The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-01-27
Chapter II
ON The BOAT

Chapter II
ON THE BOAT
CoNETIME later . little mesti1a
- girl skipped around the corner
and stopped short at the sight Of the
middle that had been the dog. ~7
"chiguitoe" she cried. Her child
ish treble broke. Tears streamed
from her eyes as she fell beside the
littls body. Dust, dog and all she
gathered into her arms and knelt
thsre sWaying ana weeping.
Grahame, stroIIing around the cor.
nsF toward the wharves, caught
sight Of the small tragedy before
him. He threw away his eigaret and
lifted the child {, her feet. She still
chung to the dos.
what is it?" he exclaimed In
Spanish. brushing the dust from the
little girls dress.
There was a fresh food of tears.
sMy little dog! Ny child. Ny angel.
Deads"
GFahams glanced swiftly at the
ballet wounds and growled, who
did it,"
] = don't know sobs. wrenched
her breast. 1911
There, there. )" lie laid soothingiy.
We win take your child home and
bury him ittingly. There. !T He
pressed peso into her hand. This
Twin buy wreath and a prayer from
the padre" He lifted the child, who
still c.utched her pet in her arms, to
his own. and STROBE toward the
house she pointed out.
He was so young" quavered the
girl.
The town was stirring from its
daily siesta, as, q little later,
0raAame continued his interrupted
walk TO the wharves. He identified
the launch that was to take him
down the coast, by his luggage piled
upon the deck.
Two men were indoIently coiling
ropes. and q figure sat on the deck
house surrounded with oily rags and
cleaning q revolver.
Senior ortega?" asked Grahame.
at your service" replied the man
brushing the rags aside.
The American stared at the gun.
when do we Ieaye?"
whenever you wish. Imms-
diateIy."
Grahame leaped down to the
laaneRs deck. He looked again at
the revolver. was It you that
heard shooting in the town a little
while aso?"
Don Raoul hesitated. "No," he re-
piled. II have been here for hours"
The two men paused with their
rope-coiling and glanced ct 0rtega.
One OF them grInned and turned his
head. DON RaouI spoke to them
sharply and one went below while
the other loosed the lines that held
the craft 10 the wharf. From below
came the sound Of the engine cough
ing into activity.
An hour later the Progreso light
house was a hazs point astern. and
the Yueatan coast a low line to the
staFboard az they pushed against
the Gull current.
GFahame and 0.tega iounged in
the cockpit. smoking and Idly watch,
Ing school II porpoIss RON through
the waves ahead.
nEF0RE they had gotten under
- way Frank. struck by the coinci.
dence OF names. had asked this Don
Raonl Ortega II he were the one who
had been In the United States a few
weeks before In Hollywood.
ALSO he had anticipated the an.
eWer. ortega is q common name in
Nexlc0: 80 again Is Raoul-whlch Il
ne Latin for Ralph Nor was he dis
8pointed. ~ az4tfafis.,n !.
The man had shrugged, "a rela.
tire. perhaps, Half the, gentlemen
IN Nexiee. I think. are related. WIS
20 yShsask? S5ms.friekdsof yoarsss
FraHk had filed his pipe and
lighted II. "No friend OF mine," he
answered. "Bnt l would like to ask
him some questions f. that he
might and dificult to answer"
0rtega bad given him fiickering
glance. He smiled q euriously reti.
cent smile.
"what did you say your name
vas, senorY"
u dfdn't say" answered Grahame
abruptly.
He cid not like Don Raoul. There
was something sinister-evasive--
about the big Mexican.
Bat q vas fortunate that he wal
able TO get this transportation
around Cape Catoche. and down the
coast OF oRlntana REQ.
The Progrsso port oiflcer had told
him that morning that the light
house tender would not be making
that trip for weeks Jet, but that Don