The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-07-27
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! few plain words with Andrew
Lumsdale before going on to see
Mrs. Reeves.
He found Lumsdale in the kitch-
en-, sitting down to a generous high
tea and reading the paper.
afternoon Lumsdale."
How do"
Lumsdale slowly masticated his
last mouthful of food and eyed his
visitor In silent and defensive spec
ulation. h.a
'Now let me see," the Inspector
went on briskly. Last Monday:
when you went in by bus to More
chester you went straight from the
bus to the cinema didn't you?"
That's it."
without calling anywhere en-
reuter-"
"Ah went straight to t'pictures.
Hylton leaned back and said
quite pleasantly, "You may not like
to be told so. Lumsdale, but you're
liar. You went straight from the
bus to the Post Office. didn't your"
The brooding blank eyes looked
at him steadily, the lantern Jaws
moved steadily, but the man said
nothing.
you went to the Post Office,
didn't you, Lumsdale?"
"Ah might have gone to get a few
stamps, ah forget"
"True you might have gone to
get some stamps, and If that were
all you might have forgotten about
it. But it wasn't all, and you haven't
forgotten. You went in to get some
thing from the General Delivery
where you are known by the name
of Langley-that's SO, isn't it,"
T UMSDALE said nothing, but his
IL steady stafs illt unite So
aggressively confident.
"And what's more, in the name
of Langley. you have been in the
habit of getting small packages
every month or so for a goodish
time. haven't you?"
"Well, suppose I have, what Of
it,"
Hylton leaned back and laughed
softly. "You don't know as much as
you think you do. Lumsdale, that's
the trouble with your type" he said.
Apparently you don't know that
it's illegal to have General Deliv-
cry address in the same town az
your ordinary postal address"
"Ah'm no lawyer"
"If you were you wouldn't be such
a damned fool. Lumsdale. You're in
danger. and apparently you don't
realize it. You stood to benefit very
considerably by Arthur Burdett's
death; you knew his habits; you
krew every detail about the house.
We've only got your word for It,
mind, that Arthur Burdett wasn't
alive when you came back on Mon.
day evening and dead when you
went out to find the Sergeant"
"My words as good as any mans"
els it? When look into what you
tell me you were doing on Monday
the first thing find is lie. Many a
man has been arrested and held on
less suspicion than that, Andrew
Lumsdale."
What do you want me to do?"
st isn't what I want, my friend,
it's what the Law demands. The
Law will find out who killed Arthur
Burdett If it takes a year to do it.
II you don't want to be arrested on
suspicion this afternoon, you better
tell me now what all this Post Office
business means and what was in
those packages"
Andrew Lumsdale was silent for
full minute. and when he spoke it
was in very different tone of voice
from the surly defensiveness he
had used so far.
Look here. Mister" he said, II
didn't kill Arthur Burdett. l know
as things look a bit black against
me: l realized that from the start,
but l never did it. In a way you may
almost say was fond of the old
fool. All the same i don't see why
| should get into trouble for some !
thing as wasn't on my plate as you
may say. and that's why kept quiet
about the Post Office business"
Every few people have got into
trouble by telling the Police the
TRUTH" the Inspector said drily.
Call right then" Lumsdale drew
q key from his trouser pocket,
crossed the kitchen and unlocked q
drawer in the old fashioned dresser.
He rummaged about with both
hands for half a minute and even
tually brought out a collection Of
Photographic postcards and these
he threw down in a heap on the
table in front of the Inspector.
That's what came in the pack
ages" he said.
Kingsley Hylton picked up half q
dozen OF the photographs and stud
led them slowly. q curious conflict
in his mind. Principally he. was
thinking how true 1t is that with
human nature you never can tell
what will happen.
(Cofrisit. 1886. Ess,saes ". Nsyssul
Hylton feeds the flames, tomor.
row.