The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-04-12
Chapter 9
THE SHOT


TT was Sue Tally. It was not Sue
Tally. It was Sue Tally.
told myself that was mistaken.
I told myself that the light upon II
had been too brief, too sudden and
swift a flash to permit me to recog-
nize any face. But l stared and
stared at that unshuttered window
and wondered what was back Of
those winking blank panes, and
that strange, haunting resemblance
TO Sue TalIy's face would not leave
me-
Suddenly was conscious that
Lovschiem had reused from his
distraction sufficiently to note my
gaze and follow It. had the i'm.
preston be had overlooked some
pressing and urgent aspect OF ar.
fairs. This impression was con-
firmed when he caught his breath
sharply. slid a quick glance at me.
and said suddenly:
"But must go. There are things
-Grethe viii want-you and Father
hobart can stay with the--with
this" His eyes indicated the thing
at our feet.
"Wait," said. what room Is
that across there? What number
Is IT? The one with the shutters
open."
His eyes were yelled and yet In.
tensely aware of me and my Ques-
ton.
~You mean across the court there?
That Il about "a or IS. Why7"
Not 10. then.
els 1t unoccupied"
Eyes" He replied Directly with.
out shadow Of hesitation.
4 saw face Just now in the win.
dow"
"No, no. You are mistaken. There
is no one there"
'There certainly was face there.
Lovschiem."
It seemed to me he looked family
relieved at the implication that /
did not know the face. But he said
a word or two to the priest. who did
not look around or ,reply.4 and wad-
died hurriedly away. At the end Of
the passage he met the little porter
and stopped for a few words with
him before he disappeared around
the corner. and the porter hurried
toward us.
Madame had called him. tho por.
ter said breathlessly. and he was
to remain with US while Monsieur
went 70 her assistance.
Turning into my room. | threw
my coat over my shoulders and took
a fiashlight from my bag. The lit
tie porter watched me anxlously.
and said as | returned to the cor.
ridor:
"Pm going to look about the court.
Back In q moment"
He did not seem treasured, but.
OF course. had nothing to say. Then
closed the door. saw the porter's
bright eyes watching It and what
be could see OF me. stepped out OF
their range Of vision. and snapped
the button ON my flashlfght. e
made a darling circle Of thin light
on the stone door OF the lan9iue.
THERE were no signs or a stsag.
! gle. but | could have expected
none. There were no muddy FOOT
prints. for there was no mud: every.
thing In Armene xas dry and cold
and wlnd-swept. There were no
cigar ashes. There were 40 coat
buttons. There was nothing but d
dark blotch. quite small. where the
dead man had hnddled.
bent close 10 the worn stone and
looked and looked. turning my lash.
light here and there. and eventually
! did discover a small red piece or
What locked like hard rubber or
very hard wax. 1t was rongh and
irregularly semiclrcular and about
the size of a haif-dollar. Il bore no
faint resemblance 10 any kind OIL
clue. | put Il In my pocket merely
because 4 was the only thing ex.
cept the dark patch on the stone
and a dry brown leaf that the land.
Ing held.
II was Just at that second that
there was a sudden huh in the wind:
everything. shadows and shrubbery
and rattling windows. fell into dead
quiet, aud ! heard an unguarded
step on the stairway below me.