The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-07-07
- o1zsee1lss &c
MOCKING HOUSE
BY Wkl4fn e nnown

fNsr#
than he did in life. What did you do
then?'
4 sat down and forced myself to
be calm. It seemed hours, but / sup
pose It was really only for q few
minutes. Then began to consider
how to make 1t look as though the
two men had killed each other.
Their position. one at each end or
the table. gave me the idea.
Il didn't see how any onS would
be able to contradict the evidence
or even suspect their separate
deaths. thought | had covered up
every trace Of my presence. Then
comes a tiny thing like the marks
of my ring to spoil it all s
When the police got here, the
front door was banging" Harper
prompted. did You leave it that
way?"
yes, when ! was ready to 60 I
opened it and dropped the bolt.
thought the bodies would be discoy-
cred quickly and my alibl would
hold good"
you got away safely BY going
back over the rope, carrying this
mans things with You? You went
back to Orpheus Hail to listen to
your husbands concert? Is that cor
.rect?''
Eyes. was late and stayed in
the ladies lounge until the first
number was over. then went to
my seat. There were lots OF late.
corners, so no one paid any atten-
ton to me"
" q T what point did Joseph DON
: aghy enter into the picture?"
The lines about Mrs. Croyden's
mouth deepened. "Extortion and
blackmail," she stated crisply. "He
had become suspicious that some
thing secret was going on in this
house. He watched and waited until
he finally caught a glimpse OF us.
The disguise misled him into think
ing that was meeting Mr., Du-
fresne.p 's
t'You had to buy his silence then?"
Yesterday he came to me and
demanded money. | gave him all /
had in my purse. He was insolent
and demanded that | get more and
bring it to him last night. In des-
peration | promised-and / kept my
promise," she concluded grimiy.
For a few moments there was
dead silence, then a racking sob,
and the woman. overcome by the
food Of memory. stood swaying.
With a dull thud the hidden gun
slid down inside the coat. bounced
as it struck, then lay fat and still on
the rug.
Mrs. Croydon caught her breath
with an audible gasp. but the detec-
tive made no move to spring for the
weapon. Instead. he looked somber-
ly at the woman. Now under
stand" he announced. rising slowly.
You never meant to run away"
AS Mrs. Croydon made quick. but
belated. movement toward the gun
he kicked it across the floor. Don't
touch that" he warned. He backed
toward the wall and pressed the SER
vice button.
What are you doing?" Aline
Croyden cried. and he noted the
tenseness. the tightly coiled physi-
cal mechanism Of her body.
Harper came over and stood fac
ing her. THAT was an interesting
recital. Mrs. Croydon. but you
haven't fooled me one bit. You had
no intention Of fleeing. IN spite of
your words and your gun. You
wanted to confess. You wanted TO
be arrested for these murders"
What do you mean? she STAN
mered. wide-eyed.
THAT was fine story you told.
but it was not the truthip
She stared at him. stricken numb.
There was a discreet rap at the
door. Keeping one eye on that stat
ue-like figure of despair. Harper
turned the key In the lock and
opened the door part way Andrews,
get Detective Lafferty at the garage
and tell him to come here as quickly
as be can. z
The detective closed the door
again. Mrs. Croyden held her place.
Only her eyes moved. following his
movements. 4 did it.. she repeated
an swear to it. You can't prove
that | didn't do It'll
Harper looked at her steadily.
That's quite true. Mrs. Croydon. 'If
you swear to It I'll have trouble
proving otherwise. But | know you
didn't do the actual killing. Those
marks on the table were not made
on the night of the murder. because
that ring was not in tLis room then,
nor the wearer of the ring. I've had
a suspicion that some one was COM
ing into this room in my absence
and looking over the evidence as it
accumulated. When you included
those ring marks in your story.
knew you we're not the actual MUIR
derer."