The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-04
who five there are unaware. Bot
their thoughts all the silence.

their thoughts all the silence.
NestA was not thinking Of this
bat Is she stood with her hand on
the door 81 the room opposite the
kitchen, q little chill just touched
her and her heart beat audibly. She
had the bowl In her left hand, and
she had to keep Il steady.
The door swung In and she FOL.
lowed 1t, taking three or four steps
forward and then standing still 70
listen. The bedroom was on the left
1.-The fireplace straight In front Of
her, the chest Of drawers across the
corner. and the window on the right.
She listened, and at first she could
hear nothing at eli because Of the
drumming In her ears. Then. after
she had stood there for Q while, Il
passed and she could distinguish his
slow. deep breathing. The window
was open and a'iight. cool air came
In.
Nesta turned and closed the door
with steady hand.
There should be q chair at the foot
OF the bed. She frowned to find It
heaped with his discarded clothes.
When she had slid them or on to the
floor, she brought the chair TO the
bedside and set the bowl Of water
Gown upon Il.
By this time she could see the out
line OF the window and the black
jutting corner Of the chest Of
drawers. The bed was just visible,
and when she chad looked q little
longer she could see that he lay
facing the window with ahiss tight
arm clear of,the bed-clothes.
aag91 II gtE :. -otss ~ osea j
CHE kneeled down blythe bed and
~ brsaehed for the bowirThe chair
was too high. Il hampered her, and
she pushed It away. She could hold
the bowl in one hand and have the
other free. Yes, that was better.
She put out her hand and felt for
his. bringing her fingers down upon
his wrist by the slowest Of degrees.
1t seemed as II an interminAble time
passed before her hand lay ON his,
and he had not moved. There was
something almost terrifying about
this contact.
His hand was heavy, inert, and
warm It was warmer than her own.
She began to guide It very slowly
towards the edge Of the bed, and all
the time she listened for q change in
his deep, slow breathing.
Tho change came with an extra.
ordinary suddenness. He DRIED out
and flung over towards her, startling
her so much that she jerked sharply
back, letting 80 Of his wrist and
stopping some OF the water over on
to the floor. Her heart thumped hard,
and through its humping she heard
him say in q rapid mutter, Eight Of
them--the finest IN the world--nc
one knows--"
After the first recoil she stayed
quite still. The mutter died. The
bowl Of water hseame heavier and
heavier IN hsrshand. He lay now
almost on his face. his left arm tin.
der him and his right hanging over
the edge Of the bed. His breathing
became slow and deep again. She let
the time go by.
At last she put her hand on HIS
and slowly. slowly brought the bowl
Of water up to. It. This time her
fingers covered hia. Hers touched
the water frst. And then almost inn
perceptibly their two hands sank
into the bowl. He Gid not move. He
breathe1 In the same deep. slow
way. His hehd was heavy and still.
She said, In Q voice that ives Just
not whisper.
Where are the emeralds?"
And at once he stirred In his sleep.
His head moved on the pillow; his
band moved In hers. He said, a. II
repeating her words, <e+A q
The einsrAids!" sssS - @AS
"Whers are the emeraldagss @sis
Theirs was. the same naovement
again. He said. "Ne one knows"
@You know
!. This time there vas no movement
ana no answer. sNA gsk - 1sA
.You know where the smeraids
are @sss -. @$9 sa ffSgp, g
He isy still and paid. muttsting, *
II know
swhere are theyr' She felt Q
fierce excitement. . fierce demand.
His hand pulled on hers. She
forced her win. and felt that he 70.
sisted Il.
where ere theye"
He said. 'No one knows bat me-"
Tue resistance hardened.
"Teii me where they are"
He wrehched hie hand from heAs.
The water ran over the lip Of tass
bowl into her lap. Then. before she
could recover herself. he reached
out and eaught her By the throat.
Ff4~--l-AA Sase - $780,. -