The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-17
chapter Is
FINoERPRINT BOOK

FlNoERPRINT BOOK
CAROLINE had the sensation Of
{ having made . horrible error.
That she should have followed her
old nurses sister was piece Of the
most devastating bad luck. Perhaps
she didn't know her
Mrs. Rodgers nodded again.
Il knew you at once, miss. though
LIQUID see as You didn't know me.
You haven't changed . mite since
Herty 'ud bring you in for a cup Of
tee and some Of my mint honey.
I've put on q BIT since those days. so
Imade sure you didn't know me-"
mrs. Rodgers"
"T'm a-going to tell you what Mrs,
Henry told me, and I'm not argoing
% ask you why yOu want to know,
because maybe ! know already and
maybe I dOn't-and anyway least
said, soonest mended."
eYess" said Caroline in . whisper.
what | said in the train is mel
ther here nor there. There isn't q
servant up 1t the Hall as don't know
there was . tray and glasses IN the
study the night Mr.. Van Berg was
shot, and the housemaid see with
her own eyes how the police took the
lngsr-prlnts = clapper-tongued
woman II there ever was one-so
there aln't no secrets there. Mott
was the butier told Mrs. Henry what
I'm a-telIing you."
"What did she tell your"
"When they had finished taking
the fnger-prints and all the rest Of
Il. the inspector he sees all the serv-
ants separate. and then he has the
butler back and he says.
- understand he says, as Mr..
Van Berg KEEP & book with all his
friends flnger-prints in IT, he says.
That's right says Jackson-that's
the buffers name. Well. says the
inspector. I wants to see that book
And Jackson. he says. TITS al.
weys a.laylng on Mr.. Van Berg's ta-
bic. and whenever he has visitor
he gets him to make his mark and
Sign bis name, And the inspector
laughs and says. Very handy for us,
Mr.. Jackson"
CasDlIns's eyes widened.
And then 1t wasn't SO handy after
ell" said Mrs. Rodgers-'ior 10 and
be'oid the book wasn't nowheTes to
be seen.s
The blood came back into Caro-.
lines cheeks with rush.
and where was re-" she de-
nianded.
Pushed right down behind all the
hooks at the back OF the bookshelf.
They went on looking till they'd
found It. And then what do ron
Think"
+ don't know" said Caroline.
trembling.
Mrs. Rodgers looked at her with
Z kind OF awful pity.
"Thers was a page tore out" she
said.
Perhaps It was because she had
been awake al night, perhaps twas
because she bad had a dreadful pic,
ture II her own mind OF a tinger-print
with glm's name signed underneath
4. but at these words. she tainted.
CINE was really only unconscious
- Zoe about minute. but IL was
long enough. for Mrs. Rodgers to
have laid her down nat. She had got
nav cabbage.leaf out or the basket
and was tanning her with It.
Caroline opened her eyes wide.
She got up on her elbow. and re.
memhered why she had fainted-she
had been so horribly afraid that
Mrs. Rodgers was going TO say that
the police had found Jim's finger-
prints. A page had been torn ont,
was It that page, who had torn Il
cpts
Mrs. Rodgers was kneeling on the
grass. So sat back on her heels,
tanning herself now instead OF Caro-.
line
who tore out the pager said
Caroline. she didn't feel As II she
could wait single moment before
shs asked that question.
-Who do you supposes" said Mrs.
Rodgers,
Il don't know"
-who would tear II ont. u Ii wasn't
che one who shot Mr.. Van Rerss /.