The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-06-30

tlptoed into the Slippers room.
She did look better. There vas :
sight tinge Of color in her face. H.ss
Cod How haggard she waeI Her
cneek bones stood out sharply. her
yes were great black holIows: and
ner nair IN the dim light Of the bed
amp showed almost entirely iron
gray. And only few months before
1t was unthinkabIe.
! found myself reverting to one al
important question. Jude's family
VINO was to tel fhen.z II would be
sheer cruelty to leave the lob to anv
one Of the three Farrfnztons. Cav had
never met the Blinshops. And that
left me. -
Right then and there I began to Law
plans. We would say absolutely MOTH
ing to the natives who arrived from
me village ! would go back with
them and straight to George Foster.
me coroner ! knew Foster, a fat old
boy who loved above all things to
trou for bass. would tell him the
whole story and leave il I'D TO him.
he had spent lifetime, in such
messes, and he had been q lifetime
friend OF the Farringtons. II anyone
knew what to do. he would. Then
would either hire car in the village
or borrow Fosters. and head straight
for Blinshop-
Screaming through that silent
house came the unmisfakabIe sound
OF . pistol shot, fred at no great dis
lance from where I sat
He's Done IT.
Ny eyes darted TO the Shippers
" face she hadn't stirred. Reach
ing over, ! found her pulse 70 be
strong and steady. Without hesitatfng
dashed into the han in the direction
from vhieh the kdzlnd had cone
HE otzsE ki6l Of u Rsuse' near nv
room, Il must be in the, servants
eaafsefso As f<erzssled affirot1gn the
iswsagIpg fOoF HW ne door Of Hig-
girisI FdoA sEhHae npeh, and two
more steps brought me within range
OF all | wanted to see.
Higgins lay sprawIed grotesquely
over the bed. In one hand was the
much discussed revolver A small,
blue hole showed in one Of his tenn
PIES There was great deal Of blood
on the coverlet. The house was ring
ing with pou2ding feet
Hes done itIs shouted William.
Hes done himself i'm
tried to answer. but couldn't get
out single word So it was Higgins
after all. Higgins, the dignifed,
pompous old codger. 20 die like this.
There were screams in the hall
screams and babbling voices n. Far
rington was resisting MichaeI's at
tempts 70 turn her away from the
CHASTITY sight. and Gay on the other
side Of the old lady was doing her
best TO help. Beyond them in the. hall,
Annie was standing IN her nightdress,
wide-eyed and shaking. took Gays
arm roughly.
go back TO the Skipper" ! said.
Don't leave her for any reason" Gay
seemed to be the only person there
with even mild trace Of sanity. She
went ithout a word.
Please, Aunt Martial" Michael
was saying. Come away. Please"
n Farrington's voice went zoom-
ing up the scale wildly. y will look
mustl don't believe III He was here
before / was bornl He"
I tried my hand. Aunt Martha |
said. shaking her none too gently.
mike can't stand any more of this.
He's all in. Take him out of here"
For an instant il was touch and 90,
whether the ruSe would work or
whether she would go of IN mysteries.
l could see them rising in her spas
medically working throat. And then.
"Of course. OF counsel"
The look of relief on Michael's face
was enough for me- | turned back
into the room. hearing Williams
voice in the distance ordering Annie
to go back and watch Cook Once
more William and faced each other
over the body.
Il suppose" l said through stiff
lips. I'VE could do something to stop
this bleeding. IfS-meSsy."
Williams ysice wasn't steady. 81
wouldn't touch nothing. sir. The po-
lice viii want to see il just like it is"
at seems beastly to-leave it,
alone like this"
well. wait a minute. sir"
Before 1 cotild stop him. William
was out Of the room II was all could
do to keep from shouting after him.
/ turned away from the sickening
sighf end leaned heavily upon the
dresser. Something bulky under the
scarf attracted, nay attention and !
lifted the thing automatically. Lying
faeeubh Arkf on the dark oak surface
were the two letters that had so mys-
teriously disappeared from Williams
room was still glazing at the things
when William reappeared with q
dark blanket which he drew care
fully over the bed
Look here, William"
There was more curiosity than sur
prise on his face as lie took the things.
$50 that's IL He wasn't bad sort un-
I'll something got under his skin
whatever it was"
Copyright. 1897. Either TVlsrJ