The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-07-16

4
stood half way between door and
table. ostentatiously chalking a cue.
He looked up when Hylton entered
and nodded.
Having a gamer" the Inspector
asked.
1--WE just been knocking the pills
about"
"Lienumber one, "Hylton thought;
the click of ivory is curiously pene-
trating and unmistakable. and he
was prepared to take an oath that
no billiard balls had run on that
table since he had started his lunch
in the next room half in an hour be-
fore.
On the other hand. a young man
comes into the billiards room to see
if there is game going; he hears a
voice raised in the next room: he de-
cides to postpone his solitary game
and lays an inquisitive ear against
the panel Of the door. Hylton won
dered. -.
"l'1 give you a game If you like.
Mr.. Shipley." he said.
"Right-O." Dale answered. 81 see
you've got my name pat"
"Oh Sergeant White has pointed
out everyone in the place to me by
now."
"And suppose we're all suspect"
more or less. Spot or plain?"
"I'll take spot. can tell you a lot
of people who didn't do it,"
TIVE no doubt II you could only
L tell me all the people who didn't
do it the process of elimination
would be complete. Shall we string
for break?"
"Right-O. You play much of this
gamer"
"Not enough to keep in good prac-
tice. suppose yOU do?"
81 play pretty descent stick as a
rule" Dale admitted. He was a
young man to whom such admis-
sions came easily. Nature had made
him fairly good at most sports. and
imagination had turned him into a
master: but there was no imagina.
ton about Inspector Hylton's prof.
cheney at the game. 1t is a curious
fact in life that ability at chess and
at billiards often run together. and
for all his talk about playing "a de-
cent stick" Dale Shipley was strug.
CLING along in the fifties when Hyl-
ton ran out with an unfinished twen-
ty-seven.
Young Shipley did not like being
beaten at anything; he was not
good loser and he put his cue away
with only a pretense at good grace.
by the way" Hylton asked
casually. do you agree with Captain
Reeves's estimate OF Mr.. Burdett?"
What. about his being a dirty
damned old g." Shipley broke off
abruptly. he had walked into the
trap before he had noticed it. 81
heard him shouting out something
in the next room," he concluded
aWkwardly.
$50 it seems" Hylton concurred
pleasantly. 81 was Just wondering
whether you thought the same"
The young mans awkwardness in
creased. Its nothing to do with
me-" he said shortly. and rafting his
cue into its place he stalked out of
the room.
Dale left the Hoops in a bad tenn
per-not an uncommon frame OF
mind with that rather too good
looking young gentleman. He was
annoyed at having been so ignomini-
ously bested at billiards. still i ORE
annoyed at having walked into the
Inspectors child-like BOBBY trap.
Easy enough. of course. to make pre-
tense that he had innocently and un-
Intentionally overheard the CONVEX
sation in the next room; but impos-
sible. nevertheless. to get rid of the
substratum OF uncomfortable knowl.
edge. The Inspector knew. and Dale
knew that the inspector knew. that
what oyerhearing there had been
was not accidental.
What the hell does 1t matter. any.
way" he tried to reassure himself
GROSSLY as he swung round the cor.
ner OF Fielden Lane towards his cot
tage.
Dale"
He turned sharply and looked
into the big meadow on his right.
The short winter afternoon was al
ready beginning to end. and In the
still grey light which presaged frost
he could see figure walking along
the path attended by a red setter in
transports Of ridiculous excitement.
His first instinct was to curse un-
der his breath.
The figure was that of Nancy
Featherstone. and although Dale
had no particular reason for want
ing to avoid Nancy, he on the other
hand had no particular reason for
wanting to talk with anyone.
(cosrrsAf. 1880. Lasrs.e. W. Ksyssily
Nancy gets an invitation 10 tea,
tomorrow.