The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-09-14

that direction the shore road rose
somewhat. Here the little piers
were under the bank, and screened
from observation. Climbing down
the bank, he walked out on pier
and found a skiff with oars in her.
He got in and, untying the rope,
rowed quietly toward the yacht.
The water was as smooth as a
mirror, and voices came from the
shore with startling diStinctness.
On the porch of Longcope's they
were still talking about fish. Every
star in heaven was shining. No
moon. This moon was near its end,
.Neill remembered. Wouldn't rise
until near dawn.
When he drew alongside the
yacht, he hailed her, not loud.
There was no answer. Tying his
skiff to the ladder, he climbed
on deck and spoke again. No
answer. There was something
about the stiffness of the little
craft that chilled his blood. Where
was Janet? He walked forward
along the deck and aft again,
sticking his head in the different
doors and speaking. There was no
movement, no sound in reply.
Everything aboard was neat and
shipshape. The silence was not alb
solute, for somewhere below he
could hear the hum of generator.
There were two Lighthouses on
the yacht. The forward house
contained luxurious little dining
saloon, while the after house was
merely the entrance to a compan-
ionway leading to the quarters be-
low. Having satisfied himself that
there was nobody forward, NELL
switched on lights in the after
house and went down the stairs
with his heart rising in his throat.
His instinct told him there was
something very wrong aboard.
He found himself in a miniature
saloon with doors forward and aft,
The forward door admitted him
to a comfortable sleeping cabin,
empty. A mans belongings were
scattered about. Fanning'S? The
after door was locked. 1t was a
light door and, putting his Shout
der against it, he burst it IN.
A Dark Wet Stain
CWITCHING on lights, he saw
- Prescott Tanning lying on the
floor at his feet, dead. There was
a bullet hole in his forehead and
a dark wet stain was w y
spreading through the rug under
his head. Janet in her pretty eve
ming dress was lying Imply in an
easy chair nearby. There was
crude smear of blood across her
cheek. A gun lay on the floor be-
meath her hand, and a stale smell
of gunpowder hung on the air.
Neill's heart stood still. He raE
to the girl and flung his arms
around her. Her body was warm,
she breathed; there was no WOUND
on her. Upon wiping her face, he
saw that the blood was not hers
He crushed her to his breast, trem-
bling in the reaction from his first
terrible fear.
Leaving her for a moment, he
dropped to his knees beside the
body on the floor. Tanning was
dead all right, but to NeilPs aston
ishment there was still warmth IT.
his body. If only he had come
few minutes soonerl He saw that
the hole in his forehead was
wound of egresS. He had been shot
in the back of his head and the
gun had been held so close that
his hair was singed.
Neill glanced towards the door
that he had burst in. Its key was
on the inside. All the portfolios
were closed and fastened. To his
mind there was only one possible
explanation. Tanning had attacked
Janet and she had shot him. Nelll
had no thought of blame for her;
he approved her courage. Lucky
that she had the gun. Where had
she got it?
He carried her out into the sa-
loon and laid her on a couch.
There was a vacuum jug on a
stand. He Sprinkled water in her
face and bathed her temples.
Meanwhile he had to make the
greatest decision of his life. The
trained sleuth in him said: She
shot this man and we'll nave to
face it out together. She'll be ac-
quilted of course. But the man in
him thought of how she would be
dragged through the mud-Janet
whom he had always laughed at
and loved for her delicate waysi
And how after acquittal, fingers
would forever point her out as
murdereSS. l don't care what the
evidence is, the man in him said,
she couldn't hare done 1t. And I'm
going to keep her under cover
until | can prove i'll
She opened her eyes and looked
around so wildly and senSeleSsly
that Neill feared for her reason.
"Janett' he murmured. This is
Neill. Don't you know me, dear?"
Recognition came into her eyes,
and like a frightened child she
flung her arms around his neck.
'Neilll Neilll"
TITS me, all right"
"You've comet" she murmured
in a passion Of relief. Il knew
you'd comet"
He Soothed her silently.
What happened?" she asked.
| Lets not talk about it now.
/ dear. ! have you safe."
/ ''Oh, take me away from this
horrible PLACED" she oaned.
Take me away! Take ne awayl''
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