The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-07-03

cusable. Stealing glance at him, |
nearly abandoned the whole idea. He
looked terrible.
"Tm sorry" ! said. 'Tm-rm
sorFy" sNsr tod
He stared at me a moment. Don't
look like thatg he growled. @It's my
fault. I'm iumpy. Forget it"
HAll right" / showed my cigarettes
at him. ANY sound from the Skip
peri" II.
mo. wish we could get doctor
here now. Jim" The flare Of the
match lighted up his drawn face.
'You don't suppose this viii have any
after effects-heart or anything -do
your"
Il don't see why it should" said.
eff 1t does" said Michael bitterly,
"Pll never forgive myself"
"You?" Great God! Was the crazy
fool going to confde his guilt to me
just as | was busily trying to prove
1t for myself? Don't be absurd. mani
What have you got to do with it,"
'1f I'd insisted on her going south,
she would have been forced to tell me
what was on her mind, and my father
would have been sent back where he
belonged"
1t took me fully 10 seconds to get
my breath. 'sYou think your fathers
presence caused all this2"
1T must have. 1t was the only un-
usual thing that ! can think Of. )"
Michael crushed his barely lighted
cigarette. / studied his, face.
do you think that also explains
Higgins extraordinary behavior"
mo" The face was cloudy. Damn
it, it doesn't explain anything. Jim,
what could have allied him?"
you've got me. Mike" / said
| truthfully. Has il occurred to you
that there's something mighty pecu-
liar about the way Higgins died?"
He whirled on me. What do you
mean?"
WELL" ! was picking my words
with care, when a bullet goes
through mans head, it lands some
where. OF course. the police win be
better than was, but I'll be damned
if ! can find it-anywhere."
His eyes were boring into my face.
Are you sure it went through"
Positive. There's a mark where It
went in and cash where it came
ont"
delivered the end Of that sentence
to an empty room. Michael had start
ed for Higgins door, and if he got a
| glimpse Of the face under that bian-
ket before had staged my act, it was
all over. Everything had went into
the sprint that brought me up to him
just as he halted at the side Of the
bed. Two seconds later and / would
not have been in time TO grab the
hand he reached toward the blanket.
Mastery Acting, Or
"DoN'T. Mike. It's-pretty bad"
~ Ordinarily wild horses couldn't
have stopped him. Was II exhaustion
or was It guilt in his face and trem-
bling hands?
Perhaps you're right" His voice
was muffled. There was silence and
then he Strengthened up. "All we have
to do Is reconstruct the scene. He
must have been either on the bed or
beside it-uniess someone moved
him. Did anyone touch him?s
Not so far as ! know" | said in
the steadiest voice | could muster.
Then he must have been doing
one Of the two. That means that the
bullet. His eyes turned to the far
wall and picked out the splotch in
the plaster Immediately. His voice
stopped. The next instant his grasp
on my arm made me vince what
the devil is the big ideag"
was lighting to keep my voice
down. What do you mean?"
That bullet Is right where Il
should be. What kind Of damned
stunt IS this?"
] shook him of. Il don't know what
you're talking about" grated.
There isn't any bullet. I've been over
this door dozen times-even moved
the bed and looked in the hall. II you
find anything, you're better than I
amls
There was an awful moment Of ST.
lence. and then Michael began to
chuckle--a chuckle that sent the
blood back into my singing head.
Jimmie he said. Jimmie
you're dudl Higgins was-oh, Lord
-left-handedl Look" He pointed TO
the Far wall. Here's your bullet.
right where It ought to be"
Either was Witnessing some mas
terly acting or Michael had no con-
ception Of the state In which The body
had been found. stared at that tiny
section Of cracked plaster as if / had
never seen it before in my life.
Come along" he said at last. you
need foodla
n my little attempt did nothing
else. i had at least restored Michael
70 a good humor. He was stiIl chuck
ling when we reached the stairs.
Go look after your love-Iife,
said. -Ill get the aunt. III cough
when
Il won't be necessary. said Nj
chael, Gathering down the stairs.
n Harrington alone remained. ana
! rather relished the idea Of an en-
counter with the iraseibIe old lady.
knocked on her door and called, Its
Jimmie. Aunt dartha"
There was q slight pause and then ,
a trncaicnt voice said, Come In
fcopyrseAs. 1857 EstAss Tylsrg