The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-06
Chapter IA
Peter Goes Wild

Peter Goes Wild
IT HAVE known, James," Petrol
Il answered in a low voice. II
haven't wanted you to say any,
thing, because, in a way, there is
someone else. A career means
nothing to me. Only Peters career
Is important. All my life I've trailed
along behind him. You know that.
think that's all l ask of life. To
center my interest in the people I
love. I'd like to make a home,
James. / want to love you. but ]
can't. Pm tied"
TELL me about him" Gently, he
led her back to the car. They had
left it at the entrance to the drive.
Their footsteps shuff1ed softly on
the red sand. The pine trees scent
was strong, and the needles rus
tied.
"I've seen him only three times.
Yet it is it kind of bondage? ]
don't believe he really thought
much about me. But I've got to-
see him again, and find out" Pc
tronella hesitated moment. Then
she told him. "You introduced me
to him, James. Tony Lance. Re-
member?"
Turning, he stared down at her.
TONY Lancer"
He was shaken. The moment he
heard that name, he knew. "You
fool-this isn't a light-hearted af-
fair she'll forget Petrol and Tony!
OF course! This is seriouS!" Aloud
he said:
81 would go and do a silly thing
like thatI"
I'm not particularly glad / met
him either" James put an arm
round her shoulders. He pulled her
head to rest against the lapel of
his suit.
go ahead. darling, tell me all
about it."
Petronella awoke the next morn
ing feeling happier about James.
He loved her. He understood. He
was going to wait little while,
until she felt certain that she could
love him in return. She did not be-
lieve there was sufficient intensity
in his feeling for her to make it an
unfair agreement. She wanted to
love him. Attraction, and friend
ship. were strong between them.
Perhaps, in most ways, she was a
little bit in love with him? But her
spirit remained untouched.
Il don't want to come second, if
4hnrQfc q al1n Nf nAr.xatsVare E,,ek
wanted you to be happy" he
pointed out. 1--we another year at
Cambridge, before l can start
. working. We could only be unof-
fieially engaged. There is plenty
Timel This morning, with the
memory of James kisses, his
massive niceness, Tony Lance
seemed long time ago, long way
away. He was in Mukden. Where
was Mukden? She must look it up
on her map. The japanese were
still advancing.
Uark Turbulence
ON THE Sunday after Christmas,
" Petronella sat in the train. It
was crowded with people return
ing to town after the holiday; Peter
was standing. They had had a
grand Christmas. One always did,
at Ballfield. The snow, now lying
everywhere, inches deep, in Sus-
sex, had come just too late to COM
plete the picture. That was the
only fault she could find in the
three days which had just passed.
But she was returning to her
difficulties. She looked up at Peter.
He was staring out of the carriage
window, through a dark circle of
glass which he had rubbed clear
with his coat sleeve. He was I'M
conscious of her scrutiny. His eyes
did not seem to see the white conn.,
tryside. They were filled with a
dark turbulence, restless ideas. Oh,
dear, what would he do next? He
learned too fast That was the trou-
BILE. BY October, he had begun to
slacken. He saw no purpose in re-
hearsing indefinitely: he craved
production temporarily the ex-
element of canvassing for the
election had sufficed him. Petrol
had stood beside his soap box in
Hyde Park. The more the crowd
had heckled him, the better he had
enjoyed it. She had felt as proud
as If his efforts had swung the en-
tire election. when they sat in the
Earnshaw's charming London
drawing-room listening to the re-
suits coming through, over the
wireless, and knew that they were
victorious.
He had worked passably, until
the end Of November. Then, that
series Of mysterious disappear
ances. Peter had been gone first for
one, then for two consecutive
nights. She had never discovered
where he had been. But she had
not agreed with James's simple ex-
PLANTATION. Apart from rushing
about with Gloria, and quarreling
with Marigold, Peter had very lit
tie interest in women. Besides, she
knew he had gone collarless and in
his Oldest clothes. She had been
horribly afraid for him. She had
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