The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-02

ly." She smiled. That described
Peters customary state very well
these days. He was always rushing
off somewhere, n search of news
to obscure parts of the bazaar, tc
distant villages. Every now and
then he was granted a few days
leave. She had interceded for him
with his boss, the day after he
entrained without leave for Tha-
rawaddy. His boss had good.
naturally given him more free
dom.
Even as she replaced the re.
ceiver, believing wistfully that she
probably would not see Peter for
at least week, she heard a car
in the drive. Whoops, shouts, and
heavy feet rushing into the house
left her little doubt that she was
mistaken. 1t was Peer.
"Petrel, where are you? It's
come! A job on the NeluS. I've got
it."
He picked her up and whirled
her round the room. She cracked
an ankle on chair, in the course
of their dance of joy, so that her
laughter was mixed with tears of
pain.
stop it and tell me, you fool.
tell mel"
"A cable!" He showed it to her:
"Burma's rebellion no longer
news (stop). Hand over to Cal
cutta man, brief reports only
(stop). Offer you job on staff COM
mencing e $50, with damned hard
work. Rowdon."
Narrow, Blind, A Fool
DETER, oh, Peter, it's truer" She
1 Rugged him. The next moment
she said blankly:
You'll go home! shall have to
stay here. When will you go?" He
knew that her heart was crying
out, that she wanted to go too.
Il shall hate leaving you. If you
like -"
mo, of course. you must 60. I'll
be all right. What do you think
father will Say?"
II can guess" he grinned. Il
thought of giving a months no.
tice, because they're overworked
already in Mallers. 1t will give
them time to get someone else. I
shall have to repay my passage
money gradually, unless the old
man comes across"
She broke the news to her father,
gently.
Leave Mallers-ridiculous! For
a precarious job on Fleet Street?
I won't hear of it. They'll fire him
within month, and he'll be out
of work again. He shan't have
single rupee from me towards his
passage, If he accepts"
At that, something merciless,
young and very critical in Petrol
rose in fury against her parent.
Hewas her father, but he was mar
row, blind, a fool.
"It is all settled, I'm afraid, Fa-
Their. He has his return ticket, and
if he asks the firm to trust him
to refund the money, gradually, ]
think they'll agree. They like
Peter. He's reserving a berth on
the 'Stirland,' sailing a month to-
Maisie Mason received Petrel's
third unhappy letter at the Forest
House" on a Saturday evening in
early March. Usually, she had to
wait till Monday for the Burma
mail. Only, occasionally, it came
through quickly.
When she saw the familiar writ
ing, the mauve stamps, her heart
m owed with excitement. She
smiled. But she took off her coat
and hat, unhurriedly, closed the
door aid sat beside the fire. She
tore the letter open. But as she
read, the smile left her lips. An
angry flush rose in Miss Mason,s
withered cheek. She stiffened re-
sentfully.
'"The blind fooll" the words
snapped themselves out. She rus
tied over to the next fiimsy page
Oh fast flowing, girlish writing
angrily. The child was miserable!
Having the time of her life on the
surface, with all this gaiety, till
she was worn out. But suffering
secretly. She was swayed by the
agony Of first love, and aching with
She was tormented by
doubts in her own values, by dread
of Peters departure. Marriage in
deed! She was eighteen. There was
no need. Pat was criminally insen.
Sitive, as he always had been. He
was trying to persuade the girl to
violate both body and soul. To fol-
low his head, instead of her heart.
With Peter gone she might give in.
But with Peter gone there was no
point in her spending her life in
Burma.
eff only I could come home trith
him, 1trdy from it all, Auntie, and
toait till Poe seen this man again,
I might feel differently about it.
Free! But, of course, Il is all so
fimsy. Probably Pm just a fool;
perhaps he 1aeUer cared at all; pos
sibly father is right"
Exasperatedly, Maisie put down
the letter. For fully five minutes
she sat bolt upright, staring at the
fire, thinking. Then she stood UP.
Determination and resolve set her
features grimly. She stalked into
the hall, and picked up the tele-
phone.
Give me cables, please, Elsie, =
she barked, to her friend at the
exchange. 81 want to send q cable,
deferred rate, to Burma. ] hope
your mothers rheumatism is bet
ter, my dear?"
Elsie assured her that II was.
Maisie Mason dictated:
ITO Petronella Malone, "a,
Bahan Road, Rangoon. Am ex-
tremely unwell. Please return
home, passage paid, with Peter, IL
possible. Love. Maisie."