The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-10-04

Il
the companionway. where is the
key to the clothes closet in the
after cabin?"
isn't it in the door?" returned
Walter.
IF it was. ] wouldn't be asking
you for it, .
1T has always been in the door"
was it in the door when you
discovered the body?"
Il couldn't tell you that, sir. !
didn't notice such things"
"Are there any duplicate keys?"
There's a bunch of keys in the
pantry. I'll fetch them"
Neil returned to Bonniger with
the keys. After trying several, he
was able to unlock the door and
throw it open. The closet was emp
ty. Have you your magnifying
CLASP" he asked.
1t was handed over. Whats in
your mind?"
Nothing as yet. But it seems
funny that anybody should make
away with the key"
Before using the glass, Neil
bounced on a little bright object
lying on the floor of the closet.
Look at thisl" he cried.
It was a tiny speon-shaped piece
Of nickel that had been broken off
another piece. Bonniger turned it
over on his hand. do you know
what it ISL"
"Sure. It's for cleaning out the
bowl of a pipe. It's part of little
combination gadget that is sold to
smokers" Neil had dropped to his
knees and was searching the floor
of the closet through the glass. !.
Look" he said, handing over the
glass. Crumbs of bread and shreds
of tobacco"
Bonniger looked. "What do you
make of that?" he asked.
Neill crumbled some Of the
bread and some of the tobacco be-
tween thumb and finger. "The
bread is dry, but not completely
dry" he said. 'sThe tobacco is fairly
fresh. 1t cannot have been lying
there more than two days. Within
the past 48 hours some man has
been concealed in this closet.
While he was shut up here he ate
some bread and he filed his pine. =
HE couldn't smoke his pipe If
he was hiding"
He couldn't light it. but con-
firmed smoker gets a certain
amount of satisfaction out of a dry
smoke" Neill was picking up
Il. ,.rrJc - &Sl1ocfr, ~ :, - ~, M
under the glass and tasting them.
He smoked mixture containing
Latakia, perique, hurley and per-
haps other tobaccoS. It would be an
expensive mixture
well, I'm damnedl" said Bon
niger. This puts a new complex
ion on the easel"
Are you telling me?" cried
Neil. He was so happy he could
hardly play his part. Janet had not
lied to him. It was not she who had
shot Tanning.
They're Both Guilty!
! DONNIGER argued quite differ
- emily. ''Now we know where
the man came from" he said. "She
brought him on board with herl"
WHAT cried Neill.
"Surel It's as plain as a pikestaffl
No wonder she came aboard will
ingly. Il was job between the
two to get Tanning"
What for"
For his money and valuables.
We don't know what has been
taken. The girl invited Farming
into her cabin. and while she was
keeping him occupied. her con-
federate sneaked up behind and
shot him. Il all fits together. II
doesn't matter which of the two
shot him. They're both guilty."
Neill rubbed his lip This was
ridiculous. but il was dangerous
too. According to his premises,
Bonniger's reasoning was perfect
| ~ correct. Janet was innocent. but
every hour that passed strength
ened the case against her. It would
be fatal TO come out into the open
until he could produce the real
killer.
Neill said dryly; "If you are
right, how about the door?"
"Oh. when they went out they
would lock the door and then
break ii in to make 1t appear as il
Tanning had asked for what he
got. After they had broken in the
door they would put the key on
the inside
Il was an ingenious explanation
though perfectly false. Neill
thought: BY God. as long as | live
/ viii never convict q man on cir
cumstantial evidence. He said:
Well. anyhow. cur lob IS to catch
the man"
~And the girl added Bonniger.
a aew anxiety seized NeilL II
Bnnniger gave the press this new
slant on the Csc popular opinion
/ would run high against the missing
girl So Tar. public opinion had
been induigent towards her be-
cause il was believed that she had
been lured aboard the yacht But
/ If people thought that she had plot
! ted with another man 20 bring
about Fanning'S death. every hand
would be raised against her.
The thought suddenly leaped
into Neiil's mind: Eysterl That's
who Ii vast II is exactly the
crazy sort of thing he would dol
I These were the arrangements be
talked about He was always
watching and following Tanning.
He Sneaked aboard the yacht 4
was Eyster who shot flaming and
/ that's why he's sucking Up to me
Z ssnvsf