The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-10-17
By HUGH CLEvELY

But the circumstances were not
ordinary. He did not want any
friendship with a girl hindering his
activities.
Sorry" said Mahony. 81 expect I
would bore you stiff. So really it's
probably all for the best that it's inn.
possible for us to meet again." a..
A slight smile touched the. cor
ners of her lips.
"Oh, you think it's impossible, do
your" she said. "All right. Well. 1
won't keep you now. So long. And
thanks for the ride"
With that she waved to him, and
turned and mounted the front door.
steps of her guardians house. She
rang the bell and turned and waved
again. Mahony waved back. Then
he drove away.
In answer to Ruth's ring the door
was opened by an elderly butler
clad in pyjamas and q dressing.
gown. At the sight of her his eyes
opened wider: he seized the door
with his right hand as if he needed
support.
miss RUTH" he exclaimed in a
startled tone.
That's who 1t is, Mullins" an.
swered Ruth. VERY hungry and
very sleepy. Be an aLgel and get
me some hot soup or something.
And tell me, has the household been
terribly agitated by my absence?"
"Mr. Lee-Ramsden has naturally
been very worried" stammered the
butler. 81 must wake him at once
and tell him of your safe return"
AS Ruth advanced into the hall.
there was a sound of movement at
the top of the stairs, and a voice
called out: what is it. Mullins?"
THE speaker began to descend
L the stairs into the lighted hall.
He was a tall, well-made. vigorous
man, of between fifty-five and sixty.
with the air about him of one accus.
toned to command.
His features were handsome and
we'll formed; his white hair waved
back from broad. intellectual fore.
head; his eyes were blue and
steady. with hint of cynical humor
in their cool glance; his nose was
Roman. lending a touch of severity
to his face; his mouth and chin
were well shaped and determined.
One ugly feature he had which
was not noticed by the casual OBJ
server-his hands. They were very
broad in the palms. with short, ugly,
dumpy fingers, varying little in
length. A distinguished criminolo-
gist had once laughingly told Lee
Ramsden that he had the hands Of
a man constituencies and implaca-
ble-the hands of a killer. Lee
Ramsden had merely laughed.
Halfway down the stairs. catch
ing sight Of Ruth IN the hall. he
stopped short with the air of a man
who has received a sudden shock.
In a moment he recovered himself
and hurried on down the stairs.
Ruth! My dear child! Where
have you sprung from?" he ex-
claimed. I'VE thought you'd been
kidnapped. Your aunt came round
and made an awful fuss. Really.
we've been worried to death about
YOU"
'Tve been a bit worried about
myself" answered Ruth. But I'm
not going to talk till I've had some
food. I'm almost dying of starva-
tion."
She also wanted to get quite
clear in her mind the story she was
going to tell. Hot soup was brought
into the dining-room, and when she
had drunk it, Ruth related the story
she had arranged with Mahony. Her
guardian listened attentively until
she had finished. Then he shook his
head slightly and smiled.
Its a good story, my dear, an
excellent story-in fact it's been
one of my favorite stories ever
since l first read 1t as a boy" he
commented. 'but it won't do. Won't
you tell me where you've really
been?"
"But I've told you," she protested.
Il got into a taxi and a man got
in with me and chloroformed. me.
Then was taken to a house some
where outside London; don't know
exactly where because 1t was dark
and didn't pay much attention on,
the way back"
And a gallant stranger dashed
single-handed into the house and
rescued you from the sinister trio
and brought you safely home," OBJ
served Lee-Ramsden. He shrugged
his shoulders slightly.
"You don't know who kidnapped
you. You don't know where you
were taken. You don't know who
your rescuer was" he continued In
an ironic tone. "My dear, what a
story to tell the police when they
ask where you've been. I'm quite
sure they won't believe you"
"But what else can l tell themr
asked Ruth.
(CopDrioht. 1885. Huoh Cfepelvl