The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-05-03
Chaptef q
WHENCE rae sM0kR7

Chaptef "a
WHENCE T8E sasokK5
"a was very cold, and the glow from
the red ashes stfE lighted the
room sufficiently for ne to se6 tlIAt
there was no one abort and the
table before the door Was undiss
lfurbed.
My shoulder throbbed as pulled
Is dressing gown around ms and
went to the window. One easement
was already a little open, and !
pulled It wider and opened the shut
tiers and looked down into the street.
There was no one Ab6ut. and
closed the shutters and. partially
the window again.
There was the courtyard.
Cautiously I moved the table
away and opened the door.
No one was In ths long. haltdark
coYrldcs. Across the shadow c0uEt
the window and glass-paned door 0f
the lobby made bright rectane1as OF
hight, and | could see TIVE police
men; they sat at q small tabI8 az
rectly under the light and we're
placidly playing some Kind Of card
game.
The men were not sTnoktns, a.
though. IL they had been. the Odor
would never have reached my ROOFS.
But behind me tbs whole noStk
wing was deserted and silent.
walked carefully along It's length.
even opened, very cautiously 4
door or two near my own room.
But the rooms were black cavities,
and the air that rushed to meet me
was cold ana stale ana haA fhAs %.
euliafIy musty. dGnk smslS OF f8ohAS
that are very Ol4 ana have been
empty for . long time.
Moreover. the smell 81 teAaecAl
smoke was much fainter here was
indeed so faint that I WAS not surs
4 was there at all. Il was only
vhen I returned TO my room that Il
Was defnlte and strong again
closed the door, puzzled and
snapped on2hs light
! Tt puzzled ms - much thar 1 81.
amined the room and adjoining
bathroom. There was 40 Que there.
az course and 40 eyfddncs mag
anyone had been there I even
looked tor hidden entrances to my
room. feeling . little silly and melo-
dramatic about It. but thinking still
that there might be some such
thing in that old place. built in the
days when secret doors we're the
most matter-offact Of arrange
ments.
But there was nothing; indeed.
thare was no place for anything ex-
eept behind the enormous ward
robe. and II | moved that should
rouse the vhole hotel IN the proc.
esa. for It was very heavy and large.
However. dld dfift iass un6A6y
dreams again. and ~ mornin4 the
odor OF tobacco smokes siiIy ana
trivial thing at its clearest-had
merged Into those dreams and no
longer seemed Important although
a told Lorn about Il when I saw him.
That was when we met In the
lounge after breakfast.
MARIANNE. red-eyed and dark
AVA and somehow suIlen. had
brought In the breakfast tray and
bounced out again. All her aigRlea
we're gone. peer enid { woadefsa
what little Marcel had been to her.
Lorn listened politely. but wItA-
but much interest. TO my story or
che tobacco smoke--which ala. In
fad. sound exsremely tfivial and
faacifni by the light o. day--said ID
q lIstless way that Il was pro6ahly
q policeman somswhafA bet that he
would try to make sure: asked how
m, shoulder was end said Ne wae
on 70 try 70 discover what The DO.
lice were dolnK.
The matter % Father Rohass'a
alibi would. thought. ewait more
important invesiieAtlona thsusA /
felt that the sooner We came % q
conclusion ahoat the lufbrmati0m
little Marcel had given me the bet.
ter.
followed LoTn through the small
Lobby and int the court No one
was In the I0bby. bot Fathee Robsft
was sitting outside n the eonrk: he
was smoking and hnstlly put 70 &
Newspaper ~ be saw me ana hasau
Ice read assiduously.
Pucci was sitting disconaolateiy
lon chair back near the priest. and
took another chair II was rather