The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-02
Chapter II
Cable From England

NaDke ErOIu CuSiaHu
DETRONELLA was dancing with
! one of the AIDES, resplendent
in his full dress uniform, with its
golden epaulettes, and crowned by
a paper hat, when Mather, of the
police, tapped him on the back.
May I speak to you moment?"
She heard her partners low exc
clamation of concern. He returned.
Sorry, Petrel ! shall have to
leave YOU, for the rest of this
dance. Perhaps you will carry on
with Mather?"
Has anything happened? You
look queer"
He half smiled at her. "Yes, you
small news-hound. Some kind of
trouble at Tharawaddy. You'll
know soon enough"
With faltering steps they went
once more round the room. Then
they stopped. Petronella was not
the only lady left partnerless. One
by one, all the older, and official
men, left the floor. The rest of the
dancers clustered together in
groups. what has happened. what
is it," Somebody made an an
nouncement from the platform.
There is no cause for alarm.
VIII you all 60 on dancing,
please?"
But the atmosphere of anxiety
sharpened. Rumors started. Her
partner knew the truth, but she
could not ask him. When the music
stopped. she escaped, joined Colin,
and crowded with others, down
the staircase, and into the hall. All
pretended to be on their way to
the refreshment room, or the gar
den. There was no outward display
Of curiosity. Somebody behind
said: "They are holding a cabinet
meeting in the dining-room."
The door of the dining-room
opened, just as Petronella and
Colin passed it. They saw the Gov
ernor, the Chief of Police, Colonel
Malone. and all the official men
responsible for the welfare of Bur-
ma, seated round the long, polished
table. Their faces were grave. But
some of them had forgotten to re-
move the bright paper caps from
their heads.
"Its like the ball before Water
loo" she dashed.
1t was not until an hour later
that she learned the reason for that
now historical, hastily summoned
conference, which marked the be-
ginning of the rebellion. Colin
brought her scrap of paper.
peter left this for YOU" She
read it. "Petrel, dear, a Forest man
has been murdered by rebels near
Tharawaddy. The military, includ-
ing father, are going out by train
at once. Somehow, I'm going, too.
Shall hide on the train. It's a
chance in a hundred that they'll
let me stay, if they find out, so
keep quiet about this. Love, Peter"
She handed it to Colin. She was
thinking fast. It was useless to try
to stop him. He must 60. But APP
parently it had not occurred to
him to wonder what his firm
would say about it, or that he
might possibly have wangled a
ticket, and travelled legitimately.
Colin, may be able to fix this
for him. The editor of the Rdngoon
Net1S said he was interested in
Peter, the other day. Come onl"
In a dark, quiet street in Ran
COON, they stopped the car, dived
into doorway, and ran up bare
wooden stairs, past the silent
presses, to the untidy outer edi-
torial Office.
Rather A Risk
THEY found the editor in his
Il evening dress shirt sleeves. He
was preparing a special edition.
His telephone was ringing. But
IL took more than that to excite
this small, courtly man, with the
precise manner, and dry sense Of
humor. ia
"What can I do for you. Miss
Mallone?"
Give my brother Peter an off,
cial press card, asking for a pass to
Tharawaddy," she said frankly.
Hes going, anyway. For the Lon
don Daily NetDs. If he went for
you, as well, he'd avoid getting
into trouble. and you'll get a red
hot account"
''That is asking me to take
rather a risk. I've never employed
him before" He blinked at her.
Already, while he objected, he was
considering her proposition.
"But you will now-pleaSe?"
They smiled at one another. He
held out his hand.
Certainly"
She and Colin stood beside his
desk, while he wrote. Within FIVE
minutes, they were down the dark
staircase and in the car again. The
editor Of the Rdngoors Netrs stood
looking after them, and smiled.
What made me do that?" he
wondered.
When 1880 had changed to 1891,
Peter had become a special cor
respondent of the local Rdngoon
Netcs, rather than q rice miller.
His description Of the scene at the
dance, and his account Of the first
clashes with the rebels were pub
lished almost in full in the London
Daily NetUs. They told Of the Bur-
mans pathetic, fanatic belief In
the power Of q TATTOO mark, to ward
on gunshot wounds; Of country
made weapons and savage gueril-
Ia daseanfe an Ynarnftfl Villages