The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-09-27
Chapter 10
Back To Janet

WITH the object o. drawing a
~ red herring across the trail,
Neill said: rues M
MY idea is that the girls friend
was an Absalom'S man. The story
had already gone around the vii
lage that there was a girl locked
up aboard the yacht"
Eyes, l have been told that" said
Bonniger.
"The story was not generally be-
lieved, but suppose there was one
man who went out to see for him.
SELF"
mo Absalom's man is missing"
Bonniger pointed out.
HE furnished her with the skiff.
She then put him ashore and
rowed away in it alone"
"ImposSiblep said Bonniger.
"The two sailors, the steward, the
engineer all tell me that she was a
gentle and elegant girl, not at all
the type who could have saved
herself by rowing away in a heavy
skiff. You can depend upon it, her
man went with her. Everything
points to the fact that it was some
body she knew and trusted. He
must have followed the yacht
down here"
Neill set his jaw. If Bonniger
had deduced so much already, he
and Janet were likely to receive
short shrift next day.
ftFIo f4zac q rNO1 offcf0po ar BON
niger went on. According to the
crew, he took rug out of the after
cabin to keep the girl warm, a
flashlight out of the saloon and all
the cooked food there was in the
refrigerator"
why couldn't he have shot Fan
ning?" suggested Neill.
Bonniger looked at him with
grim humor. I'm surprised at
that" he said, ''from a man of your
experience. Everything shows that
Tanning was shot unawares. If
anybody had burst in the door and
attacked him, the cabin would
have presented a very different
picture.
Neill was silenced.
we will know him when we
catch him" said Bonniger grimly.
Wilson got an elegant set of fin
gerprints on the refrigerator door.
He photographed them this after
noon. He's developing it now"
Neill resisted the impulse TO
thrust his hands in his pockets. His
fingertips tingled unpleasantly.
Packing The Purchases
INHEN Bonniger had returned to
w the telephone in Virgil Long
cope's Office. and Kettering to his
camp. Neill locked himself in his
room upstairs and started to dis
tribute the various articles he had
bought for Janet about his person.
He had not purchased everything
in one place but had picked it up
at odd times during the day in the
different stores about the village.
Women's clothes were out of the
question, so he had got her over
ais, q shirt, a pair of sneakers.
These he had TO buy in sizes suit
able for himself. and he grinned.
thinking how Janet would look in
them. In addition he had biscuits.
cakes of chocolate, a couple of cans
Of meat, bottle of soda water, a
towel and soap, candles and bat
teries for the precious flashlight
When all this was slowed. he
appeared TO have increased sud-
denly in weight. However. he had
satisfied himself that the back part
Of the hotel was deserted. He went
down the back stairs and out by
he kitchen door.
Once he was In the road, he felt
safe from observation for the
street lights were feeble and far
between. The crowd was still
hanging about Longcope's store
and after he had turned the corner
by the river. he met nobody.
Aware that all his movements up
to now had been watched. he
walked with his head over his
shoulder. ahazaa
When he came to the last houses
he watched his chance, and
skinned over the fence into the
cornsield hetweeT. road and river
The ulotorcycle police had been
ordered - patrol the state fosd al
night There was but this ore road
leading 70 and from The village on
the point thus Il was an easv mat.
ter FOR the police 10 stop all who
might try 20 leave by car. Neiil las
cut in the coEnfield until he was
very sure no one followed him
over the fence.
He stumbled on ever the
ploughed field. climbed ; couple 81
fences and found himself IN tbs
side road which served the fandinr
used By the big ships Coming oa'
On the shore. he saw them lyinc
huge. dark and threatening nut Il
the stream. The eaptRnss lights
were out tonight Since his car was
rot fnpwe Nell faaganpss that ~ hna