The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-09-15
Chapter Nine
A Hideout For Janet

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NELL set his Jaw and consid-
y cred. He was on the other side
now. He was hunted instead OF the
hunter. Quite a different thing. No
powerful department tc back him
up now. Strictly on his own.
Where could he tind Janet q
hideout? The obvious thing was to
hire a car and drive to town; but a
car could be traced and in that
case his usefulness as her defender
would be over. He must be on the
spot in order to discover the truth
of this affair. Where could he put
her under cover in this unfamiliar
neck of the woods? Suddenly he
thought of the dark ships up river.
"Take me awayl Take me
awayl" murmured Janet.
"Okay, Jen. We're getting out"
Running back into the after
cabin, he snatched ur her velvet
wrap where it lay on chair. 1t
was a fimsy garment. Apparently
that and the gauZy evening dress
were all she had. Not enough to
keep her warm in an open boat.
He picked up a travelling rug that
lay folded on a seat locker and, re-
turning to the saloon, wrapped her
ia it. She chung to him. Carrying
her up on deck and down the lad
der, he deposited her in the stern
seat of the skiff.
He paused to make sure that
everything was straight in his
mind. Must take food He started
back aboard the yacht.
Janet raised up, instantly wild
with terror. Don't leave mel"
'Only to get something to eat.
Back in a jiff."
In the pantry adjoining the din
ing saloon on deck he found re-
frigerator stocked with cooked
food of various sorts. He packed
everything hastily in tin bread
box along with the bread and ran
out on deck again.
"Hurryl Hurryl" murmured
Janet in the skiff alongside.
Half a moment!"
He gave a hasty glance in the
direction of the shore. All quiet
there. Remembering a fiashlight
he had seen on the bookcase in
the saloon, he ran down to get it.
While below he thought of some
thing else. In the after cabin he
dropped to his knees beside the
dead man and went through his
pockets. Finding the little photo
graph Of Janet that Tanning had
taken from him the night before,
he transferred it to his own pocket.
and fastened up on deck.
Casting off the painter Of his
sliff, he ran out the oars and
pulled towards the open water.
Sounds From Shore
a S NELL rowed along with the
n lights Of the village on his left,
It was still only about nine o'clock
and there was plenty of life in the
place. He could see shadowy fig
ures passing under the street
lights, while the sounds of dogs
barking, motor horns and male
laughter from the porch of Long
eope's store reached his ears. Fur
Their along he could hear music
coming through the open windows
Of the moving picture theater.
At Absalom's Point he lay on
his oars for a moment debating
whether Il might not be better TO
row across the bay. 1t was a calm
night and he could have made it in
safety. Nobody would think Of
looking for Janet over there. But
il was IS miles and he couldn't
possibly get back before daylight.
Nor visit her there. No. Better the
ships. So he turned the point and
rowed on up the wide river, pass
ing along the other side of the VIII
lage.
The sight Of Janet bowed and
silent under her blanket wrenched
him with pain. After what she had
been through what could he say
to herr To have tried 10 make light
talk would sound like mockery. In
the end il was Janet who spoke.
Where was Tanning when you
came aboard the yacht?"
Neill thought her mind was
wandering. Never mind him." he
said grufiiy. HE won't trouble you
any more"
did you kill him?" she asked
simply.
Don't want to talk about Il. /"
said Neill.
"All right" she said, perfectly
docile. Nothing matters as long
as we are together"
He hated 10 think of leaving her
alone in her present condition.
But there was no help for that. Il
would be impossible to trust any,
body he didn't know to take care
Of her. Travis county. Maryland.
was a peninsula remote from the
great world and he judged that its
people az best were Inclined 20 be