The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-06-08

thread to 90 0n-Gnd It leads TO
Pierre Dfsfresne. DtifresMess butler
has admitted that his master 0iCaed
q yep0IUer Of the size used to kin
the stronger. NotD, IN the presence
Of Hdrper's superior officers, the
butler denies the statement.
Chapter q
THE SEARCH
THEN what kind of game-ex.
1 plain yourself. Andrews?"
at was you, Mr.. Harper. who told
me that Mr.. Dufresne had given you
that information about the re-
volyer." Andrews answered patient
~. II did not feel that It was my
business to contradict his state
ments. see now that 1t was Just a
little trick on your part and I with
draw what I said previously"
Harper was boiling. not only over
the exposure of his ruse, so neatly
and effectively checkmated. but over
the collapse Of his promising secret.
Pierre Dufresne clapped his old
retainer on the shoulder. "a good
and faithful servant" he intoned.
laughing merrily at the detectives
discontinue.
Harper glared angrily at the i'm
passive Andrews, "This is a serious
matter, warn you. For the time be-
Ing the police are in charge Of this
house. Your duty as citizen to up
hold the law is greater than your
duty to an employer"
But you lied to me. sir" protest
ed the gaunt old man. with a davas-
tating simplicity that sent his mas
ter into fresh peal of laughter.
Harper turned to Dufresne. "All
right, sir. but that is not the whole
story. Detective Lafferty saw this
gun himself. We know It was there"
Il repeat then. that do not own
such weapon and have never seen
1t nor handled It."
Harper bowed. I'VE win accept
that statement. Mr.. Dufresne. But
we know the gun exists. that It is in
this house, and with your permission
we WIN search until we find It."
"You may search as thoroughly as
you please, Sergeant"
"Lafferty. bring all the others
here.tI want everybody to stay in
one room while the search is going
on"
Dufresne carelessly selected a Gig
arctic. "And what do you expect to
proven" he drawled.
These cold-blooded murders
were committed by some one In this
house." Sergeant Harper snapped,
land intend to get at the truth. no
matter whom It involvesi"
The household assembled In the
small drawing-room. a pleasant and
n1any-wfndowed room on the main
floor. adjoining the breakfast-room.
THIS enforced gathering was quiet
! enough on the surface but under.
meath 1T was SETTLING and boiling
with curiosity and excitement. The
Sergeant's BRIEF and uncompromis-
ing assertion that the case had
changed from an unexplained double
homicide to an equally unexplained
double murder had set the house
hold by the ears.
One By one they denied any
knowledge even OF the existence OF
the revolver Harper sought. In the
first Hush OF surprise they did not
gather the implication that the muir
derer was not only alive but one OF
their number. That realization
dawned on them a little later and
placed an awkward restraint on the
conversation.
Harper. Lafferty. and the two po-
Iicemen conducted the search. hav-
Ing commanded the company OF Mrs.
Whltmore. not only because she had
the keys to all the locked places In
the house. bat also to witness that
all household and individual proper
ty rights were respected. Silent and
suiien. her dark brows frowning.
Mrs. Whitmore accompanied the OF.
6cers.
-Four men. trained and expert
enced in such matters. can make
short work OF any room when the
sole object in question Is as heavy
and bulky as q revolver. but there
were many rooms and closets In the
house and Harper's methods were
pafnstaking and thorough. He had
set out with fun confidence In the
success OF the search.
As their absence heightened, the
waiting group began to split up
along lines OF natural gravftation.
Captain MacklIn and Pierre Du.
fresno sat on q wfndow-seat.
Director Connors had been OBJ
iiged to leave. owing TO the press OF
other Affairs. and he had left with
out giving any definite answer 10
Dufresne's request.
The faithful Andrews and the
stclid. good-natnred John whitmore
stood IN corner and talked together
In low tones. There was q sardonie
glitter IN the old buffers eyes and
9 determined int Of the laws. FOR be