The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-16

"a 10 get diUoTce from Bob.
Chapter 26
Bob Or Eric?
TNON'T you settle into routine,
~ too?" Sue smiled.
Eric crossed his long legs, sank
little more deeply into his chair.
I'm not Bob Trenton. If | had
been, could | have-awakened
FOu. belovedest? | shun routine
IS | would the plague. | shall cher
fsh our rapture as | cherish. not
my own but your life! Oh. you
Shall see how jealousy l shall
guard it! When will you come to
me, Sue?"
Eric, Eric, III don't mean
to be silly about this. / know
man-you-can never be satisfied
with what would satisfy me utter
ly: just this sort of relationship
:. seeing each other daily, talk
S aNo!"
Il said you wouldn't, Ericl"
There were desperate little shreds
of laughter in her voice. But
but-need we hurry so? Bob hasn't
the slightest idea -. if it might be
that gradually could make him
see, make him understand that you
-. and L"
"Sue, do you wish to make me
really angry?"
Eric, of course not!"
You love me? You trust me?"
eyes"
Then let me plan, let me map
out the future for us both!"
Eric had gone East and for
week Sue moved soberly through
her days. They had effected a COM
promise though Eric had been
wildly impatient at the delay it
had involved.
Not until Christmas had passed
was Sue to breach the subject of
a possible divorce. Eric jeered at
her Sentimentalism and Wryly she
agreed that the blow could lose
none of its force by a postpone
ment of mere week or ten days;
but some instinct forced her to
wiring the concession from him.
She set herself to the study Of
her husband, trying to discover to
just what degree his happiness
was involved in marriage. Eric in
sisted (and Sues respect for his
ability to read character was
greater than she knew that Bob
was one of the persons who valued
only the unattainable; whose fer
vor subsidized at possession, settled
IN a comfortable and rather vague
feeling Of ownership.
And | hope with all my heart
it's true!" Sue thought, standing
at one of the long windows and
looking with unseeing eyes toward
the river. The bare trees gave her
an unrestricted view at this sea-
son. When the sun set she could
even see the red of sedge on the
sandbars, winter fires burning
against the dulled metal of the
water.
Bob was pre-occupied, unlike
himself. She wondered if at last
some inner voice spoke to him of
Eric. But when she introduced the
subject Of the departed visitor, he
was frankly Indifferent
Glad he's gone! He was wear
ing US both out"
"Oh. not me, Bob! He's-dis-
tinctly stimulating. enjoyed
knowing him .. liked him ire
mendously "A real friend"
The breathless little sentences
were tripping over one another.
This was an opportunity to explain
to Bob
"Glad you found him sol" He
stood up and yawned. Poor Sue.
you don't get much of that sort of
thing, for a fact! Mental COM
partnership. mean. Farraday
must have seemed a gift from
heaven TO you. Guess ri turn in.
Its been a long day. Coming?"
Bob. couldn't we talk a little
longer? It's not ten yet, you know.
We--see each other less and less
these days. do you realize it?"
He sat down obediently. "Sure
well talk. honey! What's on your
mind?"
Comfort
CHE leaned forward, her dark
- eyes fixed intently on his tired
face
Bob. would you say our mar
riage has been success? Have ]
made you a good wife?"
''None better, Suel"
I'm not-not asking lightly,
Bob. I've "a reason for wanting
to know. Have you found anything
lacking in me? You remember
that you used to say | didn't
return !" The blood dyed her
face and she lowered her lids.
81 used to talk a good deal of
nonsense, | suppose" He yawned
again. Queer how tremendously
important it seemed at the time,
wasn't it? | whether we
both got the proper number of
thrills out of our kisses, or not.
And in the end it all settles down
to the comfortable sort of rela-
tionship we have now" He leaned
across the hearth to pat her hand
affectionately. Good old Sue!
"You see now how perfectly it's
all worked out
'But-has it, Bob?" Her fingers
locked tightly in her lap. you
said that after we were married
I'd learn-Pd come to-care for
you as you-you care for me! You
said"
"And haven't your" He was not
taking the subject seriously, she
realized with anger. His tone was
the teasing one of an adult for an