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

,ET COX here, ! want TO be frank
IL with you," Colin confided ear.
inestly. you've got me at your mercy
anyhow, so just a moment. | had a
telephone call from the Mask to-
might. He said he was satisfied that
/ knew nothing more about Reddy
Turner than anybody else did, and
that was out of the picture so far
as he was concerned; but In practi.
cally the same breath, ! have to adj
NIT, he warned me not to NEEDLE in
the affair.
"What don't understand is why,
lif he thought ! knew nothing that
would be OF any value to him, he
stin kept watch over me; or why.
if he thought did know something,
he should warn me not to NEEDLE.
when, II I had followed his advice
he would have defeated his own
ends"
The mans lips in the moonlight,
practically all that Colin could see
of the others face, widened in a
wicked grin.
"God, you're a fooll" he jeered
Ipityingly. "It's like taking candy
from a kid. I'll tell you. If you were
lokay, you were okay, and that's all
there was to It. II you weren't, that
warning was a hurry-up invite to
sit in and show your hand. Well,
you fell for it--hard. That's the
answer
~ must confess that thought
crossed my mind" Colin admitted:
l"but-"
"Never mind the restl" the other
cut in roughly. "T'Ve had enough OF
your cursed jawl You've talked 9
lot about the Mask. Well I'll tell
you something now. He had hunch
that Reddy left some little mementc
behind him. But 1t wasn't never
Ifound-until now. And now you're
going to come across. my buckoi"
"But II / can't?" protested Colin.
eff I tell you / haven't the faintest
idea what you are talking about7''
The man took q step forward
Ithreateningiy.
"You saw Reddy put on the spot,
didn't your" no rasped. "You know
what happened to yon once before,
don't your Try any Of that gun on
me and I'll plug You where you
standl"
Colin ahook his head jndicially.
II he could badger the man o little.
draw him on bit!
"0hi" Colin drawled insolently.
II seel Well you wouldn't-er-
plug me. I'm calling your blur"
'Is that sof" There was q cold
fury in the mans voice now.
"Yes, that's sol" mimicked Colin.
"shall tell you whyf II this absurd
lringmaster of yours with the lurid
name believes that I possess some
coveted secret or know the where.
abouts OF some memento, as you
call It, that Reddy has left behind.
I wouldn't be much good as q source
OF information II Iwere dead--would
II"
IT'LL take chance on thatl" rap.
4 ped out the other. II know oil
need to know now without you hay'
ing to tell me about It Reddy hid
something in this room. and the hid
ing place had something to do with
those curtains or that pole. or you
wouldn't have been monkeying
with them When came into this
room you weren't taking that cur.
tain pole down. you were lifting II
back into place. You'd got what you
came for. that's all"
"My eyel" exclaimed Colin front
leaily. That's marveloual Imagine
thinking that out all by yoursalfl
But In case you were wrong what
would the Mask say II ron killed the
goose that might have laid q golden
Ieggg"
With an oath. bis lips working. the
imam thrust himself angrily forward.
~Get down OF that chair and hand
loYerl" he ordered hoarsely. -And be
damned quick about itl rye had
enough from youl"
While the traction OF q second
lslipped away. Colin measured the
distance with his eyes, The man
stOod sSme three feet from him now.
The trap was haitsd. Perhaps too
well baited, The revolver's muaEle
was scarcely more than twelve
inohes from the pit OF his stomach.
An even chancef u wasn't that. II
vas Just q chance The only one.