The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-09-27
Chanter 1a
Dangerous Conference

Chapter 10 sr Lgi~
Dangerous Conference
HAVING accepted Neill, Bon
II niger in his grave way was
disposed to be friendly. After dim
ner in the hotel he suggested that
he and NELL and Kettering should
sit down somewhere and discuss
the case. l.1}9 1896
'Td be glad to hear any sugges-
tons you or Kettering may have
to offer"
Neil hardened with a sense OF
the danger of such a conference.
He must appear to be working
with them, while he played his
own hand. He must study every
word that he uttered. Bonniger
was not the sort of man to be
easily confused by false issues.
Above all he must take care not
to everyday his hand. At the same
time Neill was conscious OF the
grim humor of the situation. To
Be asked to sit down and discuss
the best way Of catching himselfl
'Kettering, think. should be
told who you are" said Bon
niger, eff you have no objections" "
aThat's all right with me" said
Neil, "as long as the newspaper
boys don't get hold Of it."
Il win protect you with the
press
They took possession of the little
parlor back Of the hotel Office, and
locked the door TO keep out the
ever-present mob. The motor bus
had arrived, and Bonniger had
been closeted with MCGEE, the en-
gineer. Neill's chief anxiety at the
moment was to learn if MCGEE had
said anything to Bonniger about
calling him up at the Stafford. II
he had, It wouldn't lead the inves-
tigator directly to Neill, because
he was registered at the Stafford
under an assumed name. But Bon
niger would be able to get good
description of him at the hotel.
what did you get from Me-
Gee7" asked Neill carelessly.s
"McGee's story corroborates the
other three as TO the events lead
ing up to the murder" said Bon
niger. MCGEE himself is outside
suspicion because he went to
town on Tuesday morning. | got
one new thing out Of him. He con-
fessed to leaving a gun where the
girl could get 1t. He was sorry for
her. / showed him the gun with
which Tanning was shot, and he
identified 1t as his
NELL was relieved in mind.
lettering was much impressed
when he was told wto Neil was.
"It's provldentlal that you should
be here, he said
II don't know, said Neill. MUIR
der Is q little out Of my line.
4fI've never solved q murder.
said Referring. "but i've defended
more than one murderer.
Neili did not care much for Ket-
tering. He was too wordy He had
an idea that Bonniger did not
fancy him either. But the man
had a bright mind. He could
pounce on the weakness Of an
argument. Bonniger and Ketter-
sng made a formidable comhina-
ton 20 be up against. Neill let
them do most of the talking.
Theorizing
QONNIGER laid out the known
~ facts. He took it for granted
that the missing girl had shot Fam
ming. Strange that nothing has
turned up today to establish her
identity" he said. The story has
been out on The streets OF Balti-
more for hours. but nobody has
come forward 10 tell US who she is.
Nobody has reported a girl miss
inR. II ! am 70 believe the stories
Of the crew. she was a girl Of re-
markahle beauty. Such q one ought
TO be well known "
For Nell this was all 20 the good
AAAA EN&~ANH4NE ~AAmNNk2 A4hkAs
some man helped her 10 escape
from the yacht" Bonniger con-
tinued. 1T may have been a friend
or Il may have been a strangeE
bent on rescuing q woman in dis
tres. It's easy for q beautiful Cir
20 find men 70 help her. Of course
But neither girl. man nor SkiH
has been seen since they left the
yacht. Where did they COZ How
could a beautiful girl Ia q piab
evening dress and black velvet
wrap disappear without having
been seen BY someone2
Perhaps the skin swaaped oui
n the hay and they wers
drowned, " said keitering.
~It's 3 possibility.
Nell put in 3 word FOR Janet
IL Farming attacked the girl, shs
. 4