The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-25
Chapter rs
The Drums
a NNEr" exclaimed Sherwo,

al q y
The Drums
"a NNEm exclaimed Sherwood,
= his voice unguarded
Mackey reached wildly for his
cap and bolted towards the door.
She barred his way.
ITS you / came To- see.'' grip
ping his coat sleeve, enraged 1t
his obvious conclusions. Both Of
you. ! suppose"
Sherwood brought her d chair.
his face q mask again. what IS
Il, Amer" She felt that he liked
TO speak her name and she knew
that she liked to hear him say it.
"Doddap says that your life is
IN danger from the Nagaras."
Haven't been saying SO all
along?" Mackey demanded.
She went on hastily. HE pre-
dicted you'd see the hidden CITY
of Shy-a Mayo and then he burst
into tears. He always does that.
He vows he sees a knife thrown
at you. The Nagaras can slip into
this camp like shadows. You've
got to watch OUT She told OF
4 her recent adventure with the
priestly visitors. Sherwood was
intensely interested.
Il like those people, Y he said
4 softly. They may wish to, kill
1 me, but | like the things they
stand for He turned ito Anne
with "a look that in its shyness
i startled her. don't believe
they'll try to kill me while I re-
main in your camp She remem-
bered what Doddap had said and
her eyes dropped.
IF I have any influence with
the Nagaras," she assured him
coldly, you will have no share
in the hidden city"
He rose abruptly. Anne ]
promised to be patient
She left her chair and looked
at him with an anger rising to
meet his anger. Then suddenly
he smiled.
and / shall be-" he declared.
1t left her feeling like a spent
balloon. She turned to Mackey
for a mooring.
Il suggest that you stay with
him tonight and place two men
on guard"
"Til do it, Miss Anne, even If
he screams"
She gave Blaze swift glance,
Il apologize for being rude" she
said, and fled back to her own
tent.
She looked at her cot distaste-
fully. There was no more sleep
in her than in a moon flower. IL
was then she began to hear the
drums. Muff1ed throbbing beats
that pounded on her nerves and
senses. She went to the tent
door and looked out.
Clouds had obScured the sky
with surprising suddenness. The
air was still and lifeiess as If the
night also held its breath listen
ing with her to the drum beats.
Yet she could not really tell if
she heard the sound or only felt
it.
Doddap, usually sensitive as an
animal to any disturbance, now
lay curled in his sleeping posi-
ton as peacefully as a baby. The
lantern that always hung in the
center of the court gave off its
beam more as a pilot light than
as an illumination for the yard.
The guard at Sherwood's tent
coughed and spat. Making his
usual beat the sentry on camp
duty for the night swung his
tiny lantern as he circled the
whole encaInpment.
Then Anne noticed a light in
the mess hut. Perhaps someone
there could tell her whether she
heard anything or not. She
crossed the court swiftly and
burst into the room.
WrangIe
DHILIP OLIVER and Diana
stood in front of his desk.
They were quarreling violently.
Philips face was distorted with
rage. Diana turned imperiously
on Anne, who fastened to speak:
do you hear the drums beat
ing?v
With an effort both listened.
what drums?" Diana demanded.
"Just drums" answered Anne
distractedly. They're driving me
crazy"
The others looked at her
strangely and came to the door
where she stood and listened
with her. She heard the beat
faint and far away-in the hills
lin the sky--welling up out OF
the earth beneath them,
II don't hear anything" said
Diana. You must have the Jit-
ters."
She gave Oliver an angry look.
Goodnight" she said, and dis
appeared in the direction OF her
tent
Oliver drew Anne back into
the hut. THAT drumbeat must be
in your ears, Anne" He was still
shaking slightly, his face lined
and ravaged with passion. Anne
followed him reluctantly.
He took one of Anne's hands
and gazed into her eyes.
Little Anne, I've been in such
muddle lately ! guess I've hard
" been aware that you are here
the girl who came to marry
me-" He drew her to him and
put an arm around her.
Please, Philip" she said, but
he would not release her. She
fancied something half insane