The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-07-07

within two feet or each other and
planned each others death. waited
until she asked for another sleeping
powder. went into the bathroom 10
tx It where she could not possibly
see me. and I put q half box Of the
damned powders into her glass.
"But she was ahead Of me. came
back to find her crying. It wasn't as
Il her state Of mind had been her
fault Seeing her that way--got me.
| tried to comfort her, but she
wouldn't listen for long time. Then
something appeared 10 snap In her
and she poured out story. She said
that she had lured you into the old
loft, Mike. and shot you. Then, fright
ened. she had put you inside one Of
the cedar chests and left you there
alive.
IF ! had stopped 70 think, would
have known that she was lying. She
hadn't been out Of my sight since you
had left the room. But she knew me
well enough to know that wouldn't
stop. That loft was used as a sort Of
strong-room in Grandfather's time.
] had forgotten its existence. ! tore
up to 1t. dragging her with me. And
when ! got to the place where she
wanted me. she simply crowne. me
with something. The rest OF that
let's not talk about"
The Shippers pauses were becom-
ing longer and more difficult. but she
went on.
l
Il think Higgins suspected her, but
| the place had never been used in his
time. He didn't know how to get into
it, and he knew that Martha was
/ watching him. heard someone tap
i ping around down here trying to find
the opening, and I imagine it was
Il Higgins Also he probably wasn't
sure of himself. Martha's nearly dy-
/ ing after she finally took the powders
4 probably, made him wonder whether
II hadn't simply attempted to murder
4 her, a second time and then beat il to
escape being caught
Il Il heard him calling to me several
times through the floor in Eis room.
| He apparently knew | was there, but
thought | could answer him or come
down If | wanted to. When Martha
knew that | had been found-dead
or alive-she knew that Higgins
would talk, Poor old Higgins had
been protecting her with his life. He
even removed those letters that she
planted in Williams room. She begged
the originals from me long ago and
|, kept them all this time. Those letters
/ were forgeries. of course. Higgins had
saved her life. but now he was dam
gerous. And so-she killed him."
A Moral Somewhere
Il THE Skipper stopped abruptly and
4 the sudden silence was painful.
Michael sat with his head in his
; hands. motionless. Gays subdued
face was turned toward him. and her
eyes were anxious. But the Skipper
sat straight and stiff between them,
her face mask and her eyes straight
ahead. Finally Michael raised bis
head.
sIs that all?" he said in mufied
voice.
The Shippers smile was twisted
That's all. II you like. Jim. you can
send Jack Blinshop out here to me
suppose it's poetic justice that
should be the person to tell him."
Z Blindly | CROPPED fol- words, found
none. and choked out I'm telling
. him"
Gay got suddenly to her feet
dropped one swift kiss on the top OF
, the Shippers head, and went noise
! lessly from the room. / wanted "a
follow her. but my feet seemed riv-
eted to the spot.
!. Il suppose the Shippers voice
went on, there's q moral somewhere
in this. although at the moment II
. eludes me. Something about the
wages Of sin, no doubt. Only. Mickie
! Il" Her voice caught and stopped
/ One instant there was silence: the
next the room was filed with dry
! hard sobhing. Michael crashed TO bis
knees.
, | slipped through the game room
and out the side entrance to the
, lawn. barely feeling the sting Of the
cold. salt air. needed coat. but moi
badly enough to go back for one. Ths
foot Of the drive confronted me be.
fore 1 was really aware that I wal
, walking. Pausing. stared out across
the water toward the mainland. A
motor dory was headed straight fol
the spot where / stood. In another
|. minute the leathery old face Of Andis
Darrell was staring up at me from
: under his sou'westef.
( Hi therelg he trumpeted nasally.