The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-07-13


windows over which the curtains,
motheaten and dirty, were now
drawn. In the middle of the left hand
wall was a rather fine old fireplace
which had evidently had no fire in
it for long enough.
Towards the centre of the room,
but rather neare. to the windows
than the exact centre. was round
mahogany table and near it cheap
chair of the ordinary kitchen kind.
The two lamps which shed such
an uncanny, Pickering light over
everything stood one at either end
of the mantleshelf. Between them
was a clock with its glass broken
and minus one of its hands.
Anything been touched?" Hyl-
ton asked when he had taken all
this in.
Hardly thing, SIR
"How many people have been In
since it happened?"
"Lumsdale and myself, of course,
and the doctor and the Chief Con-
stable. That's all | think"
Nothing been taken out or
brought in?"
"Only the sheet Inspector"
Hylton's eyes travelled slowly
back again to the principal adorn-
ment of the room, a humped-up,
sheeted thing slouched in huddle
over the table.
Take the sheet of. White" he
said, land let's have a look. Care
fully"
Somewhat gingerly the Sergeant
carried out the order.
Fetch one of those lamps" Hyl-
ton ordered, and presently the thing
on the table was shown up in COM
parative intensity of yellow light.
ELriNGSLEY HYLTON stared at it
II for long time without speak
ing, indeed without moving. Then,
very cautiously. he stretched out his
hand and taking hold of lock or
two of the still plentiful hair pulled
the head up slightly.
"R.gor's gone of. of course" he
said, half to himself. "a pretty use
full sort of bash, Sergeant"
James White. studying afresh the
ugly looking dent in the forehead.
running down into the eyebrow. part
of which seemed to be torn away,
and thickly clotted all over with
dried blood, was inclined to agree.
Eyes, hard smack sir"
"Quite enough to kill a man, 1
SUPPOSED"
Doctor Chambers said he didn't
think it would have killed younger
man, not outright: but apparently
Mr.. Burdett suffered with his heart,
and he died from the shock as much
as anything"
"Um. What the deuce makes a
mans HEAVYWEIGHT so heavy Ser
geant? ALI the brains. do you sup
poser"
Sergeant White couldn't say.
Hylton let the heavy head go
gently back into it's resting place.
Somehow he took the disquieting
fancy that it did not go there gladly.
1t was as though the fierce, saw
agely self-centred spirit who had
been so rudely dispossessed of his
clay house was lowering near. in
dignantly anxious to take up pos
session again.
thine was when the brains being
dashed out a man would die and
there an end of it" the Inspector
said reflectiVely. "But those were
the good old times. Nowadays the
brains being out is only the begin
ming of the matter. The question is
who did the dashing? This is what
did it apparently"
That's right sir" Sergeant White
said with assurance, as the Inspec-
tor picked UP and examined a heavy
wooden club that lay on a sheet Of
paper by the side of the table. zone
Of pair sir, you'll see the other on
a nail on the wall between the win
dows."
The Inspector looked at the indi-
| I'D shat onG
Doesn't look like a premeditated
job"
mo sir"
: fUnless it was someone who knew
these clubs were here"
well, it might be that sir"
Halo, what's that?"
There was a noise in the hall and
White strobe to the door to investi-
gate.
"It's Andrew Lumsdale Inspec-
tor" he announced, reappearing in
the room.
Good. Bring him in"
Rough looking DEVIL" was Hyl.
toms first thought as he studied the
close cropped. almost convict-like
head and the surly expression Of the
man who followed the Sergeant into
the room.
Andrew Lumsdale was a power
fully built man Of. between forty
and fifty.
(cesvisis. 1886, kasysses ". Ksy.sYJ