The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-08-26
Chapter A
NHdpleL n
At The Ruined Smithy

TED diSmounted at the first
4 struggling hut and tied his
horse to sagging gate post. Then
he stealthily picked his way to-
ward the long low building that he
judged must be the blacksmith
shop that the two men he had over
heard had referred to. He crepl
forward silently.
Suddenly he shrank back
against the wall Of the shack next
to il, and held his breath as he
watched a dark form detach itself
from the black mass of the build
ing and take few steps into the
road.
Ted discounted his first idea that
il was Josh Hastings, as he studied
the tall slender figure of the man,
who now stood in a listening atti-
tude, one hand at his hip. Deciding
that it must undoubtedly be one
Of the two blackmailing villains he
had overheard, Ted crouched for
spring.
In spite of his exhausting night
ride, he still had a goodly measure
Of the pent-up energy of his week
in Jail. This new obstacle in the
path of his rescue of Kay, far from
discouraging him, brought sud-
den wild exhilaration.
He sprang out and grabbed his
unknown enemy about the neck, at
the same time wrenching his hand
away from his holster and twisting
his arm cruelty as he tried to force
him to the ground.
After the first second of surprise,
and before Ted could down him,
the man recovered his balance by
a mighty heave of his shoulders
that sent Ted staggering with him.
They both reeled in a deadly em-
brace Of straining and bullying
muscles.
AS the man made no cutlery, Ted
felt sure he was there for no good
purpose, and struggled to regain
the advantage he had had in the
first moment of catching him off
guard. But Ted was hampered as
he did not dare release his right
hand. This made itsdoubly hard to
combat the wrestling tactics the
man now adopted.
Back and forth they rocked. Ted
still hanging on like grim death to
the gun arm Of his opponent, and
struggling for position to land a
telling blow with his left.
Unable to make out anything in
the darkness, he hit out blindly.
To his own intense surprise his
first thudded with Sickening force
against a jaw bone, and the next
instant the man he had been strug-
Cling with slumped at his feet, UNI
conscious.
Ted seized the strangers BAN
danna and his own. and bound his
wrists and ankles. Then he pulled
his victims gun out of its holster
and moved swiftly toward the
ruined smithy.
The Hidden Notebook
TOR what might have been min
i utes, or might have been hours
after Josh Hastings left her, Kay
lay on the smithy floor in stupor
Of despair.
Long before her temporary
physical paralysis lessened, her
mind walked to painful realization
Of her situation, and to flashing
review of the succession Of events
leading UP to 1t.
Through Il all, ran the main
theme OF hurt bewilderment at
Ted's behavior. Her own personal
hopes had revived individually at
the statement that il had been a
''red-headed girl" that Ted had
fought for. Tom Runyon, whether
deliberately or unknowingly, had
put her on the wrong trail, and il
had seemed for one glorious mo-
ment that all her wild jealousy had
been unfounded.
But how explain Ted'S curt re-
fusal to see her, and the Scornful
way in which his eyes had passed
her by at the trial7
In her Semi-conscious state,
Kay'S fears. for the moment, were
dulled. but her love for Ted surged
through her. overcoming for the
moment her pride and resentment
Of his attitude toward her.
Perhaps, after all, he tpas in love
with that girl. Marion Howell. But
somehow. as he had told his story.
Kay had felt that that part Of II
was impersonal. and that gratitude
for having saved him was the key
note Of Ted's feeling for this black
haired stranger, who had so tor
tured her thoughts.
Her eyes. gradually growing ac-
custoTned 90 the darkness peered
around her prison. and a sudden
terror sent her leaping 20 her feet
Stumbling over 10 the door. she
beat frantically against IL CRYING