The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-04
Chapter is
TRIAL BY WATER

CnapLer 10
TRIAL BY WATER
NXIHEN the rest of the house had
settled into darkness and sill.
ience. Nesta Riddell still sat on in the
Iparlor. She sat leaning forward with
Eher cheek propped on her hand and
Iher eyes fixed.
It was being difficult-he was be.
ing difficult. Would he be any easier
Eif she waited? Or was her best
chance now, before he had got back
pnis strength? Everything in her said
now. She hadn't risked so much and
come so far to lose everything for
the want Of a little pluck.
I The emeralds were half hers. She
Ihad risked as much for them as
Jimmy had. II Van Berg died, they'd
bring her in accessory after the fact.
Shed risked that, and she wasn't
going to be done out Of her price,
not much she wasn't. She'd have her
tshare OF those emeralds whatever
lshe had to do to get 1t. g asSz
II was q long time now since the
Footsteps overhead had ceased. For
. little while there had been the
Faint whisper OF voices. but it was q
long time since they too had died
away. y
She wondered IL there was any.
thing in that stunt Of old Caroline
Bussell's. It was whispered in the
Village that Caroline knew q good
many things that she hadn't any
right to know. People In Packham
said she had a hold over Mr.. Ent.
whistle and could do what she liked
with him.
Suppose she had tried this stunt
Of hers on him. Suppose she had
gone into his room at the dead hour
LOT the night. the hour between mid
night and the first hour Of the day,
slipping In on her stocking feet with
ia bowl OF water In her hand. You'd
Ehave to tread like a cat and keep
yourself almost from breathing so
Ias to know by the breathing OF the
sleeping man whether he were deep
enough asleep. Old Caroline always
walked quietly.
She gave you the creeps In broad
daylight the way she'd come on you
without the least sound, with her
meat upright figure and her prim
lstarched collar. her face that always
put Nesta in mind Of q plump Toured
lscone. and her brown front that
never had hair out OF place. There
s--it was oil nonsense, and creepy
nonsense at that. Only, IL q man
could be got to talk like that n the
dead OF night with no power to hold
anything back. -.
She sprang up suddenly and
Hooked at the clock between the
china cherubs. The hands stood at
half past twelve. Nesta kept her
eyes fixed on them for q moment.
Then with Jerk Of the shoulders
hhe stopped. undid her shoes, and,
lstepping out Of them, went to the
Idoor and opened 1t.
There was no light in the passage
iOr on the upper landing. The limo.
hsum was cold under her feet as she
went through into the kitchen and
switched on the bulb in the ceiling.
big mixing-bowi would be
~ about the right size. She
Ireached It down on the china shelf
and Allied It half way at the tap. The
water had to be cold--that was what
lpid Caroline said. But how cold
would II have to bef You could call
anything cold water so long at q
came out Of the cold water tap. aes
This wasn't very cold-no bite IN
ne so to speak. Perhaps q drain out
Iof the hot water tap wouldn't do e
lany harm. She let In q little aud
dipped her hand into the bowl.
Would that wake you mp II you were
Asleepf Not II you were really fast.
WAS It near enough cold to do the
brick? You couldn't tell that til ron
tried: and II was long odds that It
was nothing but . pack Of rubbish
anyhow.
In her heart OF hearts Nesta dld
mot believe that It was rubbish.
At the kitchen door she hesitated,
and then put out the light. Now the
nonss was all dark aud silent with
the warm. breathing silence OF
,sleep. Even the newest and rawest
lcf houses Is q haunted house IN the
dad AZ nIaht. Tia bodies Of fhoae