The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-02-03
s..ssssssssssssssssesssseessssssss..e.....
ESCAPE lF Y00 Cam =



also opened Into the small hall maj
ran from the studio to the kitchen.
Anne switched on the lights and
usnereu them through. beaming at
their approval.
II = q comfortable little place.
she admitted with pride. my very
own pea a terre. Make yourselves
comfortable. won't you, while I 90
and eonsider the question Of food
@fn order food sent i'm said
drink"
= think So said Anne. -I'lI see.r
III come and help. too. II may.
saio Bigelow. He followed Anne into
ne kitchen Karsanakod remained m
.ne studio looking at the examples Of
Anne's work as Vronski went To the
telephone on the desk.
IN the kitchen. Anne opened cup-
boards and began to set out bottles
ano glasses. Bigelow lent a hand.
SO you are going to marry him.
said Bigelow. breaking q long d.
lence.
Anne turned and looked at him. Il
am not going to marry him." she said
.sitb sudden intensity. III / have 10
XIII him to escape"
he stared at her. startled. HE has
some hold on you" he cried, grasping
the truth. at last.
Yes. Isn't 1t obvious7 should have
thought you would have guessed.
Otherwise shouldn't have spoken
ALetters?" asked Bigelow. quietly.
he had gone very pale and his eyes
were burning.
Yes" A faint color rose in her
cheeks and she dropped her lashes.
Don't think any more about it,
said Bigelow. then. 'T'n deal with
him" pi5l
Anne caught her breath. -Nog' she
cried fiercely.
you don't trust me to handle the
ulatter?"
"Of course. trust you. II isn't that.
got into this mess. And I'm going TO
get out Of it. There's no earthly reason
TOR you to become involved"
Butt am involved" said Bigelow
gravely.
She stared at him. .'You mustn't be.
| shall handle this myself In my own
way. ] should never have mentioned
Il. was fool. Promise me you win
keep out Of lido nothing. Promise
mel"
Il can't promise" said Bigelow.
She bit her lip. Listen" she said
then grimly. Il am quite capable Of
looking after myself. And don't want
any outside interference. It's. very
kind and chivalrous OF you to offer
and appreciate your good intentions.
but please don't NEEDLE. tbs Is my
own business. after all. and prefer to
manage 1t IN NY own way. Is that
clear?"
Quite clear" said Bigelow slowly.
She turned and dashed into the
bathroom. slamming the door.
Bigelow continued for moment or
two. mechanically taking down
glasses. Then be stopped. staring be-
fore him with frownins brows. -,
A Shot. A Scream. Darkness
CUDDENLY. there came the sound
-
- of shot. It seemed to come from
the studio. And an instant afterward.
all the lights In the apartment went
out. A woman screamed-but whether
1t YVES Anne or Karsanakoff. Bigelow
could not guess.
When the. lights went on again. they
were all in the studio. Anne stood
with her hand still on the light
switch. but her face was colorless and
her eyes were fixed with q kind of
Mortified fascination on the floor. Kar-
sanakoff stood in the doorway leading
from the bedroom. Her eyes. too. were
on the floor but her face was enig-
matte. Bigelow stood in the doorway
leading In from the hall. And near
the center of the big room. lay the
crumpled figure Of Vronski. He had
been shot through the heart and he
was dead. The automatic that had
killed him lay on the floor beside him.
But II was not suicide - Bigelow
knew that One Of them had killed
him. But which?
Madame Karsanakoff was the 6rst
of the three to recover from the shock
VI bAiG 0ASIONCAy ltlQSCu SIG bn0
felt any sense of shock. Without q
noticeable change of expression. she
advanced slowly to Vronski's body
and knelt down on the floor beside
II. examining 1t critically without ac-
tually touching It
is he-dead?" asked Anne In Q
horse whisper.
"Yes. He is quite Dead" answered
Karsanakoff. nodding her head. "He
died instantly. / think"
She looked up through narrowed
lids-hrst at Anne. then at Bigelow,
waiting.
''If we call the police" said Bigelow.
''it means a scandal-and certainly
the arrest of-one of us three"
Anne caught her breath sharply.
Karsanakoff studied him as though
her eyes sought to see into his secret
thoughts.
They will arrest me. of course"
said Anne. THAT is my gum"
"Yours?" repeated Karsanakoh.
looking at 1t.
yes. It was in the bed-stand next
to my bed. l kept it-for protection,
you know. spent so much time here
alone"
Copyright. 1857. Frederick JdeksonI
The body Is hidden, the party goes