The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-08-01
Chapter Eight
THE CURTAIN POLE

THE CURTAIN POLE
LIE was in the hall now. and here
II he stood still again, this time to
listen. Family. from upstairs some
where, he could hear mems voices,
snatch Of laughter. and. unless be
was FAR wide of the mark, the rattle
Of chips. There was no other sound.
There was no light to be seen any.
where; but again the moonlight
aided him, for the front doors were
glass-paneIed and a streak of it.,
altering In lay along the hall.
He started forward; but, as he
tiptoed silently down the hall, he
became all at once conscious Of a
sense of eeriness. coupled with a
sort Of panicky impulse to hurry and
get 1t all over and done with as
quickly as possible. No reason for
f. OF course not!
But somehow he did not feel at all
debonair, not nearly so nonchalant
as he had felt In the cab. 1t was
easier to write about this sort Of
thing!
There were two doors that opened
of the righthand side of the hall.
He passed the first, reached the sec.
ond. This was the room that had
once been Reddy's and was now oc.
eupied by Butch Connal.
A sudden disturbing suggestion
occurred to him. Butch Connal was
away, but any one of Butch's crowd
might be bunking up in there for the
night. Nonsense! His lips firmed.
He tried the door. Locked, OF course.
His keys came into play again.
The first one would not work-nor
the second. He was not so good. af-
ter ALL He made a third attempt
with third key, and this time, after
persisting for moment, he was sue.
eessful. His face cleared as the lock
bolt clicked back responsibility.
He pushed the door open a few
inches at a time. silently. and
peered into the room. There was
only one window--a bay window
that looked out on the rear. and the
curtains that hung across the bay
window. forming sort OF little al.
cove. we're not quite drawn. The
moonlight flooding in enabled him
to see plainly. The bed was un.
occupied. The room was empty.
Colin slipped through the door.
way. closed the door quietly. and
stepped swiftly across the room to
the window. Behind the portiares N
the window bay was a chair. He
passed behind the curtains and,
standing on the chair. reached UP
for the heavy brass curtain pole.
It came away readily enough from
SIS supports as he lifted 1t. but its
weight, even though the pole was OF
course hollow. combined with the
weight Of the heavy portieres, was
30 much more than he had expected
that It nearly caused him to lose his
balance. He recovered himself with
q muttered imprecation, stepped
down from the chair. and laid the
Pole and portieres on the floor.
"Ths right-hand knob" Reddy had
said. That would mean the right.
hand knob as one faced the window,
OF course. Well. here 1t was-the
usual finishing touch to most curtain
poles. ball.like ornament. 1t re-
quired no effort to unscrew 1t. 1t
came away readily.
He probed. with his fingers into
The hollow Of the pole. The envelope.
twisted into a roll. was there. He
pulled II out. iiattened 1t into shape.
and thrust II into his pocket.
he screwed the knob back into
place. picked up the pole. and back.
Ing into the window bay. stood mp
again on the chair. He hoisted the
pole above his head TO replace It on
its supports-and his hands. In mid.
afr. became suddenly motioniess.
The portieres were slightly parted
as they dangled In front of him. and
IN the track OF the moonlight he
could see the far end OF the room.
The door from the hall was being
atealthily opened.
THE blood for an instant whipped
! through Collins veins. pounding
81 his eardrums, and theh cold. ua.
natural calm settled upon him. The
door was closed now. and q man was
coming toward him across the room.
Ne could see but little OF the mans