The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-10-06
Chanter "a
A Cool Million

= pers, Miss Rayner?"
Certainly not. I've something
better to read"
"Mr. Tanning is dead"
She took it more calmly than
NELL expected. Death is a COM
monplace affair t. the very old.
"Dead?" she echoed sharply
Where? How?"
'He was found dead on his yacht
in Absalom's Karbor."
q didn't know he had yacht.
Murdered" Ysys
"Bless my soul s. Witido you
4. come to me about it," a;s.s..
sem Neill endeavored to soften his
STORY. I'VE can't find out anything
ayaDolt him. Who his folks are, and
$50 ION. We thought perhaps you
FFlcoHld help"
~ II liked the man" said Miss Ray
ner, "but ! was hardly what you
would call friend. We had some
business dealings
This was what Neill was after
''Who brought him to you?"
My estate agent, Edward Bar
ney. ! have q house for sale on
Linden avenue. Mr.. Tanning was
thinking of buying 1t for specu-
lation, but he thought | was asking
too much for it. So he persuaded
Mr.. Barney to bring him here
wouldn't come down in my price
but, as said, | liked the man. He
stayed on here chatting after Mr.
Barney left and he came to see me
a number of times after that"
Have you confidence IN Mr.
Barney?" asked Neill
Absolute. A good. faithful crea-
ture. He's too dumb to be crooked
He's only my renting agent. He
knows nothing about my affairs"
well, about Tanning ?"
"He was a man of large means,
she went on, and we had a COM
mon interest in our Investments
He told me that he had established
an investment trust in New York
which paid 6 per cent and over on
its stock. was getting less than
three on my government bonds.
am interested in many philan-
.hropies and / need all the income
| can get my hands on. So in the
end l exchanged my bonds for
little at first, and as the price
continued to rise, got more"
Without any Investigation"
Certainly notl | investigated il
thoroughly. ! received very fine
references and testimonials on Mr.
Fanning's behalf from New York
people. I'll show them to you.
Didn't you consult with any
Baltimore business men, or with
your lawyer" he asked.
mo. / prefer TO act on my own
initiative"
do you know a man here called
Horace Kettering2"
''The name is familiar"
Hes lawyer in town"
"Tve never seen the man nor
had anything to do with him"
did Mr.. Tanning ever speak Of
him?"
''No."
"Did Mr.. Tanning introduce you
to any Of his friends or associates?'
sNoln
"Did you ever hear the names
Ira Buckless or David Eyster?"
mo"
"Of course, they might have
gone under other names. They are
peculiar looking men," He de-
scribed EySter and Buckles.
Il don't know any men. of that
Sort" she said scornfullya SIS all
this leading up to the suggestion
that there is something crooked
about Fanning?"
Nell didn't answer.
That's ridiculous on the face oi
81" said Miss Rayner. ''He only
promised me 6 per cent. A swindler
would have guaranteed 10 or is. =
The Fake Certificates
IN SPITE Of her confident talk,
4 Neil had reused an ugly doubt
in the old lady's mind. Hosting
herself out OF her chair, she tot
tered 70 q safe that stood open
against the wall. Taking from IL 9
portfolio, she brought IL to him.
Opening Il. Neiii thumbed over
a sheaf Of beautifully engraved
certificates. Not worth the paper
they had spoiled.
Aren't they all right? Aren't
they all right?" she demanded.
He had not the heart 10 deliver
the blow. II reckon So" be said.
Il know nothing about such mat
ferS How much did Tanning
charge you for the stock?"
1T sells az par over the counter,
she eagerly explained. That's 10.
lie LET me have il for 9iS.a 1tiA
The certificates in the portfolio
rnnresented 19S.n1n shares- So