The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-11-14
By HUGH CLEvELY

| At Marlborough Road Station he
rang her up.
This is Terence Mahony speak.
ing" he said. '-The police decided to
let me 60 after all. thanks to the
word you put In for me at our in.
terview. I want to know If you'll do
something for met"
"0f course" she answered. She
was eager to do something to try
to make up for the harm she had
done.
u want to speak to Mr.. Lawson to.
night" went on Mahony. Gould you
ring him up and ask him to come
round and see you about eleven
thirty? But don't tell him / want 10
speak to him. or he won't come"
We'll :. I'll do 1t II l can, but
don't know whether ! shall be able
to get hold Of Mr.. lawson" an.
swered Elsa. HE told me he was 60
ing out tonight. to some club-the
Golden something or other. I'm ter.
ribiy sorry. Though. if I ring up his
house. perhaps his butler will be able
to tell me where he's gone"
So Lawson had gone to the Golden
Centipede. A thrill Of exuItation ran
through Mahony.
"Never mind" he said. "ITl see
him some other time"
With that he rang of, left the
station. and took taxi to his lodg.
ings.
He spent twenty minutes at his
lodgings Disgusting himself accord.
ing to the directions which had been
given to him by the assistant at
Clarkford's. He spent FIVE minutes
carefully rubbing ont the name on
the Golden Centipede membership
cards which he had taken from the
two crooks that afternoon, and writ.
ing in another name. Then he set
out for his appointment with his
gang. L5A s go TO- ti9A@
sasL Is3 gl G 9o5E
4 T half past eleven he met them,
- as arranged. in a little quiet
square not far from Jermyn Street
They arrived In two cars. the first
car containing two men In evening
dress. and the three huge bottles Of
champagne which Mahony had or.
dered. the other car containing the
remaining four men clad in their
rough sea-going clothes. Mahony
gave them all careful directions and
they started for the Golden Cent?.
pede Club.
The Golden Centipede had two en-.
frances. a front entrance In the
courtyard. and a tradesmen's en-.
trance in quiet alley at the back OF
the club. The car containing Ma,
hony, the two men in evening dress,
and the biggest Of the four other
men. drove to the front entrance.
The second car drove to the back en-.
trance.
Inside the front entrance was q
flight OF stairs. which wound up-
wards to a landing on which were
situated the mems and women's
cloak-rooms. At the entrance to the
mems cloak-room sat q large, uni.
formed commissionaire TO see that
non-members unaccompanied by
members. did not enter the club.
From the landing another fight OF
stairs led upwards to the dance room
and cocktail bar.
Mahony and the two men in eve
ming dress. clutching their jeroboams
OF champaign. mounted the steps
that led up to the first landing in a
somewhat uncertain manner: they
had the appearance of being rather
drunk. The commissionaire frowned
slightly; he stepped forward. to
challenge them.
"Are you a member. sir?" he de.
manded.
"Sure I'm q m-member." replied
Mahony thiekly. "Here'sh card"
He pulled out his faxed member
ship card. held IL in front Of the com
missionaire. and thrust Il into his
pocket again.
Brought couple OF friendsh long
for a drink" went on Mahony SOL
emily My birthday. Have to pay
entransh fee ana sign book, { sup
pose? Pay It Tor me. there'sh good
fellow. Here you are"
He thrust a couple of pound notes
into the commissionaire's hand.
"Very good. sir" he said.
Mahony and bis companions went
on up the stairs towards the dance
floor. From the bottom Of the stairs.
BY the front entrance, q voice hailed
the commissionaire.
"Oi. mattel"
At the bottom OF the stairs stood
large, rough-looking unshayen
man. The commissionaire was In
dignant With an air Of immense
dignity he descended the stairs.
"Wot d'you want?" he demanded.
This amt no place for the likes OF
you. You 'op It."
Arf minute. matey." he said I'm
a conciiiatory tone "Just ave o good
look at this"
AS the commissionaire bent for.
ward. fist came upward. taking
him fairly under the chin. The COM
missionaire slumped forward uncon-
scious.
Copyright. 1885. Hugh Cisuelyy