The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-06-09
Gypsy 9:l!1t)s::.a.:t!!Gss!1tNr
BY MARGARET BELL HousToh nj ~
by MARGARET Bell HOuSTON

Z BELL HousToN ~ ~
During the next rev uays rupert
remained in a coma, his physician
and nurses came on from New York.
the Clapp home was requisitioned
as a hospital, and the Clapps went
to stay with neighbors.
On Monday Dirk received a tele-
gram. He was in close touch with
Sanford and the office, but this was
from neither of those sources. 1t
was signed David Logan, and it
said, Come at once"
David Logan was one of the
watchers at the gate.
The morning train had already
gone, so Dirk left Big Moose in his
car. Rupert was better that morn
ing, mad emerged into conscious
ness. and the attendants were hope
full. Dirk reached home shortly be.
fore dusk. Logan and his companion
had not come on. Martin. meeting
him IN the porte cochere. hailed him
as a miracle.
did they wire you?" asked Mar
tin.
They did. Do you know what it
isl"
Martin knew. Twill you come up
to my room. Mister Dirk? | daren't
talk out here"
They went up the back-stair to
Martins room. On the way Dirk
said.
Mrs. Joris all right?"
mo. sir. She's not. She can't leave
her ROOM" ..---,..-s
Have you called a doctor?" asked
Dirk.
she's not as i'll as that. sir. But
Mary says she looks =. She won't :
let anybody in but Mary. Mister
Dirk. you may blame me for alls
this. Blu you told me to watch. Youz.
told me TO guard her. | can't help il {
if she saw me bly,. if she knows ii
was me-"
THEY were facing each other in
l. Martins little room on the third
floor Dirk. a thousand apprehen-
sions moving through his mind.
could not help observing that Mar
tin himself looked ill.
You'll probably fire me-" Martin
said now Specially as Logan says
But | don't mind being fired if
I'm no more use to you. 1t was like
this. With you gone, and Mister Ru
pert gone, and me. and the rest OF
the help away up here. | got to think.
ing
81 thought il anybody was after
her it would be cinch to come then,
while you and Mister Rupert were
gone. Up here on this floor nobody
can hear thing.
Logan and the other Teller :.
went out and spoke to them about it.
told them you were away. wanted
one of them to keep the watch in
side the house. But they wouldn't do
it. Said it was their business to
watch the gates; they hadn't re-
ceived any other instructions. SO it
seemed my business :. feeling like
| did =. to stay close to Mrs. Joris.
though hadn't received any such in.
structions either"
1T was your business. Well take
that for granted. What happened?"
We'll. | made up my mind to go
downstairs and stay in Mister Ru-
perts room :. just be there in
case anybody tried anything. never
knew where Mister Rupert kept mis-
gun :. his revolver. Nora told me-
Dirk was silent. So far as he knew,
Rupert had no revolver. but he did
not wish to check Martins rather
| halting narrative.
"All right" he said.
Il went in Mister Rupert's room.
and looked in the desk-drawer where
Nora said he kept the gun. The gun
wasn't in the desk. and began to
look in the other drawers. And then,
all at once. heard a mans voice. 1t
was low now. 1t had been loud for a
minute. Loud and kind of mad.
1T was in Mrs. Joris' room. !
didn't think thing but that she was
in danger But the door was locked"
You tried the door?" asked Dirk.
for Martin had stopped.
Yes. sir. 1 tried it with all my
might. pushing against it. | could
feel it was flimsy thing. not like
the other doors. Everything was
still while tried it. and 1 was wor.
ried worse than ever. | ran out into
the hall. and tried that door. 1t was
locked too. and felt like the wall
itself. and | was just turning around
to go back and smash in the other
door. when the one l was trying
opened. and Mrs. Joris stood there.
She had on a kimono. and the
light was on in her room. II there'd
been light before it was very dim.
or Id have seen it under the door.
She said. What is it. Martin l told
her I'd heard somebody in her room.
She said, But there is no one here"
(Cosy,sAf. 1888. Aarka,st Bell RosstosJ
Nora pours out her story, toner.