The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-09-16
Me HIDDEN DOOR

BY FRANK [. PACKARD

/ tOAeAt4C anu IOWcGcu II dS0iu. 1t
was Sergeant MulEey. not the Mask,
who was rising to his knees. The
Mask lay there motionless, his hand
that still gripped the revolver flung
across his chest.
at went off-the wrong way-for
him." painted Sergeant Mulyey
grimIy. as he tore open the mans
coat and shirt 81 guess he's a goner,
but come and lend hand"
Colin stepped to. Sergeant Null.
yey's side and knelt down over the
Mask.
Hes dead all right" announced
Sergeant Mulvey gruffiy.
But the words were meaningless
to Colin. He was staring at a barred
right shoulder--at a long, Jagged
scar that ran parallel with the shout.
der blade.
It was Joe Lazarre.
COLIN stood at the window of
~ room 60S-A In the Kranway.
Stratton and stared restlessly out
into the rainy night. From some
where a clock doomed out the hour
Of two. What was keeping Sergeant
Mulvey?
Back there in the Wine Press, as
they stood looking down on that life,
less form ON the floor. he had briefly
explained his connection with Joe
Lazarre, and had told Sergeant Mul.
vey what little he knew of the man.
Then, on Sergeant Mulvey's ad.
vice. Clarke Lunn had unobtru-
sively left the place. From the Wine
Press he had gone to the rooming
house that for the last month had
harbored him as one outside the law,
packed his belongings. and with the
simple but eloquent explanation that
he had to scram. had paid his bin
and departed.
A taxi had taken him to the Grand
Central Station. and redcap had
taken his bags-to the parcel room.
Ten minutes later another redcap
had collected his bags, and another
taxi had brought him here to the
Kranway-Stratton-where he was
not registered.
BY the time any of the Masks
mobsmen picked up the trail, If they
ever did, Clarke Lunn would have
ceased to exist.
But all this had been hours ago!
Sergeant Mulvey had said he would
be- here by midnight-and he had
lot yet come.
Colin turned uneasily away from
he window. and his eyes. roaming
lround the room, fixed and held on
IN open letter that lay upon the
writing desk. burrows gathered be.
ween his eyes. It was the letter
hat. under pledge OF secrecy. had
AIKEN him to Cap 4 Forage. But
teddy was dead and Lazarre was
lead now, and his promise to Reddy
vas no longer binding.
For that reason he had told Ser.
,eant Mulvey at the Wine Press
THAT he then knew about Lazarre;
md for that reason here, on his re.
urn to this room extracting It from
inside the lining OF one OF his bags
Ghere he had hidden 1t, he had
opened and read the letter Reddy
lad entrusted to him.
II was Q long letter-many pages
L It, closely written on both sides
4 the sheets. He had spent an hour
'ver It And now he laughed out
uddenly -mirthlessly. The memo
, OF that night at the Cascade River
nd the burning clubhouse came
Iiyidly back to him.
A human life was q human life,
md even had he then known that
1azarre was the Mask he still might
lot have acted very differently; but
lad he known what was In that let
er, had he known what he knew
low. he would have hesitated long
lefore he had lifted even a finger
o save LaEarre's life.
He raised his hand and brushed
across bis eyes. Lazarre-the
TASK Queer that he had saved
sazarre's life at all!
The door opened and closed.
Sergeant Mulvey came across the
DOM, tossed his hat into one chair,
md siumped YEARLY down In an.
,ther.
Began to think I wasn't coming
{ all. eh?" Sergeant Mulvey flung
mt. ''Well. ! couldn't help It. The
irst check.up started something
lot. and I haven't had O minute.
anyway, I've got some news for you.
french Pete's real name. you know,
vas Pierre Mireau. Well. Joe La
arre's real name was Louis Mireau.
they were brothers"
Collins lips were tight.
Il know t." he said. ats rather
hastily"
That" exclaimed Sergeant Nal
'ey savagely. Forget It! But how
10 you know they we're brothers?
fou didn't know 1t when you were
cling me about Laxarre down there
n that dump. did your"
fccpsrteAt. 1858. FraHk L. Packcndl