The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-11-28
The Wrong Murderer
By HUGH CLEvELY

to his pocket. And Mahony had been
waiting for that. AS Lawson's hand
moved. Mahony hurled himself for
ward from the wall in a swift. long
jump. and was on Kim.
The revolver came out OF Law.
sons pocket. but before he had time
to aim it Mahony had grabbed the
barrel in his left hand and twisted
it sharply upwards. There sounded
the hard, sharp crack of a shot. and
a fash Of bright flame spurted up.
ward; a lump of plaster fell down
from the ceiling and shattered into
broken fragments on the floor.
Then Mahony's right came over
in smashing wallop that knocked
Lawson clear across the room. to
collapse in heap in the corner. The
revolver remained grasped in Ma
hony's hand.
Good work." said Inspector Ken
needy.
| he turned 10 Lawson.
Ambrose Lawson. arrest you on
a charge of being concerned IN the
illegal sale of narcotic drugs. It is
my duty to warn you that anything
you say may be taken down and used
as evidence at your trial. ! may also
warn you that charges OF more sc.
rious nature will probably be pre-
ferred against you later.
The Inspector made motion to a
man who had entered the room Just
behind him.
Take him away, Sergeant" he
said.
|DURING the Inspectors speech
~ Lawson had risen to his feet. II
was quite obvious to him that he
game was up. What he had planned
to be the hour Of his triumph over
Mahony was the hour OF his doom.
He knew what the further charges
to be preferred against him. later
would consist Of He would be
charged with murder.
He laughed. Now that his end was
certain. he could meet il d. family.
Il congratulate you. Mahony. You
were too clever for me after ALL" he
said. "You can put those handouts
away. Sergeant; shall come quietly
very quietly"
His hand flashed to his mouth.
Inspector Kennedy and the serseant
both sprang forward quickly and
grabbed him. But they wei too late.
Even as they seized him his body
arched in tense CONFUSION: his
hands clawed wildly at the air: a
hoarse. gasping rattle sounded In his
throat.
Then he fell Imply in their arms.
Inspector Kennedy bent over him
for a moment. But there was moth.
ing to be done. Ambrose Lawson was
dead.
The Inspector rose.
you take charge here for the time
being. Sergeant" he ordered I'm
going to LawsOn's house to finish the
Investigations there You'd better
take Miss Fraser home. Mahuny
shan't want her or you again tonight.
1t may interest you To kHow that we
got all Lawson's gang all right They
were never so surprised In their lives
as when they suddenly found them
selves surrounded by the police"
He smiled.
$50 far as the warrants against
you and Miss Fraser are concerned
think we may consider them with
drawn. You'll probably wake up and
find yourselves the national hero and
heroine in the morning"
He turned to Elsa. who was stand.
ing rather forlornly In corner OF
| the room.
IF you'd care for my esrort. I
could give you a lift home On my
way" he said.
Elsa flushed slightly.
THANK you" she said.
Mahony took Ruth hume in taxi.
During the greater part of the drive
both of them were rather silent Now
that all the excitement was over.
both of them felt a little Hat and
washed out. e,
Ruth sighed. -
81 wonder what will happen now"
she said.
| "Oh. inquests and interviews and
whole lot of nuisances OF that
| kind. I expect" answered Mahony
enthusiastically There will be q
lot of fuss in the newspapers and
Miss Little will probably be offered
half dozen new film contracts. You
will be asked to write the story Of
your life. and to allow your photo
to be put in advertisements of dozens
of patent foods."
OH" said Ruth. Anyway. Elsa
knows now that you didn't kill her
uncle" she added.
'"Yes." said MahUny in a somewhat
| disagreeable tone. II suppose she
does"
"You don't seem very pleased
about it," observed Ruth.
| Mahony shrugged his shoulders.
(Copvriohs 1885 Hugh cisreIvJ
Ruth calls Terence a pig. Mon.