The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-10-21
By HUGH CLEvELY

ribly good sort. she was glad sne
had fixed that up all right.
She told her guardian what she
had arranged. and went on with her
breakfast. The previous night she
had been much too tired to bother
much about the why's and where
fores of, things; her only curiosity
had been about the identity Of her
rescuer. ~,
This morning. after a good sleep.
that curiosity was intensified. and
added to 1t was a curiosity about
the rest OF the story. Mysterious
things had been happening to her.
Not many girls of her age had had
such adventures.
The one fly In the ointment of her
bliss was the fact that she did not
know her rescuer's name. That did
not suit her at all. One thing she
had to work on-that he had been
friendly with Billy Ross. In that
case. other friends of Billy would
probably know him. Elsa Little. for
instance. would probably know
him: there was not much about
Billy that she didn't know. Ruth de-
cided to go to see Elsa. describe
Mahony to her. and try to find out
who he was.
After breakfast she drove round
to Elsa's house in her big cream.
colored sports car. The maid who
admitted her knew her as a frequent
visitor. and showed her at once into
the drawing.room. where Elsa, Ma.
hony. Lawson. and the two detec-
tives were assembled.
For a moment she was aston.
ished: she had not expected to find
all these people present. But her
establishment was swallowed by her
delight in meeting Mahony there.
"HALLO. Elsa" she said. She
/ j turned to Mahony and smiled:
her eyes sparkled with mischief.
HALO" she said casually. fancy
meeting you"
Inwardly she was purring with
glee. Mahony had said that they
would not meet; she had been quite
determined to prove him wrong;
and by the most incredible good
luck she had succeeded first shot.
She could not resist the temptation
to rub 1t In little.
She looked at him. smiling. He
had no answering smile for her. Nor
had Elsa. Then. for the first time.
she perceived that somewhere
something was definitely wrong.
Her glance travelled round the sol.
emn circle of the people in the
room.
Lawson was staring at her with
an expression of the utmost bewil-
derment on his face. as II he could
hardly believe that she was real.
Nobody had yet told him of her res
cue from the house near Watford:-
her presence in the room was his
first intimation of it.
Whats the matter with all of
your" she asked. why are you all
looking at me as IL I'd come out
without any clothes on? What's
wrong?"
For moment nobody answered.
Then Inspector Kennedy replied to
her.
''I'm sorry to have to tell you that
Mr.. Little. Miss Titles uncle. was
murdered last night"
"Murdered!"
Ruth was Mortified.
How how dreadful. Elsa ).
I'm terribly sorry to hear 1t. Is
there anything can do? Have they
:. have they caught the man who
did it?"
Elsa made a little gesture with
her hand indicating Mahony.
THAT man did it," she answered
stonily. "He came in here late last
night and stabbed my uncle in the
back"
al. don't believe it." said Ruth
instantly. HE couldn't have done
it He was with me nearly all last
night"
Everyonef except Mahony stared
at her in a shocked fashion. Ma
hony scowled ferociously at her.
Was this fool girl. he wondered 60
Ing to spill all the blasted beans.
when he had particularly asked her
to keep her mouth shut?
Ruth guessed what he was think.
ing: she went on hastily:
"He came down into the country,
In. his car. to fetch me from my
friends cottage. I've been staying
with a friend named Anne Dowson
in cottage near Harfield. In Sus-
sex. asked him If he'd come down
and give me lift back to town. and
he came"
Il am Inspector Kennedy. OF the
Criminal investigation Department,
and | am investigating the murder
OF Mr.. Little" said Inspector Ken
nedy. May | ask your manner"
my name Is Ruth Fraser" an.
swered Ruth.
Aren't you the girl who has been
missing from home for several
days?" he went on.
"Yes." she admitted. "But that
was all false alarm"
Il, fcopyrtolt 1886 Hugh cleveiyl
L :. Temporarily tomorrow, the situs
alton eases for Mahony.