The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-10
Chapter 10
Rene

Rene
THE Air Service bus jolted into
= the great city. Berlin! Wide
streets, heavy stone houses, poor
ly dressed, unsmiling people. uni
forms everywhere, no flowers.
/ Petronella sat beside a window.
The dark Latin young man who
had taken upon himself the Job OF
escorting her, pointed out things
of interest, as they went. # she
had been feeling less anxious, she
might have enjoyed his company.
He was attentive, amusing, so
good looking, she thought, glanc-
ing again at him, that he was al
most beautiful. His straight, thick
hair was brilliantined. One lock
fell across his forehead. It gave
him a wild. artistic air. He was
pale, with straight features. and
soft dark eyes.
It was strange, thought Petron-
ella, that nature should have given
him such large, nice, ungesticulat-
ing hands. AT first, when she had
allowed him to get into converse
ton with her, she had judged him
to be professional dancer. a dress
designer, or even a young man
connected with the ballet. But his
hands seemed to rule out these
professions. His name, she had
learned, was Rene Howard. He was
French, on his mothers side. He
had inherited everything from
her, she thought, except his fists.
They were Howard" He was so
charming, that she had told him
her errand. But she had not adj
mitted that Peter had done any,
thing to merit Imprisonment. Now,
he said suddenly:
miss Malone, lunch with me
at my hotel, the Frankfurt, to talk
little. believe | can help you, if
you will" Petronella's brows lift
ed a fraction. She met his eyes.
But he was smiling with such
amusement, and laughed so infec-
tiously at her expression, that she
was compelled to laugh herself.
"You need not be afraid. have no
evil designs. Please trust my good
will"
"All right, I'll believe you, but
l don't quite see"
"You have not asked me what /
do for my living. Miss Petronella
Malone. Now. see, ] throw myself
on your kindness with confession.
| do nothing! | am Stacker. a
sponger. a barnacle. Therefore I
have plenty of time to interest my
self in the affairs of other people.
Some say harder things than that
Of me. but would rather you did
not believe them. | am the blue
eyed boy of a particularly wealthy
aunt OF mine. She is a lonely old
woman. She travels continuously
She is exhilarating company. She
Is rather a gay old woman. I am
to be her heir. So we travel to-
gether. Our relationship is contin-
ually misunderstood. but ] do not
care ! have tried steady Jobs. and
| do not like work. People can
think what they please. We sell
dom meet the same people, for
more than month. Except in Ber-
lin. My aunt has an apartment in
the Wilhelmstras. She kno W S
many influential men in Germany.
II anyone can help you to see your
brother. she can. Since she is
always threatening to write her
autobiography. this gives her con-
siderable influence" Some Elusive
change in Rene. while he was
speaking. prompted Petrel's intui-
ton to leap in advance of any def
mite evidence.
you're being very kind, but
why should you trouble? And take
the risk of interesting yourself in
my affairs? No one told you to
travel by this plane. and help me.
did. they?"
he laughed a moment too late.
whatever made you think a thing
like that?"
Il don't know. Only you came
and sat beside me, when we took.
our places in the plane. | was anx-
ious and fiustered. wasn't look
ing very attractive. That other wo-
man. in black, was much more
your type. She was also sitting
alone"
"She was not so young. How
ever miserable you may be feeling.
you cannot help that. Are you go-
ing to come and meet my Aunt
Fleur - the Baroness Fleur Won
Cratz? Her apartment Is just next
door to my hotel"
Baroness Won Cratz
IN HER mind. Petronella imag.
u ined the disapproval OF Peter.
Martin Rowdon and James, if they
could see her. But she believed
Rene. She knew he meant an unso-
phisticated English girl like her.
self no harm. She could not inter-
est him. She. herself. was unat-
tracted by him. But she liked him
Yes, I'll come. | need any help
l can get"
I'VE will call on her first thing.
10 might be that she would. have
room to put you up"
@Td rather not do that. must
call &C the Hotel Wilhelm. There
may be messages for me. from my
brothers. paper"
we win call there Immediately
afterwards"