The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-11-04
The Wrong Murderer
By HUGH CLEvELY

this was acting, It was very good
acting. And then she decided that 1t
was acting. But she smiled charm
ingly.
81 didn't like suspecting you." she
said. You see. IL ~ather liked you
when | met you before. and it was
an awful shock to me to think that
that you'd done that"
am Just as anxious to bring the
murderer to justice as you are" said
Mahony.
He hesitated.
"Now that you don't think I did
it, may l see you again some timer"
he asked awkwarcly.
"Oh, yes. I'd like TO see you again.
Come to dinner at my house tonight.
That will show everyone don't sus-
pect you." she answered promptly.
Thank you very much" said Ma
hony gratefully.
There came knock on the door;
the landlady announced gentle
man to see Mr.. Mahony. The gen.
tleman was Inspector Kennedy. &C.
companied by another plain-clothes
man; they entered in an abrupt.
business-like manner. but stopped
short in surprise on seeing Mahony
and Elsa together In the room. APP
parently engaged in friendly con.
Versation.
"COOD morning. Inspector" said
~ Elsa. i've just Deen telling Mr..
Mahony low sorry am for all the
silly things said about him yester.
day"
Inspector Kennedy did not know
what to make of this at all. Actually,
he had come to the house in order
to arrest Mahony. But now he
thought ne would wait bit.
"You mean you've withdrawn the
accusations you made yesterday"
he said. 81 expect Mr.. Mahony is
pleased"
Il am. Very pleased" answered
Mahony. And he looked pleased. The
fact that Elsa said she no longer sus.
pected him was a great weight of
his mind.
Unjust be going now," said Elsa.
"I'll see you this evening. Mr.. Ma.
hony."
"I'll walk with you to your car,
Miss Little" put in Inspector Ken.
nedy quickly.
He escorted her to the car. and
held the door open for her to enter.
Then he stood for a moment with
one foot on the running.board. eye.
ing her keenly.
Am l really to understand that
you have abandoned your suspicious
of Mahony. Miss Little?" he asked.
Elsa shook her head. Her face was
pale: the interview with Mahony
had been a strain o.. her.
NO." she answered in a low voice.
Il haven't abandoned any of my sus.
picions. But I want him to think !
have"
Inspector Kennedy said nothing;
he merely looked at her enquiringly.
1t seemed she felt that some further
expanlation was called for.
Il think he likes me-" she went
on in an embarrassed manner, 81
want to get him away from Ruth
to save her from him. and TOTO try
to make him feel quite confident,
and relax his guard, and say more
than he means to-"
i see. You mean to vamp him, get
him where you want him. and then
hand him over to me?" suggested
the Inspector.
Put like that It did not sound very
nice. Elsa flushed.
do you think | care what do. IL
can convict my uncle's murderer"
she asked passionately. Besides,
what's going to happea to Ruth If
II things go on as they are? She's
much too nice to ruin her reputation
ano get herself into all kinds of
dreadful scandals for the sake of a
man like him. Somebody's got to in.
terfere between her and him."
You think she's completely I'M.
der his influence at present, do your"
said the inspector.
Yes. completely" answered Elsa.
Though how he obtained such an
influence over her In one meeting I
don't know. But he's clever, horribly
clever: he seems so honest and de-
cent. and he's such a rotter under.
meath 1t ALL"
Inspector Kennedy's quick mind
bounced Immediately on one sen.
tence in her last speech.
you say he obtained his influence
over Miss Fraser In one meeting. I
certainly had no such impression
in fact. had a very different one.
Wnat do you mean by that?" he
asked.
Ruth told me that before they met
yesterday at my house, she'd only
seen him once" replied Elsa. "At
least, she didn't exactly tell me. II
sort Of slipped out"
The young Inspectors keen face
was alight with interest. Evidently
he regarded what Elsa had Just said
as very important indeed.
Copyright. 1885. Hugh CIepelyI
Mahony undersoes, tomorrow, q
sharp Questioning.