The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-10-27

HAVE you still got the note?"
asked Mahony of the shabby
man.
"Yes. l think So"
The shabby man fumHed in a
breast pocket and produced a crum-
pied envelope.
Here it is. I'm supposed to de.
liver It at ten tonight if want that
job. but I'm not taking any. I'd
rather pick pockets or try my hand
at cat burglary"
Mahony considered for moment.
He looked the shabby man up and
down.
eli give you a flyer for that
note." he said.
What z" exclaimed Nilsson
But 49,. surely you're not thinking
OF trying for that job. are you?"
Mahony did not answer the ques-
ton.
do you want that fver" he
asked.
Nilsson shrugged his. shoulders.
"Of course | want the flyer; | al
ways want fivers." he remarked.
"And il you don't mind taking job
like that. suppose that's your fu-
neral. Here you are: deliver 1t to
Mr. Brown. 1877 Jamaica Road. Pen.
nyfields. at ten tonight And good
luck TO you"
Mahony handed over the flyer and
received the note. He declined Mil
sons urgent invitation to come some
where and have a drink. and left
him.
When Mahony was out of sight
Nilsson entered the nearest tele-
phone-box. The man he telephoned
was Ambrose Lawson.
HE fell for it all right" he stated.
That was all he said. Then he rang
off.
NIILSON was not altogether right
w in saying that Mahony had
fallen for it. At the beginning OF
their conversation Mahony had
been ready to believe that he might
have met Nilsson in the Shanghai
Bar and forgotten meeting him.
Then there had come a little dis
crepancy in Wilson's story - the
mention of Kosoff Nal ony had
never known Kosoff i'm Shanghai.
But be had mentioned the name of
Shultz as a dope trafficker at the
Little's that morning. And the fact
that he had been a newspaper cor.
respondent in China might easily
be known to lawson: Billy Ross
might have mentioned it.
Ii occurred to Mahony that Law.
son had put together all he knew
about Mahony's career in China to
try to lure him into a trap.
Mahony intended to walk into
that trap. not blind and unaware.
but with his eyes open. expecting
trouble and ready for it. One precau.
ton only he took; he wrote note
to LeeRamsden telling him what he
proposed doing. and the address he
was going to.
That note would reach Lee Rams
den by the first post in the morning.
and Mahony asked .ee-Ramsden TO
communicate with Inspector Ken
nedy if he should not ring him up
before eleven the same morning.
Just before ten that night Mahony
raped at the door Of 1877 Jamaica
Road. which was tall. dingy. tim
bledOwn house. in a row tf dingy
tumbIedown houses. The door was
opened by a bent. shrivelie6 old
man. who looked up at Mahony out
of bleary eyes. Mahony handed him
the note.
Il was told to bring this here at
ten tonight" he said.
The old man took the note and
looked at Mahony suspiciously.
wait here minute" he said.
He closed the front door. Mahony
waited. After about half a minute
the front door opened again and the
old man beckoned Mahony inside.
His manner this time was more civil
and conciliating.
"Mr. Brown says you're to come
In and wait in his room." he said.
"He won't keep you longer than he
can help"
MahOny's hand was In his coat
pocket; he was ready for anything
that might happen. But though he
strained his ears to hear the slight
est sound near him he could hear
nothing except his own footsteps
and those of the old man: the house
seemed surprisingly silent. almost
deserted.
Cautiously. every sense on the