The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-27

II
| " happened in the library that
might?
she steadied herself. susie van
Berg had not moved. The patch OF
color on either cheek had spread q
little, as stain spreads In milk.
Caroline said. 'Why?" Then as
Susie went on staring at her she
made quick movement. 81 don't
understand. why did yon tear the
page outr
ITO help JIn-becausei 1t was my
fault"
aYou won't have helped him very
much ifyou mean to tellathe police
in the end"
"Only II Elmer dies" said Susie
with dry lips. Her eyes stared past
Carolfne,at q picture Of Elmer dead.
sJim didn't shoot him."
eyes -hesdid. If Elmer gets wen.
he'll tell me what to do. That's why
tore out the page. and why Ididn.t
tell the police. But II he doesn't get
well. shall say that Jim shot him,
and that It was my fauit. can't 90
on ike this" There was a dreadful
anality about the way she said It.
Caroline got up and put on her
coat.
care you soing?"
yes" said Caroline.
Susie drew a long signing breath
and turned her head.
sit stilIsraining?"
~ expect soft looked very
black"
Susie shuddered and stood up.
Theresa storm. You can't go II
theresa storm"
"I,ll get home before It breaks"
said Caroline.
Now that she was on her feet, She
wanted to be gone. Her head burned
with the heat Of the room. and her
knees were trembling. Outside. In
the wind and the rain. It might be
easier TO feel sure about Jim she
said Goodbye" and went out with.
out touching Susie's hand
IA s soon as she had shut the door
= she began to run. She wanted
to get right away. and she had q
feeling that Susie might call her
back. She turned the corner. and
then turned again. The passages
were very dark. She stopped run
ming and wondered II she had taken
the wrong turning.
The house was old and rambling.
She had bewildered feeling OF
having lost her sense Of direction. A
sudden fare of lightning gave q
binding picture OF two corridors
meeting at the foot of narrow
stair. Darkness followed Immediate
~, and one Of those peals of thun.
der which sound like giant Orders
being thrown down upon an iron
roof. The noise was deafenIng.
Caroline shrank instinctively
away from the window, and found
herself six or seven steps up the
stair. holding to the narrow baluster
land waiting for the horrible noise to
stop.
When she opened her eyes, she
saw above hersa very faint streak OF
light. There wasa door a few steps
up. and the light came from under
It. II was Just q thin pale streak. but
1t meant that there was someone in
the room. Caroline had q feeling that
someone else's company would be
pheasant She conld say that shehad
lost her way in the passages.
She went up to the level OF the
door. and as she lifted her hand to
knock. the light or another Hash
| ilafedup from behind her'and below.
and 3 crash more violent than slther
OF the others followed. Urged BY q
blind instinct for shelter. Caroline
opened the door.
she was inside the door and lean.
/ Ing against the 5amb with the door
shut behind her before the second
crack OF thunder came. she could
mot have moved to save her life. she
was IN the room. but she could not
see Il at all. because . four-ieafed
screen covered the door. one panel
being nat against the wall on her
LETT. while the other three zig.xagged
out from itat m angle.
Caroline had taken about three
steps. when. in the room on the other
side OF the screen. someone spoke.
do you think It's going orer7"
Caroline stood still Just where she
was she had only heard that voice
once before. but she would have
known Il anywhere. II WIS Nesta
Riddell who had SPOKEN.
fCopwteAf. 1858. ,. D. LspSiacett co.D