The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-14
Chapter 81
Good Excuse

Chapter 81
Good Excuse
DETER,S boss told Petrol, IF
u Peter still wants to go to Rus
STA, this looks. like a good excuse
for going. It will give him the per-
sonal touch with the real Russia.
which we need. He can take the
ransom money along with him."
"Russial" She was both glad. and
afraid.
snow I'm going to talk. to- you
like father, Petrol. Peter is shap-
ing WELL Between you and me,
very well But--now don't get
angry, I'm not. denying he is. a
bright boy-but it is lucky for him
he has such good secretaryi Don't
argue" he silenced her protest II
have to say this. 1t is my excuse for
sending him on this errand. when
I know you'll 60 with him. that /
can't stop you. Petrol. you and he
are somehow rafting good COM
hination. I've liked the stories he
has sent me-. from the minute you
two joined up. in Vienna. l don't
know how he does il, but he always
seems. to discover something fresh,
which other correspondents don't
unearth. And. heaven knows how.
you help him to convey it. in a
manner that will pass the censor.
He finds you pretty useful. my
dear. Don't think I don't know the
difference between your tipping
and his. And ] know who wires
corrections, when he has grossly
exaggerated, or made mistakes. /
know the only reason he wasn't
shown the Yugoslavian back door
after that March incident" Pc
tronella flushed. She could not
deny that she worked hard. It was
true. But she had not expected this
acknowledgment.
Peter would never believe how
strict the censorship was" she ad-
United. Martin Rowdon was help
full, good friend. She did not feel
that his criticism of Peter would
affect his. future, assistance in
Peters career.
"Other people warned me-" she
told him. 1--WE received verbal
warning, that his correspondence
was not to the liking of the
authorities. Our telephone was
tapped, continuously. I cut one
wire. The next day there was an
other under the carpet. We were
followed by little man with a red
nose. ] had to let Peter out at my.
hairdresser's back entrance, to
shake him of. But Peter does
everything that matters" Rowdon
nodded.
Masters of the Echo tells me
you have learned to ride a motor
cycle. He said that one of Peters
dispatches got across the frontier,
when he was drinking in the hotel
bar. and couldn't stir because he
was being Swallowed. A lot of sue
cessful men have exceptional Sec
retariesl" he grinned. He, sat,
studying Petrol Malone curiously.
From the girl he had first known.
had grown this slender, wise,
nearly beautiful young woman.
She did and saw great deal. but
tried to remain in the background
OF her brothers career. He liked
that, immensely. But was it right?
Was 1t not possible that she herself
would make a unique correspon-
dent? She had seen ugly things.
But she made no fuss. She had
imagination, but controlled it.
When Peter. her beloved brother,
was on job, she would not hinder
him. She did not ask for it, but he
felt bound to give her the oppor-
tunity Of personal career, per-
sonal triumphs.
Very Blind Spots
DETER smells news all right.
His stuff is good. He is a born
journalist. But we both know that,
along with brilliance, Peter has
some very blind spots"
She did not answer. He went on,
That Is why, though I know /
ought to be dissuading you, I'm
glad youth be with him in Soviet
Russia. Up till now. IL has been ex-
perience for you; grimmer than
like the idea Of girl OF your age
encountering, but nevertheless,
something Of an education. This
may be different. But since you're
so game for adventure"
Petronella smiled. "Yes?" IF
only he knew. she thought. secretly
amused. He visualized her as adj
venturous. Actually, she was such
a cowardl She would have given
almost anything not to 60 to Rus
STA. Anything, except the oppor-
tunitys for Peter. She was horribly
afraid. She wanted to stay in Ball
field. To idle the. days away. at
peace. To try, once more, to fall in
love with James, who, had not
found any other girl while she had
been away. But Peter would be
thrilled by the chance of going.
She remembered. suddenly. that
Tony might still be in Russia. She
might meet him again? Anyway, it
would be useless to imagine she
would have any peace, If Peter
went alone. But life was forcing
this choice upon her. 1t was not
her own.
"See here. Petrol. you may find
you get hard up, paying this ram
> som, and travelling so often. Why.
don't you try writing me some
little things? Articles or life in the
countries you have seen: on their.
customs. and cookery. and dress.
and the status of their women?
You could. quite easily"