The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-07-07
Chapter So
Aunt Marlha's Vaccinations

aunt HAaEtua 8 vaccinations
II SUPPOSE Martha thought she
had done away with all possible
ties Of Mixes hearinr about his fa-
Their. She handed Higgins the gun and
went quickly back to bed. Poor Hig-
gins made sure that he could do MOTH
ing for Jude. He cleaned and reload
ed the gun and resolved to talk to me
before he said anything to anybody
else.
"As for me. my situation got In
creasingly worse from the moment
I walked into the kitchen. felt sure
that either Martha or Norman had
done it. but had not one shred Of
proof-and didn't have until Higgins
spoke to me yesterday. Martha staged
a frightened. elderly woman act. I
could get nowhere with her. did
nothing because we were as much on
our guard as we could be and ! WANT
ed to avert panic.
How the dickens Norman man.
aged to elude US when we searched
the grounds in broad daylight, don't
know. He may have let himself into
the house more than once with that
key. / don't think there's any doubt
that he was the intruder who dealt
with Cook and Annie. That handker-
chief he used on Annie was yours, as
a matter Of fact, Mike. He'd been
using some Of your clothes. Higgins
was the prowler in the hall. He told
me so. But poor Norman must have
ransacked Martha's room and mutt
lated the cat in just the sort Of frenzy
the doctors had predicted.
"I'm sure that you and William suf-
fered at his hands, Jim. Then, | Inn
agine, he let himself into Jude's room
with his key and concealed himself Il
that horrible fashion. Martha mus
have known that he was there. | sup
pose she really thought that he was
better dead than confined. At any
rate, the minute realized that he wa.
gone, ] could think of only one thing
1.-The spot on the bluff where hi:
mother died and where Martha useC
to brood for hours as a girl In hel
mind she had made martyr Of hei
mother Something told me that shs
intended to do the same with hel
brother. ! knew what we would finC
at the foot of that cliff before | haC
taken single step.
You see. | still hadn't talked Il
Higgins. | knew tina. we were at thl
mercies Of homiciltal maniac. but
had not onR shred OF proof and m,
chances of being believed were prettl
slender. put her to bed and though
she was sleeping when left her. APP
parently she wasn't. Higgins was OF
the verge of telling you the wholl
story, Jim, when he saw her stand
ing outside the window in my oil
skins-listening. She frightened hin
half out of his wits. What she wa
doing out there | don't know. Look
ing at the scene of Norman's dealt
possibly. At any rate from then OF
she began to distrust Higgins. Afte
you went looking for Mike, Jim. hi
let her in. And she threatened him
poor old boyl He was terrified. HI
got her to her room and went il
search u ne.
My Aim Was Rotten
N MEANWHILE you got the wack.
w notion that you were insane
Mike. and did the hardest thing ~,
ever done in my life. went to Hig
gins room. got his revolver. AM
walked straight down the hall i
Martha's door. In view OF Higgins
story she must have just left the oil
skins in my room and started to un
dress. She was at the dressing tabl
and as she turned toward me. sho
her. Unfortunately. my aim was rot
ten. Higgins had caught sight OF nj
in the servants hall. AS | turne,
around he was right at my elbow. H
never said word. Took the gun on
OF my hand, wiped II clean with hi
handkerchief. and showed me to th
head Of the stairs. To all intents ami
purposes we were coming up then
as you rushed down the hall, Mike
Higgins had the alibi right on the III
Of his tongue.
@When I heard that had failed.
knew that | had endangered you
lives more than ever. Martha knew
who had shot her. although don
think she actually saw me. She knes
and she laid her plans accordingly.
Il was with her FOR some time. 80
may remember. She pretended to
asleep. but | knew that she WASH
She was my sister-practically N
mother-and-and a grand girl Goc
Hou I niffed herg Rt,f u,e SAT Thar