The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-07-10
G7zeeesler aF
MoCklNG HOUSE
ny MGlTeR r. Rn0NGaa
~ WALTER c. RR0Nfe


judged yonr wife. Had you acted
with the slightest degree OF sanity
and understanding both OF you
would have been spared great deal
Of suffering"
Harper hung out his hand to check
Dufresne's rising retort. wait until
| have finished / talked with her
Just before | came to this room and
she explained to me all that she
knew. She had brooded and worried
over her sisters plight until she was
nearly frantic. not knowing what
would happen next. Loyalty to her
sisters secret kept her silent and
your unaccountable attitude ulada
it impossible to turn to yoi for, help
Knowing the truth Of 1t herself. she
never dreamed that you had found
out about the notes and were accus
ing her in your mind.
when you telephoned and told
her about the ambush she was terri.
fed. She thought that this HID. was
at the bottom Of it. From her sis
ter's account she knew that he was
capable of nearly anything. she saw
that terrible crisis was at hand. but
she didn't know what to do nor.
which way to turn She knew about
the meeting that night. but this
other thing arose too suddenly for
her to formulate any plans.
Then came the fire at Mrs. Nor
locks house and she saw the oppor
tunity to slip away unobserved in
the confusion. Without thinking.
she dashed blindly out of the house.
not even properly dressed against
the storm. 1t was gesture of panic
and it came to nothing. The wind.
the snow. the cold were too much
for her overwrought state.
"She fioundered in the storm af-
ter a short distance and had to turn
back. That is her story, Mr.. Du.
/ fresno. and it is clean and clear. l
leave it to your own conscience to
/ point out what amends you owe her
for your unwarranted lack of faith"
"N0U know a devil of lot of
I things, don't you. Harper% Du.
fresno asked In a surly voice, reach
ing for the decanter and glass.
'Forty-eight hours have revealed
more to me about what was really
happening in this house than any
of you could discover in months Of
suspicion, quarrels, and jealous &C.
cusation." Harper answered quietly.
And If yon were half man you
would not be sitting there now
brooding, trying to drug your con
science with liquor"
The glass stood poised, halfway
to Dufresne's lips. do yon really
think so?" he qneried sardonically.
What would you suggest?"
I'D suggest thar you go imme.
diately and make yonr peace With
your wife. She'll probably be gen,
erous enough to forgive and fCfget
everything and kill the. fatted calf
over the prodigal's return to sanity.
That's all have to say, Mr.. Du.
fresno. shall not step out of char.
acter again.
Pierre Dufresne frowned, then he
laughed. and the smile that Harper
had seen but rarely transformed his.
face. He put down the glass un.
tasted and rose from his chair with
illconcealed resolution.
''Will You wait here for a few
minutes. Harper? want to go down,
town with you. to, arrange things
/ for Richard and give him what help
| I can"
'Tll wait. for you," Harper prom
ised.
Although the, few m mute S"
heightened considerably and the
master of the house had not re.
turned, the detective was not i'm.
patient. The delay, he unused, wa.
in a good cause.
/ He browsed along the book,
shelves and taking out one of the
volumes. sat down on the broad win.
dow-seat. The morning. sun began
to edge its way. through the, loaded
/ glass panes as he idly turned. the
pages.
Harper looked up at the sound of
footsteps. but 1t was old Andrews,
and not Dufresne. who entered the
room. The gray-haired butler had
message for him. MIR. Dufresne
said he would be ready in minute,
SIR"
/ Andrews lowered over the tray by
the armchair, where Dufresne's last
drink stood untouched. "Shall L re.
move this, sir?"
yes, Andrews-and 1 think 1t viii
be quite all right to take the ocean.
ter along with it."
They smiled at each other in sud.
den understanding. Then the old
man bowed to Sergeant Stephen
Harper and it was not the stir nod
by which he drew the line between
his masters world and everything
that lay outside.
! fCOpVYi1ht. 1884. bu Vdlter G. Broaual