefully avoided combat.
Judith. hardly knowing what
she did. picked a piece of wrap
ping paper from the floor and
started TO fashion a shade for the
electric bulb. "No use TO awaken
the children"
Reuben made no attempt TO
steady the Swaying light. Il don't
believe dynamite could disturb
them"
II they had essayed no more
conversation all might have been
well. Fate was giving them a
chance but they would have none