The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-01-15

deal to you. have sketched a stu
alton that could be very unpleasant.
Your daughter has killed a man. Do
you or do you not want that to get
out?"
81 don't believe It."
"Really?" said LAMAR. 81 had
thought made myself clear, but you
will ask her yourself. perhaps? And
be quick. Mr.. West. For my OWN rea-
sons l am giving you but two days
to decide"
"How damned noble of you" said
Ray scathingly. Il suppose you real
lie this has to be taken up by my
lawyers"
THAT, presume, is a natural
course. Shall l communicate with
them or with your"
with them, of course. ! don't
want anything to do with you. No
wait I'll see Allaire first"
"And them"
"Then I'll tell you what to do.
Now. clear out"
LAMAR bowed.
81 will get in touch with you later
today or tomorrow. May / remind
you?-two days. am sorry to be SO
abrupt; believe me. it cannot be
helped"
He left and Ray sat back, breath.
ing little hard, and acknowledging
a fact that he had tried to ignore
for long time-namely. that as a
father he was worse than useless.
His daughter had run wild and
Heaven only knew what she'd do
next. He had to find her and find her
fast.
He called his wife's home in Wash
ington and asked for Allaire. She
wasn't there. She had gone out two
nights before and had not returned,
nor had she left any word.
Then Ray got busy with a ven-
geance. He had two club attendants
put through calls to the Covington
Hunt Club and Camberwell Springs
Country Club. two favorite haunts
of hers. where she sometimes went
for weeks at time. While they were
calling. Ray called Westlands.
His butler told him that Allaire
wasn't there either. The attendants
reported their respective verdicts:
neither of the clubs had seen Miss
West for months.
D AY began to perspire. He put
N through another call to his wife.
Her sleepy voice over the wire near
ly maddened him.
Nell? Where, in Gods name, is
Allaire?"
Haven't the slightest idea" she
returned. "You know how she hobs
off places"
II have to find her right away"
"Why the paternal anxiety all of
a sudden. dearest?" his wife drawled..
This is something new. isn't it?" !:
Something new has come up" he
told her tersely "Your dashing
friend LAMAR has just found out she
shot somebody in South America"
RAY! What on earth are you say
ing%
I'm speaking English, Nell. She
killed a man in South America and
he's asking for thirty thousand dol
lars to hush it up. He's giving me
two days and then the story goes
out I've got to find If the story is
true. II it is. We can't let it ride.
Come on, see If you can't pick up AL.
laire's trail somewhere. I'll hold on"
There was silence on the other
end OF the wire. Nell was evidently
thinking as deeply as she could with
in the bounds of her nature and early
morning shocks.
II can't imagine Ramon acting
like that. Do you really mean-?"
IL mean he's skunk and every.
body knew it but you, Nice speci-
mems you manage to pick up hither
and yon."
Il don't like your tone. Ray. and
you'd better change it"
"Oh. Lord. let's don't get into an
argument Let's find Allaire. Can't
you see that it's Important"
That percolated.
This is awful. 1t mustn't get out.
Heavens-!"
swell. do something" he said
crisply. Doesn't anybody know
where she is?"
wait. I'll see what can find out"
He stewed around while she left
the phone. Murder! That was a nice
thing II it was true. Now that he re-
membered it. his daughter had acted
rather strangely since her return
from South America.
His wife returned.
"All l can discover from the ser.
wants is that a man named Willett
called on her that night and right
after he left she went upstairs,
changed from evening dress to sports
clothes. and left too. She said moth
Ing to anybody"
What" gasped Ray. "Do you
think she ran OF with him? That's q
lovely note. Here's LAMAR black
mailing her and already she's run
on with somebody else. Who the hell
Is WiIletti lwillett-f"
Copyright. 1855. By David GorthI