The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-05-15

II fARRlNGToN's room was like
W her sluify little knlck-knacks
IL glass cases iutied out all over the
tables and stands. From the walls.
nerbid locking mei. In whiskers and
nWe1iouFed women In bustIes sim
p6fed oternaily. In an absurd bassinet
beside the bed reposed Christopher.
Ieoking Eat and disagreeabIe. and In
gke bed. pififully white and shaken.
~ Martha Farrlngton.
Something In her face got me as 1
crossed TIE room. For all her prudery
aaa business. ! was fond Of the old
issy. ! Wzs suddenly keenly aware
81 al the lnnumerable little kind
Fesses she hsd done me. All the inn
possibilities Of that impossible night
SEEMED summed up in that picture
e ~. Pennington lying there help
lesa ! sat down beside her and took
her hand.
-Aunt Barbara has just gone to say
Raoa niahi a. Michael" | said. "You
mnsint worry. Aunt Martha. II will
81 work out somehow" / realized
haU Inadequate hose words we're,
tai couldn1 think 81 anything more
impfessive 10 ada 10 them.
Her head moved fretfuIly from
sI6s 90 side. She scarcely seemed
sNaro % any presence. Il thought il
sonid al Anish when you and
Airhael came" she said family.
~ breath came in so hard that il
seemcd to crack my ribs. With all
HF might 1 was iighting back the hor-
FIoiG suspicion that was closing in
81 me IKE a monstrous octopus.
You thought what would fnish?"
! prompted loyalty 10 the Skipper
liaz like . ton Of lead in my chest.
IhGfe Has no answer. NJ. Harrington
sas crfina not In the loud. ear
f'efcIng hysierla that had greeted us
ssFis9r Ia the night but weakly. pitt
falls. Is Il TOO worn out to do any
laiag else.
-Dont cry. Aunt Martha" 1 said.
-IFt y rest I'll take care Of every
th'nE wild promisel
The hibiscus clock on the mantel
l.fkcd pefsistcntly over the sound
81 her weary sohbing. I strained to
snake my mind a blank-to forget
ne Shippers stricken face. TO forget
Michaels words. above all to forget
lhsf picture OF Judith lying in the
light nf williams torch. Every nerve
IS No hoaF tangled 10 the sound OF
mat clock and % that crying. And
tier slowly TIE sobbing diminished,
psased ior an Instant started again
and stopped altogether. The clock and
! we're alone in q nightmare world.
81 FarrinEton's voice recalled me to
a. senses.
r1ames. promise me something"
! rubbed my eyes dazedly. ANY
ltine. Aunt Martha"
Never repeat what I am going to
sell ynu 20 anyone"
~fou can trust me"
Il know can" She hesitated. When
she spoke again her voice was strong
ef. nearly normal. Something has
been troubling Barbara for months.
she refuses % see q doctor. She can't
seem % bring herself to confide in
me ! sent for you and Michael be-
eause was frightened"
/ felt cold and clammy. Il know"
! said.
when told her that had invited
judith. she seemed terribly upset.
pauid have und0ne Il II | could. but
1afiih had already accepted. And
nee--" Her grip on my hand tight
Nued. -JameS left the bathroom
aoor opea when I went to bed. About
half past nine I heard Barbara come
~ she didn't 90 to bed apparently,
faf she didn't come In to say good
ni9nk fell asleep and after a while
! woke % hear her talking with
Nlih judith. After a few moments
heard them 50 downstairs together.
DANES. l."
Tier voice cracked and there was
silence. We sat staring at each other,
and the horror In her eyes was caused
~ the same thing that was creeping
up and down ny SPINE. l found my
voice fnally.
-But-what were they talking
abouf?"
4 eouldnt hear. 1 couldn't hear
suyihlng.~
Again the clock obtruded itself
llpon ms consciousness. l counted its
Observation-Disclosures And
the Skipper came quietly in.
And So To Bed
4 ROSE clamsily to my feet to face
her.
~5sri dislocaied. Jim. I think / got
a. she said.
That's great" said duly.