The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-05-17

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Heavy jackets. ollskins, boots. plenty
Of brandy, and Higgins revolver.
With the exception Of Cook and An
ME. We all assembled In the library
and none OF us looked cheerful.
NY own state Of mind was q bad
tumble. ny thoughts were whirIing
from Jude and the past 10 the ghast-
" reality Of the present. spurred on
By . certain insistent suspicion that
made my blood run cold Action Of
any sort was 4 godsend. The proba-
billy Of accomplishing anything was
another matter. | should have pre-
ferred leaving both Gay and the
Skipper in the house. but there was q
CLINT In the formers eyes that in
vited no interference and had never
given the Skipper an order in my
life Furthermore. / wasn't counting
on Michael for anything. NJ. Earring
ton voiced my feeling to the letter.
II strikes me. Barbara. that you
and Grace viii be more in the way
than anything else. AnL Michael has
no business out Of bed. should think
That James and William would get
along much better alone"
Gays chin came up with jerk and
| braced myself for the deIuge, but
The Skipper spoke before it could
get started.
Two people can't search these
grounds. Martha. Ga. and | can take
care Of ourselves. and l think Mi
chaefs mind win be easier IL he goes.
He's well wrapped up. Don't fuss"
Barbara. viii not allow its Her
voice was rising. Unless missed my
guess. she was warming for a scene
and II was going to be a eorker. =
absolutely insist"
But Michaers patience snapped. He
whirled on NJ. Harrington.
Rot Aunt Martial All the SER
wants are here but William, and the
doors and windows are locked"
His words were rude. and his man
ner ruder. But ~. Harrington amazed
US The explosion for which we
oreathlessly waited never came.
Very well my dear" she said
quietly. could have knocked Nike
down with pleasure.
Footprints Still There
I'VE went out the west door from
w the game-room. a wet, cold wind
bowling up to meet US. Since | had
suggested the expedition. II was more
or less up to me to engineer it. Ac-
cordingly. / stationed William half
way between the edge Of the bluff
and the house. with Michael and Cav
az intervals along the drive. That
left the grounds divided into four
sections. ! took the Skipper with me.
Beginning at the edge of the bluff to
the west. We went down toward the
boathouse. In one way and one only
were we better of than on the pre-
vious night. At least it was now pos
sible to see more than 10 feet ahead
Of you.
Water still Tapped the former side
OF the boath0use steps. A large sec
ton Of the pier had washed away
and the boathouse was completely
flooded. We lent up along the path
TO the courts. which we scrutinized
thoroughly.
The footprints were still there.
They ran clear across the courts TO
the drive. seeming to start from the
rocks Just above Us. It was impos-
sibie to tell low large had been the
foot that had left those prints or in
what direction they had been head
ing. They were Just shallow impress
sions in soft clay. rather like the
marks left by walking across a melt
ing sheet of ice.
The wind was still at our backs. Up
the steep and slippery rocks we
scrambled. the Skipper disdaining my
help. The beaches below us were
completely covered with thrashing
water that boiled up into our faces.
Silently / pointed to the scene of
Michael's disaster and the Skipper
nodded We went down cautiously,
separated at the foot Of the rocks,
and compassed the remaining section
OF the lawn between US. Nothing. A
short distance up the drive stood Gay,
looking like a drowned rat. she
waved. but only half-heartedly.
We went up the drive toward the
stable. the wind in our faces and the
rain cutting like IaShes OF a whip.
With every step the haunting
thought that Jude might have lain
for a long time wounded and still
conscious in that fiendiSh whirlwind
followed me. II was slow progress.
The east beach was completely
flooded. By following the drive, we
got clear view both of the section
of lawn between US and the house
and Of the section between us and
the beach stationed the Skipper at
the corner Of the garage and went
laboriouSly around both it and the
stable. slipping and sliding along on
my hands and knees most Of the way.
Rounding the corner of the stable in
safety. could see the solid figure Of
William far down the bluff where I
had stationed him. And between us
nothing.
In front OF the stable the Skipper
joined me. Both it and the garage
were securely padlocked. II seemed
10 me that 10 search either of those
buildings would be a tacit admission
Of disbelief in her alibi. heSitated,
bit not 50 the Skipper. Producing
key. she unlocked the stable With
out a word / followed her inside.
Copyright. 1881. Esther TyFerI