The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-06-06
Chapter %
BROKEN WORD

WELL, and after she came up
W stairs" Dirk asked.
"Why, then she walked east, and
at Eighth Avenue she took a taxi"
Martin replied. 81 hoped another
one. But she was only going back to
Chez Simonette. watched her go in
at the back door, and then got the
car and called for her O.. . in front"
What color was the taxi she
cook? Remember"
"Yes. sir. 1t was yellow taxi.
Took the number in case I'd need it.
But she got out, like | gay"
You don't think that during any
of this she saw you?'
II know she didn't. Forty-eighth
Street was crowded, and | was care
full. never got close to her till she
reached the Garden, and then she
could have seen me if she'd looked
around, but she didn't. If I'd been a
detective, | could have gone down
behind her."
81 don't want detectives going
down behind her -. not in the day
time. at any rate She's safe enough
then, with you in the offing. I've got
detectives watching tho gates at
night"
Gosh. I'm glad of that. Is it that
car that sits across in Cotsfold
Road without any lights?"
you noticed it, then?"
Once or twice, yes, sir. thought
it was Dr. RAMS car. It's nearer
his fence than ours"
We'll. you can rest at night" said
Dirk. "And the only thing that's ex.
pected of you is to watch as you've
been doing. and without being seen.
without alarming Mrs. Joris. And to
report. I'll take care of the rest"
But to think" said Martin. Il left
her at Chez Simonette three hours
last Saturday"
Last Saturday, thought Dirk. A
matinee day. She had no doubt been
in the bowl watching the blond cow
boy wrestle steers. The rodeo was
over now. Was that the reason for
her relief, for the gayety with which
she had sung tonight?
At any rate. he knew who Mr..
Jones was. And the blond cowboy.
Dirk felt sure. was no other than
the clown-the foOlhardy. painted
clown-who had been hurt that
night in Merritt's Wonder Show.
He would tell the detectives to
get on the traces Of Torrobin and
the clown.
THERE were no further reports.
i The rodeo was gone, the horse
show had taken its place. and
Hopes access of shopping fervor
had ceased. She stayed in closely
during the succeeding rainy week.
Rupert having abandoned his prac'
tice of taking her out in the evening.
Once she let Martin take her for
lonely drive when she did not leave
the car.
The day of Elinor's wedding came.
a gray day. chequered with sunlight.
and cold with an easterly wind.
Rupert had been drinking when he
came home. Dirk. who had been
with him all morning in the office.
heard him on the stair and won
dered if he had come home to dress
and attend the wedding. Hope, Dirk
knew. was dressing in her room.
Rupert had no intention of attend.
ing the wedding. He was vague as
to why he had come home. and he
sat now. slumped beside his bed.
listening to little sound that came
from Hopes room. 1t was song
about a dogie-whatever that was.
cit along. little dogie." She sang
it plaintively, as she moved about
dressing.
1t annoyed him. He wanted to
strangle the sound. to tighten his
fingers about it as if it were the
throat of a bird. He wished that he
might be strangled too. so that he
would not hear-anything at all.
The soft throat of bird. -.
He went toward the sound. walk
ing evenly. yet with the accustomed
feeling of unsteadiness. He had not
been like this since the night Elinor
had told him -.
He did not think of that night as
De night he had married Hope. but
60 the night Elinor had told him she
@sant to marry Seymour.
he stood at the door between the