The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-27

MlcndeI. axe ner nome, Mlka.
Give her a stiff drink. Get a doctor
to that shoulder. See that she
sleeps. Good night, Petrol. Thank
you for these. They cost lot"
Petronella wept quietly, against
Mikes steady shoulder. His arm
encircled her. He did not speak.
At last She said:
will you try to book me pas
sage home from Port Said? If Peter
is all right, I'll leave by train to-
morrow"
"Why won't you believe him.
Petrel?"
Everything hangs together.
He's very plausible now. But he
can't cancel out that-that night
mare, Mike. No, he just didn't
think it mattered letting Peter take
risk. Some men are like that.
Danger is part of existence. He'd
have done the same job himself, if
he had thought he could succeed.
But he was being followed every
where. He always is. That is his
life, Mike. And I can't face it. !
couldn't be happy with him. Not
now. | suppose still love him. !
can't help it. But | know that he is
hard. and inSensitive. I'm going
to cut him out Otherwise. Peter
will be mixed up in his jobs. from
now on. l know it. He admires
Tony already. want Peter to live,
Mike. not die with a knife in his
back" She broke down again shiv-
ering and crying. AS best he could
Mike comforted her.
When they reached the "Conti-
MENTAL" Ted Masters told them,
Rene is dead"
1t was true, what Tony had said.
That dispatch from Moscow had
cost great deal.
Better OFF Without Me-
TONY stood beside Peters bed
L in the white private ward.
There was beating sunlight out
side. 1t was afternoon.
Petronella had packed, and left
by the midday train.
Tony spoke, There's a very fiat
feeling about Cairo today" He
walked to the window, and stood
looking out. The bright light re-
vealed the lines of WEAKNESS in his
face.
you've said it." agreed Peter.
"I'm sorry about last night. feel
it was my fault. 1 ought to have
guessed she was going herself. and
stopped her"
you couldn't help it. I'll never
forget what it was like, though,
getting your message that Masters
had gone. When there he was, hav-
ing drink with mel"
"Of course I'll write and tell her
you were speaking the truth. You
couldn't have known Rene would
bury the things. If I'd stopped to
think. ! should have phoned you,
and taken an escort"
Tony flung round. Don't write.
I've told her. She knows. But she
was right. There was still danger.
There is always danger. take it
for granted. The issue seemed suf-
ficiently important, to me, to make
the job worth anyone's while. I'd
no idea about your injuries. But
knowing you. I might have fore
seen. as she did, the way you would
have acted. The thought of an es-
cort never occurred to you. did it?"
mo"
I'm going to let her go, with
out trying to justify myself. She
has showed me up. What should
have felt. if you hadn't got through
alive? You see? she's better with
out me"
Peter groaned. 81 can't stand the
thought of her going off alone, like
that. These last few days she has
been SO happy. Happier than I've
ever seen her before. Now, | sup
pose she is feeling equally mis-
cradle. Couldn't you send her a
radiogram? Just word or two, to
soften 1t; to suggest the break
needn't be permanent"
Tony sat on the edge of his bed.
He pulled at cotton which hung
from Peters bandaged wrist. He
shook his head.
Il can't believe it would be for
her good. That dispatch gives me
orders for Russia; after that, Spain.
And tells me there is trouble
ahead. Especially in Spain. Read
ing that document is like looking
into the future. And it isn't any
better than the past. Last night,
when she was nearly hySterical, it
all came tumbling OUTFLOW she
hates horror, suffering, trouble.
FaScism and MarxiSm are bound
to go on clashing. Peter 1t is fight
which will have to be fought to a
finish. I don't want to drag her into
that. / wouldn't recall her, even if
could"
Peter tossed restleSsly. 81 sup
pose you're right. / hope so. But
this needn't prevent our being
friends, Tony. Do you think they
would find any sort of a niche for
me in your service?" He sat up,
waiting for his answer.
Tony laughed. "Your sister
knows you pretty well. She said
you would feel like that. But she
had a horror of your getting mixed
up in il. The least can do for her
is to refuse you"
But damn it, she isn't my
nurse"
Sorry, Peter. She also told me
something else; besides being i'm
pulSive, you are not sufficiently
discreet when you're drunk. And
you are bad on detail. For all three
reasons, I'm refusing"
Peter threw his head back on to
his pillow disgustedly. Women
are better at homel" h. declared.
(Copyioht 1883. Grace Elliott TaylorI