The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-08-02

The revolver muzzle strayed for
an instant, as the man moved slight
ly to one side-and in that instant,
Colin leaped. The brain registers
with incredible speed. In mid-air he
saw the flash, heard the roar of the
revolver shot, knew that it had
missed because the tumbling por-
there's had engulfed the others hand
as he had hoped they might; and
then, his hurting weight backed by
every ounce of his strength behind
the blow, the brass pole, where 1t
lay bare for a foot or two between
his outspread hands, crashed with
terrific force full into the mans
face-and Colin lay sprawled atop
him, a smother of portieres around
them.
There came a choked cry, a moan.
then silence. Colin got to his knees
and pushed the pole and portieres
to one side. He could see the others
face now, and for a moment he stud
led it intently. No, he had never
seen the other before, that was GER,
tain, and no more than he had ex-
pected: but it was equally certain
now that he would not fail to recog.
nize him anywhere If he ever saw
him again.
A minute had passed. How long
would 1t be before the other re.
gained consciousness? He went
swiftly through the mans pockets.
Some money, not an inconsiderable
sum; keys, some OF them of the
skeleton variety; cigarettes; the
usual odds and ends; no letters or
papers OF any description-except
small card in one of the vest peck,
cts.
TOLIN lighted another match and
~ examined this. Scrawled in pen
Gil he read: "W P. $50 tonight" Not
very Informative! He replaced the
card and the other articles in the
pockets in which he had found them.
Anything else? His eyes searched
around the room. Oh, yes! The re-
volyer lying there on the floor where
it had fallen from the mans hand!
He reached over, secured the
weapon, slipped it into his own
pocket, rose to his feet--and a min.
ute later was out on the street.
Here Colin hesitated for an in.
stant, then started hriskly in the
direction Of Sixth Avenue. Fifth
Avenue was virtually deserted at
this hour. whereas, failing a taxi,
Sixth Avenue offered him q choice
between the elevated and the sur.
face line to take him-where? He
was suddenly not at all sure. Per
haps he had better walk d BIT
thrash the thing out in his mind.
Collins brows puckered. Not so
goodi AS between himself and the
Mask now. the issue was irrevocably
joined. Pursuit. What did immunity
from immediate pursuit matter If
he now went back home? Long be.
fore daylight he would be under
surveillance again. As well offer
himself meekly for the slaughter to
begin with! But to be driven out of
his own diggings by this accursed
Mask, or anybody else, for that mat
ter! His gorge rose deflantly. The
red flushed his cheeks. and his
hands clenched.
His one thought while In there
had been TO make his escape IL pos.
sible from that room--what the aft.
ermath might be had not entered
his mind then. But he was faced
with It now.
'I'm in q bit Of q jam all right"
A mirthless smile pulled down the
corners Of his lips. Times without
number when at work on story,
he had racked his brains for q stu.
alton involving deliberate case of
homicide which was at one and the
same time so wholly and obviously
iustihable that no reader could
have any grounds for quibbling with
It
Wen. here was one ready to hand.
His own life being In the balance.
he had only to so back to that room.
bump on the Masks tool before the
man had chance to communicate
with his chief. and, so far as he,
Colin. was concerned, II would then
be as though be had never left bis
home that night.
Absurd! He wasn't q murderer,
no matter how thick the whitewash.
He was merely an ass. Damn his
imaginationl This wasn't fctioul He
was up against stark reality this
time!
He reached the corner OF Sixth
Avenue. 4 taxi cruising by passed
INHALED: 50 did = surface car.
Colin started along the avenue In
. downtown direction. "He who
aghts and runs away win lire 70
aght another day"
fcoptFteAf. 1858. Freak Z. PaekaraJ