The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-15

"Decide?"
They were sitting before the
fire, each in fat armchair covered
In peacock blue tapestry. Against
the brilliant background Sues
black head was in startling con-
trast. 1t was another of the eve
nings when Bob, murmuring
something about having extra
work to do at the Office, had fed
from what he considered the
rather boring society of the col
umnist. Since his departure the
two had sat in silence, Sues
drowsy content unbroken even by
thought.
Decide, Eric?"
His deliberate glance ficked her
into attention.
when and how you are to leave
Trenton"
Leave Bob?" She was like a
swimmer coming 70 the surface of
warm and pleasant waters; COM
ing reluctantly to the surface.
But, Eric, can't"
Nonsense! Use your brains,
Suei We love each other, you and
l. Trenton is-well, nothing to us.
Fond of you undoubtedly, but that
can't be helped. We're intelligent
people. We must decide what's
best to do. Since Art made up his
mind to get well instead of die,
there's no excuse for my lingering
here any longer. l don't wish to,
in fact. / hate this snug town
any town except New York" He
moved restlesSly in his chair, grip
ping its arms with his thin strong
fingers. Il need the stimulus Of
many people-things happening"
DivOrcev
CHE sat silent, a troubled look
- slowly forming on her dream
ing face.
Cant we go on as we are, Eric
for a while longer anyway"
mo, we can't!" He spoke so
sharply that she WINGED. "Use
your head, my darling! There is
only one possible way out of this
situation: divorce. Trenton's a
good fellow in his way. He'll give it
to you. Or if he doesn't you can
leave him without one. It really
doesn't matter" He leaned for
ward, his eyes suddenly alight.
"All that matters, my love, my
dear little love! is that we two
shall be together - alwaysl Oh.
Lord God" he said more in rever-
ence than in profanity, "to think I
should find you after all these
years! To think that there should
be you and that the mere chance
of Arts illness, the fortuitous ele-
ment of my meeting your BRAIN
less sister in law, should have
brought us together!
Il tell you," he continued, sink
ing his voice and gripping the
chair arms still more tightly, II
wake in the night sometimes,
sweating with fear to realize how
very nearly-by what a narrow
margin failed to know you at all!
Pats had ceased to amuSe me-two
hours in her company turned her
soul inside out for me. intended
to avoid recognition here if it was
humanity possible. simply see Art
through the worst of it, or ease his
last hours if it turned out that
way. and go back. And then the
door opened, and you walked into
my life!"
He buried his face suddenly in
his hands. a gesture which would
have seemed womanish in another
man but which sharply accentuat-
ed his words in Eric.
Il who have always scoffed at
love am the most pitiable of its
victims. Sue. The day doesn't be-
gin for me until | hear YOUR voice.
There's magic in your look, the
touch of your hand. Whatever you
wear seems to me the most beauti-
fully right garment a woman ever
assumed. The way your lips part
over your teeth is to me a revela-
ton of loneliness. There is no one
like You-no one!"
He laughed, a wildness in his
mirth that startled her.
Il to talk like that-feeI like
that! can't believe it of myself;
but then | can't believe there's
woman like you. Sue, do you know
you've never told me-in words
that you love me?"
She answered rather sadly: DO
l have to tell you-in words? I
wish it were not true, Erici"
THAT is" he said deliberately.
about as wicked a thing as you
could say AS well say you wish
you'd never breathed: never
known hunger and its satisfaction:
never opened your eyes on beauty.
or inclined your ears to music.
Never to have known love, Sue!
Just to have been half alive. dar-
ling!"
Il know! But =. Bob" she said.
very low.
'What about Bob?"
Hurting him -" She Swal-
lowed. Cant it - possibly - be
avoided?"
How" he demanded. Certain
ly not by staying on with him
living lie as his wife, my Sue.
That would be the real wrong, the
greatest wrong yoH could do him.
Besides he's had the first
ecstasy, the first rapture of mar
riage. BY now he's settled down
into a routine of business and
home, business and home. Your
leaving him will be a shock, of
course, but not the devastating
one you think it will"
She smiled. will it be that way
with you, too, Eric? VIII you settle
into routine when the first rapture
has subsidized"
Continued tomorrow