The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-05-11
Chanter 34
FATHER RoeART,s ENp

IT WAS quite naturally the priests
= death that brought things to
their climax, that was in itself the
beginning Of that preordained de
nouement.
For 1t was. Of course, the body OF
the erstwhile priest that we found
that morning. huddled and crowded
in its black robes in the depth of
the cofin-like piano. 1t was the
priest. and he had been poisoned,
and the poison. said the commits.
saire. wiser now. was again nico-
tine.
There was small puncture in
the skin Of his right arm, and the
poison. II appeared. and Lorn
agreed with the police when he told
nte OF il. had been administered
quickly and deftly with a needle.
Il was. added Lorn more dryly than
usual. a very quick-action poison.
The priest would have had practical
~ no time 70 call Tor hclp.
Il was TO be expected. too. that
the murder OF the priest would
sharply deny my previous calcula.
lions. Everything, to my mind. had
pointed toward the priests guilt
But now he himself wag a victim
70 the insensate plan that reckoned
murder. and murder by poison. only
a counter.
The first murder had been that OF
an unknown and. till very lately.
unidentifiable man. The second muir
der had been that OF a walter
shocking enough as a crime. It's
true. but still Marcel had been in
the eyes OF the world a person Of
little Importance. And bis death had
been considered. and rightly. |
thought. to have been induced by.
and a result OF. the first murder.
But the murder OF a priest-that
was different even though he
might prove t. be only a mas
queraded priest.
II was not only the fact Of a third
murder in a few days that reused
the town and the police to higher
pitch Of excitement and energy.
There was also the fact that II
proved that the murderer had es-
$500 ofga~ss--ss- 1850 petite -%s--ssS--
cover bis identity. and that he felt
so secure IN his safety that he dared
another brutal murder under their
very noses.
II there had been few clues about
the first murder and only my own
evidences, which was little enough to
80 on ia the case Of Marcel's death.
there were no clues at all for the
third. The priest was dead by poison
and had been dead for from seven
10 eighteen hoars. and that was all
they knew.
The police sent promptly to far
away Paris for assistance: from
something Torn said. believe thers
had been IN the town one OF those
subterraneau political wars brewing
which had previously interviewed
and determined the commissaire TO
settle the matter II 4 was possible
without help.
DuT the third murder proved too
- much for his faith in himself
aud his wish to inspire his political
opponents with a sense OF his own
ability. or perhaps II was tbe pres
sure OF public opinion that grew too
great for him.
He also temporarily Increased bis
force. so that instead Of our being
simply elapped into jail We were.
20 all practical purposes, held pris.
onors By the numerous guards
which surrounded the hotel and
overfiowed into the courtyard and
ramblsd uneaslly through the cor
rIdors and went to the Kitchen.
There Paul supplied them with such
frequent drinks that there were
several occasions. I'm sure. when. II
the murderer had popped up under
their noses like q rabbit and de-
! clared his identity. they might as
readily have welcomed him as :
comrade as have given chase.
Il Is perhaps not strange. under
the circumstances. that while this
guard might have been supposed 90
act as protectors as we'll as lailera
they we're not wholly successful II
either role. as ron win see.
And By the time the detectives
from Paris arrived the thing had
already marched 10 is swift and
violent ending.
The intervening time seems long
Ia reirospecf. but was very swift In
experience Tor We we're SO caught IN
tbe rapid. dangerous swirl OF events
thar every thing beyond our imme
diste peril VAS crowded cut Of ouf
consciousness
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