The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-06

1 " 4O W4bAA Lk1C xkAS6ld1l
ship, lying in the Pool. But since
he did not choose to tell her, she
did not d EN- n d explanations.
Once, she tried to follow him. He
had lodged and evaded her in the
crowds. Laughing. he had apollo
gized to her for this afterwards.
December, thought Petrol
wretchedly, had oeei. hell. Peter
could chatter quite well enough, he
insisted, in five languages. That
was a darn sight more than a lot Of
foreign correspondents he'd met
could do. Perhaps old Judson had
| spoiled his chance of promotion.
by sending up bad report to Row
don. Anyway, there didn't look to
be anything more exciting for Pc
ter Malone than an occasional sui
eide.
Thereafter, Peter had gone wild.
He had taken to going out every
night, drinking too much, skipping
his work for pleasure. Petrol LAID
blame sometimes with Gloria, the
actress, sometimes with two Bur.
ma friends, whose jobs had gone,
owing to the depression, and who
were cheerfully blowing their
funds, before attempting the dis
heartening search for work at
home, which they knew, grimly,
lay ahead of them. Did It take
brave men, or fools, to react that
way to disaster, Petronella Won
dered.
Donkey Race
CHE was terribly sorry for the
~ cause of their wildness, but she
wished they would not endanger
Peters career. She was sorrier still
for Colin, who had not yet arrived
in England. Colin would not have
anything to squander Easy going,
long established Mallers had failed
completely, the second week in
December. His family had had to
cable him money for his passage
home.
Peter and she were doing their
best to have some kind of job wait
ing for him, when he landed. But.
~ - SAANJ WIZ AAASAO(Ooo4A1.
There were a great many men
wanting work in London.
In December, the telephone had
a w k rene Petronella at one
o'clock.
A voice said, "This is Bow Street
Per-lice Station, calling"
Peter, driving the car he had
once sold Gloria Gladson, and with
that irresponsible young woman
by his side, had hit an island near
Piccadilly. He had been arrested
for reckless driving. He possessed
the lucky gift of SOLDERING quickly,
so that the charge indicated that
he had been giving too little atten-
ton to his driving, and too much
to Gloria. It did not include drunk
enneSs.
The next shock had been the
donkey race. Petronella was not
told anything about this, until
Colly arrived at the fiat and
fetched her.
Peter had organized a crazy der
by, with six starters. These had
been hired from fruit and vege-
table vendors, and were trotted
docilely from Covent Garden. The
race was timed to start at 2 am.
The course was from Ludgate Hill
to the end of Fleet Street.
HE didn't tell you because he
was afraid you'd try to persuade
him not to do it." Colly told her,
apologetically.
Petronella grabbed a coat. $50 I
should. He's mad!"
They arrived just in time to see
| five logged little animals, and five
light-wS ght, halluoing young men,
Peter leading, careen past Ludgate
Circus. There were Sh outs Of
laughter, and a police whistle
blowing. Petronella was too late
to do anything but stand on the
empty street, gazing helplessly af-
ter them, not knowing whether to
laugh or cry. Spectators ran along
recklessly, shouting encourage
ment.
Peter was again arrested.
But, mercifully, none Of the ami
mails had broken legs, or suffered
injury. The morning papers pub
lished Peters photograph, nick
naming him "the mad reporter" It
was treated as a joke. The magis-
trate who tried the six riders en-.
joyed his own cauStic comments,
and fined them two pounds a head.
Now, when she thought about it, it
seemed very funny. Peter looked
down at her. @
why are you heaving with 81
! lent laughter?" sssa Z.
"The donkey racel" They beth
laughed. Peter had beena very
sweet and penitent since it hap
pened. Otherwise, she doubted II
she would be returning to town
with him. She had finished her
training. She was waiting for a job.
! The NetDs had no vacancies on
their secretarial staff, at present.
She was going into the Twilight
Insurance Company" She h a d
come near to quarreling seriously
with Peter about the race, to feel
ing, helplessly, that he was beyond
her control. If Rowdon, and Jod-
son. had not laughed at the exploit,
the consequences might have been
serious. But Peter promised this
phase was over. He would turn
his energies into worth while
things, instead of stunts. II possi-
BILE, he would offer himself for the
Air Force Reserve. try to pass the
eye test, and learn to fly. It was
stagnation he hated. and could not
stand.
fCopyrtoht. 1853. Grace Eitiott Taylor