The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-06-25

| quickly. GdV0 IL DdcK 10 DlFK.
$50 this is what he was writing,
she said.
She was quieter now, at ease, a:
Dirk wanted her to be.
"You saw him writing. Hope?"
"Yes!" with a certain eagerness
Sitting at his desk. writing"
"And then he came into your
room," Dirk stated casually.
She did not answer. 1t was state
ment and she let it pass.
Dirk made it question.
WAS it then he came into your
room. Hope?"
EYES," after a pause. "Of course
it was. It was after he had written.
Why do you ask me that?"
Because" said Dirk. 81 know that
Rupert didn't kill himself"
you think >. You think did it?''
81 know now that you didn't"
well. then :. You said a minute
ago 1t was
81 said it was plainly suicide .
plainly TO those who read his note,
who saw the pistol beside his hand.
But it was l who put the pistol
where they found it, II lay too close
to where you had stood. OF course
he might have dropped it SO. but
there was a doubt"
"Close TO where | You did that
for me? -. But if you did thai for
me. why question me?"
"No. couldn't rest =. with it like
this. You couldn't either ...i. if you
knew. 1t wasn't to question you that
came in here. 1t was 10 tell you
something that you need to know.
| .'.'.- s""tp..s go fs4 80. tts
"NOU see." as she listened white
ly. 81 spent today in the tower
room. got up at daylight. and I've
been there ever since. wanted to
see it ;. examine it before they
stripped and cleaned it, as | knew
they must.
81 knew several things. | knew
that Rupert hadn't finished his note
to me. :. Wait. / want you to listen
without speaking. | want you to re-
serve your strength. for there's
something you've got to know. and
you've got to know it now. No one
else realizes that Rupert's note was
unfinished. No one knows that |
heard two shots that night so close
together that they sounded almost
like one.
mo one else made much Of the
fact that there were no powder
marks on Rupert's clothes. His note
cleared everything. They didn't even
look for the bullet that had killed
him. l looked for it and | found it,
buried in the paneling beside the
kas. But it was not the bullet from
the gun we found"
She had risen. She spoke. Whitley.
81 did it. He came in. and :"
mo. Not unless you are taller
than Rupert. Not unless you stood
on something"
why not?" she cried. "And as for
the pistol -"
Hope. dear. pull yourself to-
gether and answer me. After Rupert
after he was wounded did ne
cross the room? Did he move at all?"
mo. No. he fell. He fell right
where he stood"
Then" said Dirk. "the other per-
son =. the person who was in the
room with you both was
wounded"
He saw her hand tighten on her
breast.
There was blood on the floor" he
said.
81 know." whisper. where Ru-
pert lay"
Not only there. Over by the panel
ing. close to the wall. on the bare,
dark floor. You could hardly see it.
1t seemed to go under the paneling."
Under the -" There was no
sound. Only her Iipssmoving as she
repeated the words. Ss
There must be door there" he
said. you must show me-" 2
What are You going to bioe's she
whispered. what are you going to
do to him."
Find him." said Dirk. "He may
be badly hurt. What else is there to
do but find him?"
Eyes! Yes. I'll show YOU"
She had been weak. Now she was
strong. She went quickly to the door,
turned back to say.
Have you f1ash?"
Dirk went to his room, found a
fash-light. and rejoined her in the
hall. At the door of the tower-room
she halted. closed her eyes. then
with lifted head. went in. Dirk
switched on the light.
The room had been stripped. The
rug was gone. the draperies. She
caught her breath with what seemed
to Dirk relief, and crossing the room,
opened the wall-safe. Reaching with
In, she lifted its flooring, and pressed
. spring.
(cetvisIt, 1855 Margaret Bell RoEstosJ