The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-03-23
Chapter 40
MORA

Chapter 40
MORA
NOBODY had as yet evolved any
Y plans. Bobby rather doubtfully
murmured something about police.
Much the best thing to do" said
Roger cheerfully. Ring them up and
hand me over TO them. The charge
will be abduction, l suppose. l can't
very we'll deny that" He looked at
frankie. Il shall plead a guilty pas
sion."
frankie Redeemed. what about
murder?" she asked.
"My dear. you haven't any evil
dence. Positively none. Think it over
and you'll see you haven't"
Badger" said Bobby. you'd bet
ter stay here and keep an eye on him.
I'll go down andTing up the police"
You'd better be careful" said
frankie. I'VE don't know how many
of them there may be in the house"
mo one but me-" said Roger. 81
was carrying this through single.
habded% Z
Bobby bent over and tested the
knots
Hes all right" he said. safe as
houses. We'd better all go down to-
gether We can lock the door,"
Terribly distrustful. aren't you,
my dear chap" said Roger. There's
a pistol in my pocket if you'd like it.
1t may make you feel happier. and
it's certainly no good to ne in my
present position"
Bobby bent down and extracted
the weapon.
Kind of you to mention it." he
said. "If you want to know. it does
make me feel happier"
Bobby took the candle and they
filed out of the attic, leaving Roger
lying on the floor Bobby locked the
door and put the key in his pocket.
He held the pistol in his hand.
"Pll go first" he said. We've got
to be quite sure and not make a mess
of things now"
A rather rickety flight of steps led
down to the main landing. Every
thing was quiet. Bobby looked over
the banisters. The telephone was in
the hall below.
WED better look into these rooms
first" he said. I'VE don't want to be
taken in the rear" -..--.s
Badger flung open each door in
turn. OF the four bedrooms, three
were empty. In the fourth a slender
figure was lying on the bed.
Its MORA" cried frankie.
The others crowded in. MORA was
lying like one dead except that her
breast moved up and down ever so
slightly.
"She's drugged. l think" said
frankie.
She looked round. A hypodermic
syringe lay on little enamel tray on
a table near the window.
She'll be all right. l Think" she
said. but we ought to get DOCTOR"
Lets go down and telephone"
said Bobby.
They adjourned to the hall below.
They got through to the police sta
ton quite easily. but found a good
deal of difficulty in explaining mat.
tiers. The local police were highly
disposed to regard the summons as
practical joke.
However. they were convinced at
last. and Bobby replaced the receiver
with a sigh. He had explained that
they also wanted a doctor. and the
police constable promised to bring
one along. 50
TEN minutes later a car arrived
with an inspector. a constable,
and an elderly man who had his pro-
fession stamped all over him.
Bobby led the way to the attic
then stood dumbfounded in the door
way. In the middle of the floor was
heap of severed ropes. Underneath
the broken skylight chair had been
placed on the bed which had been
dragged out till it was under the sky
light.
OF Roger Bassington-ffrench there
was no sign.
"He must have had a knife in his
pocket" said frankie.
Even then. how could he get at
1t? Both hands were bound together
behind his back"
The inspector coughed. All his for
mer doubts had returned. He was
more strongly disposed than ever to
regard the whole thing as hoax.
The doctor was their salvation. He
declared at once that MORA Lad
been drugged with morphia or some
preparation of opium. He did not
consider her condition serious and
though she would awake naturally
in four or five hours time