The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-04-11
Chapter 8
PERHAPS A TRAP7


YOU'RE a fool!" Madame Low.
= schiem repeated. and the
glance she gave her debated hus-
band was not pleasant. @Of course
Mr.. Sunbeam had nothing to do
with the murder. That clock sword
there are a dozen explanations.
But the police won't believe them.
Give it to me"
The man made a protestant GEES
ture. but nevertheless handed her
the sword, and she took it coolly.
"I'll just wash this OF and re-
place It and nobody need know any.
thing about ii"
Lovschiem looked blank.
"That won't do at ALL" he said.
81 don't know what you"
"Loyschiem," she said sharply.
Her eyes quelled his. Yet there
was no reason that | could see for
Madame Lovschiem's suddenly
championing me.
Moreover ! didn't know that j
wanted her championship.
In the first place. If let her do
as she proposed there was no dan
ger OF the girl. or me being accused
OF murder. At the same time. IL the
truth eventually came out, as II
readily might. things would look
much blacker for us. And should
give the Lovschiens a most detest-
able hold over me.
"No." | said. We'll call the po-
lice and let them know the whole
thing. dagger and all. didn't kili
him. I'm not afraid"
She stopped and looked at me In.
credulously. 4 saw then that her
eyes were green, limpid. and clear,
and yet with tat look Of secret
reflection shat a cats have,
"Not afraIdY she said rather
softly. american. aren't you? Not
bad-looking. either. Accustomed to
having your own way. | suppose.
with men-and women?s
aYou are too kind. madame.
You'll leave the dagger exactly as
It IS. please. and your husband and
win wait together while you phone
for the police"
"I'll do nothing Of the kind" she
said and TURNED ID the bathroom:
but caught her wrist and led ser
back to the dead man. She did not
protest or even pull back when 1
told her to place the dagger on the
dead mans chest. but did not re.
lease her wrist until she had done
so. and her ewes shone like q cats
when the light strikes them.
She said nothing to me. however.
She gave hcr husband glance OF
scDrn and fury bot said In a smooth
voice that was under perfect con.
troll that. since Mr.. SUNBEAM SO
wished. they might as we'll cail the
police.
rvery wen. said Lovschiem slug
gisniy. as II his thoughts were sunk
in some dark mlre. "cali them
she looked at him again in 4 Kind
Of impatient acofn. shrugged light
II and then glanced all about.
~t'atiier R0baft!" she said sud.
denly. "Of course. Father hobart.
III get him at once This--thisI
dead man must have prayers i'm.
medlntely. A violent death. with.
oas dissolution. Besides. Il is not
bad 20 give a more pious atmos-
phefa. chr"
THE fringcs or her yellow scarf
= swifled and vanished Ia tue
gloom OF the long corridor. Shadows
followed her. and the wind whIs.
peted. and the whisper rose to q
gust and the whole place ratified
like dead mans dry bones.
| said TO myself: IT'S d night.
mare. III shut my eyes and then
open them and look directly at the
mantel clock. The sword win sim
be there. and II win all have been
\ dream.
The clock sword was, OF course.
not on the mantel; It was lying
blcodstalned there below me. and
The dead mans face was real
enough.
Lovschiem was standing quiet be.
side me. hls gaze too upon the dead
man. and his eat face only vaguely
frightened now. for be was still
sunk deep in his thoughts and
looked moro troubled and per.
picked than he looked frightened.
I thought Of sue as / waited, oi
the story she had told OF her a6dac,
tion-and The fact that she had NOS
told enough about the event She
had ns,f tsAtfn4 - a. sa.6 -. -