The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-06-04
Chapter Is


Chapter Is
MISSING REVOLVER
IF WAS ! squat roll Of old star
! carpet. There was q seofched
hole through the tough fabric and 8
further search showed = scar on tbs
whiteWashed 6oards where the spent
bullet had hit
Were on the right road nov.
Harper exclaimed exultantIy. sIf We
could only fnd that steel-jacket bul-
let we'd have our proof complete"
"rm afrAid the killer wouid hold
on to that.s was Laifefty'6 6ufmise.
There's q natural urge to get rid
Of That sort o. e7idence.s Harper
cou1tered. and I'm counting on
that
Trey swung their IashIIght about
- random. whats n that little
eubby-hols over thefe7''
Lafferty peked HE head down.
Logs Tor the fireplace" he an
nounced.
They moved those from one side
Of The narrow bln to Tie other but
found nothing hidden beneath them.
Harper flashed hie light asOund che
sides Of the bin and the beam came
70 rest on 4rough board barrier set
fnsh into avail.
The detteIivs 6nf6ste1ed tie
Fusty hooks And pulled 4 Zee. after
. struggle. A dark space hIied with
xubbl6 w45 revealed, greeting them
win q dams. L6usty od0F.
THAT must Be TIE space under the
fro1t steps," sald Harper. kaReffy
suddenly raised his hand. 'Lfstengs
he whispered. "Thefs's soma one on
the stairs. I heard q board efeak!s
he tiptoed silently n that dlFee.
tlon. while Harper snapped on the
light and listened, waiting. II . little
while Lafefts returned. dfsgrun-
tied. There wasn't q soul IN sight. !"
he growled. but I'm sure somebody
waa fastening IN
'Tm gong u look h that hole. !"
Harper dstldF6d. sdivs me ! BOOST
Up to the LEDGE with HE asstsf
ants ed be scrambled on to the
ssouideF.hfkh ledge. Thrnsting the
torch aheads he erawled forward on
In knees. L1EfeFty heard . grunt Of
disgust 90 be brushed aside Z black
thing that cf6@led cut from under .
dillodged lump 81 mortar.
There was q cry. q scramble back.
wtrds and Harper slid down 20 the
cellar aoeF In Q shower Of small
stones and dirt. HIS clothes we're.
solled with lime and the soft, mossy
dirt and his hauds were brushing at
the thick eobWehb caught around
HIS head ana shoulders. but IN his
staif6d fingers be- held q lump o.
metal.
-CaflIn wds rIfksl" Ne exclaimed.
It WGs 3 discharged IS cxllbef
steeEj6ektt bullet!
nUT. Steve. ten y0n / saw IT,
- right there. buried a4der those
handkeFt6ltftl"
l.aksFty b6Inted 70 the opsn draw.
er Of TIE hibhb0y 81 Pierre On.
freste'6 dfe1sihs.t06m. There W6s
palp6bIy nothing (Aere nov but the
neatly el4ck61 BdndkeFehieEs
= c6uIdn't BE- mistaken about any
thing &c important ~ that. Il WIS
not an aut0Mhtio. bUt q heavy cali
Der rssoiter. Andrews Wa looking
for Dnlltsne's extra pairs 81 glasses
and they were b the drawer On the
other side. TIE EuA Nns got 10 :
holster. "a BET Z months pay tue
bullets would Be ass"
Il don't ktt this q an Harper
unused. I'VE went on ~ ourselves
and made - important discovery
that has q q win TIE sun used ~
this crime. 40 one knew angthInk
khoul err 1sD1 yes WHEN Ne
lsstS. lol Ms Non l.lsss ti,an I6a
hour later tlse revolver has ben
spirited auAe. That's more than :
coincldene2is
Harper hooked through The ether
drawers n the hikAboy. The cou.
tents were Ia mtticuiods order md
It wa appAfent at Z Glance thal
nothIne aa bulky Is the revolver
I.aflefty had described eonld Be hid.
den there now.
TO bs aoabsy 6ufs that IAasfss
and ~ hAa 6veFlooksa n6thlns.
Harper wsAt through TIE DRIVERS
once mere. ond s1te Tie pleaSAAt
room 3 h4gky gsASr4l eeAFcA beE6Ee
either sp6As NeAIn. TAese was roth
ms.
~Dona l5sess~ LAnsFty advised
drily. that there was q noise on the
stairs while We were poking around
the cellar. Some one IN this house
- trying 10 keep an eve On ~ I
thlnk it'n Andrewa That fellow eau
move around with lesa noise than =
snake
~ that vas the rayolver we're
.looklng tor Harper went %. 4
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