The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-05-17

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panels shiyered under the vibration
land came jingiing down over the
floor.
Still there was no answer. A dead
silence reigned within. The hash.
Hight. sweeping from side to side,
gave fugitive glimpses Of wide,
deep hall with paneied woodwork
land richly furnished. But there was
something eerie about this silent
place with its teetering door and
the snow seeping over the sill.
They looked at each other, then
started as the door Numbered shut
behind them. Prep that damn thing
lopen!" Connal!y shouted. and jerk
ing out his service revolver. "a.
yanced warily into the hall. He had
glimpsed faint line of light under
a door farther down the hall. He
tried the knob cautiously. then lung
the door back with a quick motion.
Hilleary had found the electric light
switches near the front door. but
could get no response from any Of
them.
Armed and alert. Connally peered
into the room-and stood rooted to
1.-The threshold Over his shoulder
came the sharp hiss of indrawn
breath from his companion as he.
TOO. saw.
Connally.s brain was swift In re-
action. A moments examination Of
the gruesorie burden OF that room
confIrmed his worst fears. dom.
touch anything here" he warned.
backing away toward the door. Il
saw a telephone out in the hall Il
it's disconnected you'll have to
drive back and report this" To his
satisfaction. when he lifted the tele-
phone receiver he heard the familiar
buzz. and In a few moments his call
was through to the Fourteenth Pre-
cinct
EI0NNALI.Y had no sooner re-
~ placed the telephone receiver
than the clammy silence of this trag.
ic house weighed DOM upon them
again The wind went whistling
down the deep hall. stirring up for.
tive rustliuss. as OF unseen draper
les. while the silent snow sifted far.
Their and farther over the threshold.
The one room In the house they had
entered had been fairly warm. but
the exposed hallway was as chill
and biting as the outdoors.
Hilleary swung HE torch Ia *.
ploring circles. The qnesting beam
discovered q refectory table bear
ing several bronze candelhra with
TALL tapering candles. These sput
tere1 and ilickered great deal be-
fore they consented to 66fn. tnfh
Ing the hall into . place or ieaping
shadows and shifting Visibility.
"You take one light. and I'll TAKE
the other and We can make sure
there's nobody hiding on this noor,
anyway. Connally suggested. I'VE
can let the upstairs 60 until the
others come"
A rush Of wind extlnguished the
candles IN one swoop. wen have
to tx that front door. Hilleary said.
"You light the candles again. I'll
attend to the door. ConnaiIy -
piled. There was . sturdy yale loeb
on the inside. but be fonnd that the
lock bar had been released whils
the deor was open. and thai. cpnss
quentiy. the door could not Be closed
until that was SET back. He did THE
and Il locked automatically. he Alza
noticed an old-fashioned key hang
Ing beside the door lamb. and. On
trying II. found that this vas Cor the
ordinary lock below the knob.
Guns IN hand. they Tilted The ean
delabra and looked 10 Ill the rooins
opening from the central hall. Tbs
search was quickly made and yield
ed nothing In the way Of interest,".
There were two doors IL the rear e
the house Each vas not only locked,
but bottled on the inside. Connnllg
found q key that lifted both locks
and put 1t Ii bis pocket. There mas
also short corridor that led 70 .
side door. This was locked. but the
key vas not present The de6f 10 The
cellars had no lock. only . latch. hut
was bolted at the eide and TOP. 60
Il was lea Is found. after 90 seenFk
IL had been tested. - $500 49, q
Connally was just returning from
this survey when thera came .
thanderous pounding at the front
door The policeman FASTENED 20
opan the door He was snrprisad
when he saw that tho Grst mAn
10 cross the threshold wore cisiiiAn
clothes. but soon recognized Oetoe.
tive Sergeant Harper. and salufed.
Next came Ofacer Clymef. then
Smith. and lastly . lgnre 10 gray
otefcoat slid lAuntily past Iusl e
be SWING the pon1erons door shat.
Once inside. DoyIe was al eyes. -
alert Is ! pointer ID the middle 81 .
tall grass aeld.
Harper pulled on his gloves.
: Where are theys~ he asked. sIm-
PLY
IN there connally pointed 90
The closed door on the left.
seeps,tpAs 1881. ~ wellss c. Rteknl
Temorsw. lsarpss Investigates
arueaonsa crime