The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-08
Chapter 16
Nazi Prison

Chapter 16
Nazi Prison
"TT IS very good to see you again
i Petrol. You're looking won
derfully well, and very, very at.
tractive." he stood close to her. anc
spoke in a low voice.
"T'm glad to see you safely home
again, Tony. After you left Ran
goon." she admitted simply. 'I
used to read your accounts in the
Ne,Us: China must have been ter
rible."
Eyes. 1t still is. What are you
doing in I4ondon?"
"Workingl" she told him. This
time she was able to tell him about
Peter. He smiled when she told
him why she had refused to in
troduce them in Rangoon.
'The NeDs my paper" he
unused. IL seem to have heard his
name from Rowdon. He's not. by
any chance, the fellow who"
"Donkeys?"
"Yes?"
p THAT was Peter!" They laughed,
well. Rowdon regards him as
hopeful. He told me so himself"
"Pm terribly glad. He ;eally said
hopeful?" Tony treasured her.
"Yes. Hopeful! Did you carry on
running that canteen. Petrel?"
Till the trouble ended" They
talked about Burma. about MS new
job. He was vague. IL think it is a
stroke of luck. Rowdon calls it,
out of the frying-pan-' But
think it should be extremely in
teresting." So it was also danger
Gus, thought Petronella. She asked
him. because she had to know.
who is that attractive girl in
gray, that you were talking to. by
the fireplace, when came in?" He
turned. surprised.
81 don't know. Jane somebody
or other. That's her husband with
her. now, | believe. I'd only just
met her. They've been in Shang-
hal"
Even in>the rush of wonder and
relief which she felt. Petronella
realized that although her happi-
ness was reprieved, this time. she
had learned something invaluable.
In the future. she would know
what kind of clothes to buy!
"She looks charming" TIL y
were silent for moment. She was
so much afraid that Re would leave
first. that she put on her gloves.
81 must be going now. have to
catch a train from Victoria"
"Tll see you off. Have we time
to walk through the park"
"Yes; There are plenty of
trains"
He could not leave her, thought
Petrol, desperately. vet he would
not say anything that mattered.
They walked side by side, through
the evening sunshine. The things
they were saying had nothing to
do with their thong They
walked apart.
Outside Victoria Station, he
stopped. and bought her lilies of
the valley from dn old flower SELL
err, they were pale leafed. beauti-
full.
He accompanied her on to the
platform. He put her suitcase in
the rack for her.
You'll forgive me, i. don't
wait till the train goes. ought to
be dining with somebody fairly
at this very moment"
mo, of course not. You must
hurry" but she did not believe
him.
Where There Is Trouble
"T'M LEAVING England tomor-
L row." he told her abruptly. Il
may be abroad some time. again,
so you see, Petrol" Petronella
saw. perfectly. He and Peter, both
abroad. She and James, left in En-
gland. She wondered if Tony even
at the existence of James.
Anyway, It did not matter. She
held out her hand. While he held
it hard. she asked in a small. odd
voice.
"Where. then. if ever. Tony?"
His reply was his explanation
for this parting.
"In London. Or anywhere there
Is trouble. So it must be London"
As she sat in her train. travel
ing fast towards Ballfield. Petron-
ella felt her anger against him
rise, then die again. He wasn't fair
to her. He had strengthened the
bondage, then left her once more.
Did he expect her to wait, faith
fully, for ever? Yet, she did not
blame him. He could not help him.
self. He had not said single word
to bind her. If she translated his
thoughts for him. that was her
fault. She was only nineteen.
Though she felt so old. she was
young. This love concerned the
happiness of her whole lifetime.
Wasn't it worth while waiting, and
letting fate take its course, if nee
essary. for a few years longer?
And James. Why couldn't you love
conveniently. sanely? She knew.
Tony is the last man on earth /
would love. if / could choose"
Petronella tried. once more, to
look into the opaqueneSs of her
future. Suppose Peter succeeded
in any? Her interests,
through him. would be similar to
Tony's own. Was that more than
q coincidence? She could only wait
and see. she supposed. She must
put her trust in that odd thing