The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-09-21
Chapter IA
AbsaIOm's AgOg

<AJDaAOAA HSOS
LETTERING threw up his head
N and shifted the fresh morning
air. This is great, gentlemen. a
man works himself near to death
in the city, and what does he gel
out of it? A couple of days fishing
q year!"
Works damn bad habit" said
Longeope.
Kettering turned to Neill. "And
your" he asked.
Ford Wheatley."
pleased to meet you, Mr..
Wheatley. You're a stranger in the
village, / take it,"
Yes. Down for the fishing like
yourself"
p"Fine! You must come out with
my son and me as our guests
Wen, I'll be seeing you, gentle
men" He saluted them and
climbed back in the car. The son
had not opened his mouth.
There was something about his
busy tongue and darling eyes that
made Neill uneasy. This was not a
man that he could trust.
"A laxative cussl" he remarked.
"Yeah," said Virgil turning the
cigar. Looks like case of the fox
fathering the bull pup"
At that moment Neill saw a
whitecoated figure appear on the
Nadjis deck, run wildly forward
and disappear through door. He
forgot the Ketterings. The man re-
appeared on deck with his two
mates. They ran into the after
house. Presently they came on
deck again, flung themselves any,
how into the dinghy and started
pulling crafty for the shore. Neill
steeled himself
Virgil, who had not noticed any,
thing amisS, was talking amiably
about the city slickers he had
known. The men in the dinghy tied
their little boat to the wharf in
front of the store and came run
ming across the road, white-faced
and staring with horror. Virgil
broke off suddenly.
What the heck is the matter
with these three fellers?"
''Police!" they gasped out. I'VE
want the police. :. Where can we
find the police?" All three were
young men without experience,
and they had completely lost their
heads. There was a steward in his
white coat and two sailors.
Their hysterical excitement
made Virgil sore. whats the mat
ter with your" he demanded. 1--WE
amt got no police here. What do
you want police for?"
All tried TO explain at once.
Murder. misterl There's been
a murder aboard the YACHT
The owner is murderedl =. A bull
let right through his head! Must
have been shot last night when we
was ashore. -. We slept on board
all night without knowing il. !"
Virgil stood up suddenly. MUIR
derl" he gasped. my Cod"
Neilps nerves auivered at the
sound of the ugly word. ''Murder!"
he echoed. ''How terrible!"
"And the girl is gonel" cried the
steward.
What girl?" demanded Virgil.
All three explained together.
we had a girl on board. The
boss girl. And she's gone!
How could she get Off? The other
boAt's on the davits. !"
~ ''One at a ,timel" shouted Virgil
waving his hands. "You, Jake, run
and fetch tho doctor. You men
gone in the storel"
Too Much For Virgil
NELL followed them inside. AS
y a stranger, he was diSregarded.
Virgil. being the leading citizen,
felt that it was up TO him to take
command Of the situation but il
was bit too much for him. He
flung his derby on the counter and
ran his hands through his hair as
II he would tear il out Keep COOL
Keep eooll" he shouted.
Every time he asked a question
he got three answers. The crew il
seemed. could not agree on the
simplest statement OF fact. Out oil
the confusion Neill could only pick
q phrase here and there.
Found him when / took his
morning coffee down. In the
girls cabin. The door wa.
busted in. There was a hell Of /
Tight while we were ashore.
You're crazy IL was the boss him.
self busted the door in! 4. F.. Nothing
else was disturbed. j.. We don
know who the girl was. Rea
nice quiet girl -. We were aboarC
last night before 1890. :"
IL was no part Of Neil's game 4
try 90 bring order out Of the con
fusion. He listened, nerves taut.
Virgil looked az him in a dis