The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-11-21
Chapter AZ
ELSA DETERMINED
"VXTOT was you thinkin' of offer
w iug?" Bassett asked.

EIoA OE EhMINED
"VXIOT was you thinkin' of offer
w ing?" Bassett asked.
"I1l pay you anything you like If
you'll arrange for me to see him. "
protested Elsa earnestly. "And I'm
not thinking of trying to harm him.
l want to help him."
Her sincerity was evident; so Bas-
sett abandoned his suspicious. He
smiled. and Suddenly his fat. cum
ming face became astonishingly ge-
NAL and human.
"Orl right. miss; l was only tryin'
yer out" he said. "If MIR. Mahony is
Agillin' to see yer. I'll fix up meetin'.
|the,e'sno question of any money
Heen you an me. I'm out to 'elp
Mahony just as much as you
:"
His face hardened suddenly.
But if anythin' was to 'appen to
Mr.. Mahony through this meetin'
Fith you. I'm tellin' yer plain. /
Wouldn't be in your shoes afterwards
for all the gold in the Bank of Eng
land"
That concluded the interview be
ween them. and they parted. Elsa
(elt somewhat guilty after she had
left Bassett- She had no doubt that
after Mahony had been kidnapped.
assett would think that she had
etrayed him, and. in spite of the
act that Bassett was self-confessed
Lrook, she did not want him to think
hat of her. Yet. in way. she was un-
doubtedly planning to betray Maho
my as she had betrayed him before.
But Lawson soon banished all her
Iqualms and doubts. He did it very
eleverly.
$50 Bassett threatened you. did
he?" he said. well. then. if you take
\ my tip. you'll abandon the whole
idea of trying to help MahOny. From
what I've heard. Bassett is the kind
of man who carries out his threats.
and it's not worth helping MahOny
If you're going TO have bad car ac-
J cident. or have your beauty spoiled
| by an accurately flung broken bottle,
afterwards"
81 don't care what happens after
wards if | can help him." said Elsa
defiantly. as Lawson had known she
would. 81 got him into this trouble
and it's up TO me to get him out of it.
| shan't abandon the idea at ALL"
eff you take my advice" began
Lawson.
81 don't want any advice" inter
rupted Elsa. "All want is the help
you promised me-"
"Very well. If you're determined to
go an with the idea. suppose shall
have to help you," said Lawson in a
resigned voice.
When Bassett left Elsa he went
. straight to MahOny and reported the
result OF the interview TO him.
"You know gunner. l was all
against 'er at first: thought she was
wantin' to do the dirty on yer. like
she did when you met 'er before" he
afnfo6 aDtff rhon1nd
think she's on the straight this time.
think she's really out to 'elp yer"
Il DARE say she is" replied Ma
L hony smiling. But she's a mar
yelous actress. you know. Fatty. She
took me in once. and while wouldn't
profess to be such an authority on
women as you are. | wouldn't put Ii
past her to take you in. There are
one or two things about all this that
'Gkrike me as bit queer.
''In the first place. what made her
think of trying to get into touch with
me through you? Sne may have
thought Of 1t herself. but it doesn't
strike me as the kind of thing that
would occur to her unless someone
else suggested it. Then. Ii she's got
information to give me. why must
she see me personally to give it! Why
can't she write it out and send it to
me through you?"
He paused. smiling.
Personally. l believe that she
would help me if she could" he went
on. "But think there's Just a posi-
bility that she may have asked some,
one-some old friend of hers. per.
haps-to help her to help me. and
he may have generously agreed. and
may be using her as a cloak for his
own schemes against me-
"You think Lawson may be behind