The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-24

4 u
While being forced to learn
bridge, Mackey tried continually
| to swing the play to poker. Anne
smiled secretly at the way he
rolled his eyes as Beth, and later
Diana. drew Sherwood out on the
veranda while they were dunn
mics.
Whats the idea?" he managed
to ask her privately, "They can't
vamp Blaze"
.sYou never can tell.n she MUIR
INJURED in return. Besides, they're
eaten up with curiosity"
HUM he grinned and gave
her sidelong glance.
The next evening was much the
same except for less food and
more talk. Anne and Sherwood
even walked across the courtyard
! together, politely observing the
map of the sky that had once oc-
cupied such an important part
| in their lives. He put a guiding
hand to her elbow at the door of
Larry's tent and she hoped sud-
den trembling deep within did not
betray her. Larry had wanted
! them to see a death mask he was
reeonstructing from the jumbled
| fragments he had found the week
before.
Beth and Larry would have
liked to tease them a bit concern
| ing their legal status but didn't
quite dare. Oliver had become
more attentive to Anne. Diana
had dug up new dresses the other
girls didn't dream she possessed.
In the midst of the general
conversation she kept calling to
Blaze, do you remember the
time We" and he'd smile and
answer in that bantering way of
| his that twisted Anne'S heart with
| jealousy.
What kind of dog in the
rnanger am II" she asked herself
angrily. But she knew. He had
already told her. while your
mind is cold, | know your heart is
warm" And once he had said. IF
man remains true to his objec-
tive, life works things out for
him. Shy-a Mayo belonged to her
parents. 1t had belonged to them
before she knew Blaze. This was
not a conflict between her love
for them and her love for him.
| II was a conflict between her
principles and her emotions.
That night the airplane went
up in flames.
Worry For Blaze
THROUGH Mackey had put a
1 a secret guard at Sherwood's
tent it had never occurred to him
anyone would try to destroy the
plane. II was a mass of flames
when first discovered. and a
bucket brigade of Turk laborers,
Chinese soldiers. American arch
biologists and their women and
servants. accomplished nothing
except to dip the spring pool dry.
Later as they all stood staring
at the dying blaze Mackey looked
as doleful as if the world had
come to an end. Sherwood con-
cealed his emotions better.
You're next" Pete predicted.
"I'fn not so inflammable," Sher-
wood reterted with faint smile.
'Oh. | don't know-if the right
kind of oils poured over you"
Anne surmissed a double mean
ing n the words. Mackey had
taken a violent dislike to Diana
who chung to Sherwood's arm on
one side and to her husbands on
the other while she limited that
all their miSfortunes were the
fault of the Willards. The men
haShed her up as quickly as they
could, Marianne with sharp words,
Sherwood with bantering ones.
Undoubtedly the work of Ma
garas," declared Oliver. 1--WE see
their fires in the hills every night
though they never come down
to camp and make themselves
known to u.s."
Maybe they've taken ven
geance on the plane and will
leave Blaze alone now" suggested
Beth hopefully.
Mackey knew better. They've
just burned the plane so he can't
escape"
There's the truck, if he wishes
to leave" Anne reminded him,
Sherwood turned and gazed at
her with those strong, fearless
eyes of his. II do not want to
leave" Then he spoke toIthe
whole group. Il regret the loss
Of the radio more than anything
else"
We've a radio we were not al
lowed to set up" Larry reminded
him.
'I'Il see what can do with it
tomorrow" They all talked
while longer and finally struggled
back to their beds. Doddap was
already seated in front of her
tent chanting a prayer in his soft,
birdlike voice when Anne re-
turned, She stood listening until
he came to the end.
What are you praying about
now?p she asked, dropping into
a canvas chair.
Il pray for Sherwood. Why
does he not sleep in our tent?"
She gave him a flashing glance
and closed her lips firmly. He
went on. IF Sherwood lived in
our tent the Nagaras would not
kill him"
"Kill him!" Her hand went to
her throat. "Doddap, would they
really try to kill him.
Il see knife thrown at him.
Always, / see a knife thrown at
him."
After a moments hesitation she
walked across the corner of the
courtyard to Sherwood's tent. A
Chinese soldier stood at the door
She could hear Sherwood and
Mackey talking inside. The GUARD
opened the flap and sang some
thing in his native tongue then
pushed her in in his stupid way