The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-03-03

Il felt he was suspicious" she end
ed up.
"It's certainly queer his going into
details like that" said Bobby. What
do you think is at the bottom o. all
this business, Frankie?"
well. I'm beginning to think that
your suggestion of dope gang isn't
such a bad guess after ALL"
with DR.. Nicholson as the head
Of the gang?"
"Yes. This nursing home business
would be very good cloak for that
sort of thing"
That seems plausible enough"
agreed Bobby.
81 haven't told you yet about Hen.
ry Bassington-ffrench."
Bobby listened attentiVely to her
description of her hosts idiosyncra-
cies. His wife doesn't suspect"
"I'n sure she doesn't"
"What is she like? Intelligent"
81 never thought exactly. No. sup
pose she isn't very. And yet in some
ways she seems quite shrewd. A
frank. pleasant woman"
"And our Bassington-ffrench?"
There I'm puzzled" said frankie
slowly. do you think. Bobby. that
just possibly we might be all wrong
about him?"
"Nonsense!" said Bobby. I'VE
worked it all out and decided that
he must be the villain Of the piece"
Because of the photograph"
Because of the photograph" No
one else could have changed that
photograph for the other"
81 know" said frankie. But that
one incident is all that we have
against him."
DOLBY looked at her coldly. Ibid
- you say that he had fallen for
you. or that you had fallen for him?"
he inquired politely.
frankie flushed. Don't be so abb
surd. Bobby. just wondered If there
couldn't be some innocent explana-
tion-that's ALL"
81 don't see that there can be.
Especially now that we've actually
found the girl in the neighborhood.
That seems to clinch matters. Ii
we only had some inkling as to who
the dead man was"
"Oh. but | have. I'm nearly sure
that the murdered man was some
body called Alan Carstairs."
"You know" said Bobby. I'VE re-
ally are getting on. Let's spread out
our facts and see what sort Of job
We can make Of it.
He paused for a moment and the
car slackened speed as though in
sympathy.
First. we'll assume that you are
right about Alan Carstairs. He GER.
tainIy fulfils the conditions. Alan Car.
stairs comes down to Staverly with
these people-what did you say their
name was-?"
"Rivington. There's a possible
channel of inquiry there. In fact
think we ought to follow it up"
1--WE will Very well. Carstairs.
comes down to Staverley with the
Rivingtons. Now. is there anything
in that?"
you mean did he get them to
bring him down here deliberately"
That's what mean. Or was 1t
just a casual chance? Was he brought
down here by them. and did he then
come across the girl by accident just
as | did? presume he knew her be-
fore or he wouldn't have had her
photograph on him."
1.-THE alternative being" said
frankie thoughtfully. that he was
already on the track of Nicholson
AMI his gang"
"And used the Rivingtons as Q
means of getting to this part Of the
world naturally?"
That's quite a possible theory"
said frankie. "He may have been on
the track of this gang"
COR simply on the track of the
girl
"The girl?"
Eyes. She may have been abducted.
He may have come over to England
to find her."
well. but if he mad tracked her
down to Staverley why should he go
off to Wales?"
obviously. there's a lot we don't
know yet" said Bobby.
Evans" said frankie thoughtful
ly. I'VE don't get any clues as to
Evans"
They were both silent for a mo-
ment or two. Then frankie woke up
to her surroundings.
my dear. we're actually at Putney
Hill. 1t seems like FIVE minutes.
Where are we going and what are
we doing?"
That's for you to say. don't even
know why we've come up to town."
THE journey to town was only an