The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-05-02
Chapter rs
THE CONFERENCE

Chapter 26
THE CONFERENCE
CHE went with us back % M
~ room. We chose that room with
out thinking about Il. / suppose be
cause we had met and talked there
before and because Il was warn
and the wing was deserted and thus
we would be apt to have no OBJ
servers. The police. LoFn said dry
ly. we're stationed at various places
around the hotel.
Were ike rats IN q trap" said
Sue suddenly and caught her
breath.
And so began another strange
conference in that oldfashioned
room in the cold. deserted wing.
with the fire cracking now and
then, and the wind blowing - The
court below and outside the win,
dows.
L0rn and 1 did most OF the eaKlk.
ing. Sue was very quiet and pale,
and there had been tears on her
cheeks. Our talk was not long, for
we were all desperately weary and
shaken With the ugly affair OF the
afternoon. II was. however. impor.
tant; particularly important In view
OF what happened later.
See here" I said abruptly. Il
know you consider the Lcyschiema
your friends But want to suggest
something. Why don't goa tel
Madame that you've put the token
in a bank? A bank In Paris or Lon.
don or somewhere.
Don't tell me where you. have &c
perhaps that's exactly what yon
did-at any rate. I think you're
wise TO keep its whereabouts q
secret. But that viii put them
of"
Always providing" interrupted
Sue dangerously. that mp friaaAa
who have been my only friends for
a long and hard year are planning
70 murder me for an inheritance
that they don't even know I've got"
Always providing that" said.
wishing I could shake her.
It was curious how easily little
fame Of queer antagonism could
lean up between us: Il was as II
for fash each resented something
in the other. resented her not
agreeing with me. and thnn knew
that somehow she bad : kind OF
hold upon ms or J shcuI&n't have
hated her disagreeing with me. ana
so then something In me resented
that hold upon me.
And IN another second there was
no feeling % resentment at al.
only warm kind Of pleasure be.
cause she was there. sitting quietly
before me. her bright head bent,
and the iine angle OF her chin faint.
y pink against the black velvet ef
her tightly buttoned ceat. her ellen.
der feet on the rug, her whole lore.
ly body slim and ane and Jet beauti.
fully rounded.
said in g matter-oefact way:
I'VE can scarcely help wondering
about the Lovschiems. Yon admit.
ted that your mother might have
told them something. Thsy are
here-managing the hotel Who
else Is there to suspect"
-WEvR been over an this 30
" fore" said Sue -And. anyway.
you have no evidence against either
Of them"
That's quite true.@ said Torn
dryiy. There's not ena definite
thing we've got against Loyechleul. :
sUnless We can prove Ne knew
the man who was first murdered.
AS for Marcefs murder-anyope-
evsryone In the hotel "a open o.
suspicion"
~Do yon still feel q mar ~ I'm.
tied 70 the hotslf" asked Sna "xhaa
surely that can't be true. can't
believe that the L.ovsehisms are IN.
VOWED. You end Mr.. Lorn and
Father hobart are sslfexplanasory.
The cook is Just q Cat and rather
stupid cook-and anyway. -
wasn't here the night OF the nFsf
murder. Marianue--that's absurd.
Mrs. Byng-eQually absurd. And u
didn't do e.
-And there's no enc else.--No. Sc
can't be limited to us IN the hotel.
After all. someone could easily have
got into the place this afteFnooa--
no reason a. all Why be shouldn't
have walked boldly IN. either front
or Kitchen entraRcaN ehoa Marcel
and escaped without being seen.~
Her voice tremkled over marcel
and | experienced q strange little
surEe % tenderness toward her.