The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-09
Chapter II
In the Darkened Cities

In the Darkened Cities
"uOW was he wounded?" Petrol
II grabbed the newspaper.
Hes in the prison hospital; his
injuries are as yet unknown"
Most likely a Scratch" barked
Aunt Maisie, reasSuring neither
herself nor Petrol HE resisted ar
rest and somebody though it safest
TO put a bullet in him. | don't
blame them. it was a mad thing to
do" She was very huffy, and dis
inclined to sympathize with Peter.
"Auntie. he may be all right. but
he may be dying! 1t doesn't say
What are we going to do? If Row.
don doesn't help him"
Run and telephone Thomas
Cooks Probably YOU could be in
Berlin by tomorrow. If he is seri-
ously hurt. you must go. But tele-
phone the press first. for the latest
news"
Downstairs. the telephone rang.
There it is now"
Maisie sat up, listening to Pet
refs feet half falling, half running
down the stairs. A spaSm of pain
seized her. She was twisted by its
intensity. but she ignored it. She
was listening to the one-sided con-
versation from the hall.
"Hellol Yes, Mr.. Rowdon. This
is Petronella Malone. his sister.
Do you know any more? Is Peter
all right?"
"Oh, thank heaven"
Il was going to cross for Berlin
tonight. BY the first plane l can
get! You think | should? Why?
On. how horrible! But of course
you're right, one can't tell. Thank
you thousand times. I'm sorry l
doubted you for a minute. Of
course understand. I'll see you at
Croydon then, at eleven o'clock.
You can give me any messages for
Peter then. Goodbye" She kept
calm. this child. Maisie thought,
looking at Petronella as she came
in at the bedroom door.
peter managed to send this
wire through friend. IF they say
am dead. don't believe word Am
merely singed.' Isn't that typical?
Heaven knows what 'singed'
means Rowden thinks it was sent
for him. by a German friend, and
means winged He thinks / ought
to 60. Eleven o'clock from Croy-
don. He is seeing me off,"
ale says the Ne,ps will pay my
expenses. in exchange for my
story. IIe thinks if they really sus-
pect Peter of having learned too
much. he is liable to be reported
very seriously wounded, even
though he isn't, and then Just
die! Conveniently. People do.
Isn't it too horrible? That is why I
must hurry. If l can gain permis-
sion to see him, and find him we'll
and cheerful, before they have
had time to decide whether he is
dangerous. that course will be too
risky. He is printing Peters wire
in special edition, for the same
reason. But he had to deny respon-
sihility. He is really excited. He
thinks, from what Peter had writ
ten already. he is on the track of
really good story. 1t is onething
TO do with working up national
feeling against the Jews. But he
can't nubli S h. it without full
proofs"
You Look Dreadful
NY POOR child. Someone
WI ought to go with you. Per-
haps james"
mo, we've quarreled, Auntie.
Besides, he'd lose his temper with
obstinate officials, and he can't
speak German. If need him, Mar
tin Rowdon will come over him
self. He knows influential men in
Germany. He thinks it should be
all right, because of the donkey
race. He says he is passing the
word round, and is going to try to
laugh Peter out of that jail-as a
fool. BY printing the story of the
donkey race, and all the crazy
things he's ever done. He says he
IS sorry, but he can hand him bou-
quets once he's safely outside. and
over the frontier"
"He sounds like a dependable,
sensible man. And, of course, Peter
played the fool!" Maisie's voice
had become faint, and croaky. It
must be all this excitement, and
that fearful bout of pain. Not many
women as seriously i'll as she was,
she thought, were subject to crises
like this. The telephone rang
again. This time it was James.
While Petrol accepted his offer
to drive her to Croydon, Maisie lay
back. relaxed. and at peace. She