The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-17


his name signed to them - would
herr
Caroline bit her lip. There was
something wrong about the way
Mrs. Rodgers was arguing. but she
couldn't quite get hold Of it-only
there was something wrong. She
thought Of Jim, and she said with a
rush.
"0h. he wouldn't! A friend
WouIdn'ti"
Mrs. Rodgers shook her head.
Nobody can't say that. Folks gets
Quarrelling. and you can't say
what'll happen. But Mrs. Henry, she
says, and she holds to 1t very strong,
"'What 'ud be the good of his tear
ing the fnger-prints out OF the book
and leaving the glass he'd drunk out
OF fairly piastered with 'em? It
wouldn't ave took i'm art q minute
to ave wiped them off, she says
and there's something in that"
she got up and busted her knees
with the cabbage-leaf. "I can't sit
on my 'eels like / could when was
gel. Two hundred pounds 200
pounds, and shouldn't wonder II It
wasn't more by now" She sat down
on the stile again.
A little color came back into Caro-
lines cheeks. That was it-that was
what she had been trying to get hold
Of. II it had been Jim who had torn
the page out Of the book, then why
hadn't he wiped his glass? Every
one knows about finger-prints now.
adays. He hadn't wiped his glass
because he hadn't anything to hide.
He hadn't shot Elmer Van Berg.
She knelt by Mrs. Rodgers and
laid hand on her knee.
TIN the train you said
4 Mrs. Rodgers looked glum.
And I'd better have held my
tongue. No need to tell me that"
oh. didn't mean that didn't
truly. Oh. dear Mrs. Rodgers IL
didn't mean anything like that"
Mrs. Rodgers relaxed little.
In for penny. in for a pound
What did | say?"
Something about Mrs. Van Berg's
maid"
"A French .ussy!" said Mrs. Rod
gers. "And IL Mrs. Van Berg 'ad ART
OF the things that 'ussy's been int
ing-Not that It's only foreigners
that's given to 1t. for that there Miss
Russell that's housekeeper at the
Hall she's the worse of the two. and
the dear knows how Mrs. Henry's
stood It, for wouldn't"
Caroline patted Mrs. Rodgers
knee.
aWhat did the maid say?"
sMiss Louise. they call her. Well.
she. don't say nothing. That's just
her aggravatingness-- shell 'int'and
int until you're sick. sore and sorry.
and then she'll slip out OF the whole
thing and pretend she never said
nothing"
"What does she hint?"
Mrs. Rodgers gave kind of snort
Int? She's as good as said 1t
wasn't no secret to her what name
was tore out. and then went back
on t."
"How could she know what name
had been torn out?"
"There isn't much goes on in the
house as she don't know-picking,
and prying, and hitting! 'orrid. |
call I'll Letting on she knows things
about Mrs. Van Berg tool"
"What sort Of things?"
"She,s a wicked 'ussy." said Mrs.
Rodgers. "and I wouldn't repeat what
she says. II It weren't for warning.
You might know someone as wanted
warning. or you mightn't. II yoa
don't. there's no harm done. Now.
my dear-whether the police have
got wind Of It or not. I can't say.
but what that 'ussy keeps hitting is
just this. that her mistress. Mrs.
Van Berg. knows q sight more than
she lets on.
"a gentleman Quarrels With an
other gentleman about q lady and
shoots him-what q good Idea to
hide the emeralds and say q thief
has done It'll she says. And when
Mrs. Henry and me presses her. she
says she IL talking about a story she
has been reading in . magazine
and how KEEP my hands on her. !
don't know and I can't say"
Caroline got up a little uncertain
". She held to the cross-bar OF the
stile and leaned against II. She
wanted to get away from Mrs. Rod
gers before she said anything more.
Jim wasn't in love with Susie Van
Berg-it couldn't be true that he
was. or that he had quarrelled with
Elmer Van Berg and shot him. and
hidden away the emeralds to make
Il look like . burglary.
she said. .'Therell be another
train-I must catch It."
Mrs. Rodgers got up too.
fcopyrisAi. 1855. ,. B. Lippiseott Col