The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-09-15
lie HIDDEN DOOR

RY FRANK q. PACKARD

The light was focused on = plaster
barge a IL Antony and Cleopatra
that was decidedly daring in its
conception. and which floated on
what had once doubtless been, in
color, though calamitously faded
now, a sunlit azure sea. It was about
midway along the wall.
"Some Dump" calculated Ser
geant Mulvey. Before my time on
the force. Those were the days, Ell?
when the higlfiights were down
here, and before they turned the
good old Bowery into q morgue!
Well. come on! Times nearly up"
His ffashlight circled again. How
about getting down behind that old
packing case up there against the
wall on this side near the bar? It's
big enough all right. Well be facing
that trick door then, and'l be able
to see plenty without being spot
ted"
"All right" agreed Colin briefly.
The fiashlight pointing the way,
they moved up the room. and lifting
the dilapidated case out little
way from the wall crouehed down
behind it. Given anything to see.
by peering around the ends of the
case. or even with due caution over
the top Of 1t. the view would be
practically unobstructed.
"It's ten O'clock" said Sergeant
Mulyey, "but It'll take the boSs
few minutes to work their racket"
Right" said Colin.
The fiashlight went out.
It was inky black. Colin could not
see an inch in front of him. And
there was no sound-though he
strained his ears tc catch one from
the other side OF the wall. No move
ment now from Sergeant Mulvey.
Just stiffness and blackness every.
where around him.
And now time itself seemed to
have stopped. Had a minute. two.
or three. or ten passed since Mulvey
had switched of the torch? He
grew uneasy. This room here. this
house, as Sergeant Mulvey had
said. did not look very promising
there was nothing to inspire conf.
dence in the belief that the link be.
tween the Mask and the big shots
OF his mobs was here.
Certainly the Mask him1elf was
not here. Sergeant Mulvey and he
were unquestionably the only two
persons in the house. Surely b, now
Buck o'Mara would have come II he
were coming at all. Was this. after
all. merely another exit and en-.
trance sacred to the big shots-and
Buck 0'Mara Ia flight had chosen In
stead the private stairway?
LIE shook his head doggedly in the
l = blackness. There was too much
to point the other way. It must be
here. somewhere. somehow. that
the contact between the Mask and
hts lieutenants was made. His brain
churned on.
The silence grew heavy and op-
pressive. It began to palpitate audi.
bly, and finally to thunder at his ear.
drums. In spite OF himself. uneasi.
ness and misgivings were beginning
to obtain the upper hand. There had
been more than time enough by now.
and
There came faint sound from
across the room-indefinahle. And
then suddenly q cluster OF ceiling
lamps went on and the room was
ablaze with light. His eyes blinked
in the glare. The barge bearing
Antony and Cleopatra seemed to
have bobbed up and down as though
It had ridden on a swell. His vision
cleared. A figure was running across
the room in the direction of the bar
Buck O'Mara-and Buck o'Mara
was tearing off his coat as he ran.
And now there came another
sohnd--a distinct click this time.
Colin, peering around the edge OF
the packing case. mechanically
rubbed his eyes. The bar was re.
volving upon itself--and now II pre-
scented the reverse slide.
II had become huge wardrobe.
Rows OF clothing. wigs and hats
hung there from end 70 end-and In
the center. below q mirror. was .
sort Of shelf. waist high. strewn
with small pots and Jars and tubes
In endless variety.
Something was thudding at both
Collins heart and brain. His eyes
swung back to o'Mara. O'Mara's
outer clothes were on now, the
sandy hair was gone-and the back
of short-cropped. black.haired
head presented itself to view. He
could not see the face.
Again Collins eyes shifted and. as
though drawn by q magnet. fast
ened. amongst the rows Of clothing.
on an inch.sQuare checked suit of
light fawn. and. hanging on q peg
above It. a brilliant red tie and q
straw.eolorea wig. That was Heimie