The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-10-12

Alty A%tt1Ss .aAC0t4b6 atC sSOA6 elt0
shivering, for twas the sound Of
a key turning in a lock.
The door behind us was locked,
and it was odds that the other door,
through which Cess had fed, was
also fastened. Only too well did /
know how impossible it was to
break down either of those two
doors, and yet the alternative, the
long hours that must be spent in
that dreadful room. shut in with
that gruesome, broken body. watt
ing until Hugo or Dunning or the
| police should come to free us, was
prospect almost too awful to con-
template.
i stood there listening for an
other FIVE minutes. for if the
mailman who roamed the house
learned of our presence. Il dared
not imagine what would happen.
Al. last moved. Il think we can
shift ourselves now" whispered.
NOur host wouldn't wait longer
than he could help. after that last
effort"
But.,Archie." Ottilie said, very
low, what happened? What was
that awful cry, and the crash?"
That" | answered slowly, was
when Cess killed Henrietta
Adams. She's out there now, OF
tilie-but there's worse than that
to face"
81 can guess" she said. felt
her tremble against my arm, but
her voice was amazingly steady.
Were locked in"
You've said it." ! agreed with
! a ,groan. Stay here for a minute,
like. good girl. and don't look
until / tell you"
Swiftly, T dragged down the
phea'.y wall curtain and covered
the body ~ on can come out now,
Ottilie. But you've, got to face the
fact that we're stuck in this room
until Dunning or ,Hugo-or the
police, even-think to come and
look for us here
The Idol
THEN / caught sight of the play
! ing-cards Cess had used. They
were like no cards / had ever seen
before. Queer little pictures they
were, crudely drawn, yet start
lingly vivid.
The girl was standing at my ell
bow. THE tarocl" she said. Don't
tell me he took time to consult
them before he leftl wonder what
they told him."
whatever it was, he didn't like
it." answered, with a vivid re-
collection of that frenzied cry: II
do not believe itp.But Ottilie was
bending over the cards. lingering
them intently.
Il don't wonder he didn't like
i'll" she said under her breath.
Here's the reading of his fortune.
Failure. madness, death, and eter-
nal damnation. all caused by dark
woman"
Strange" said I. "He was al
ways scared of dark women. He
said one would cause his death in
the long rum" sa
She stared at me. 'Melanie was
dark" she said slowly. Her name
means the dark girl and If we
ever get the better of Cess. it'll
be through what she managed to
discover"
1t was true enough. and a queer
thought at that, but as she spoke
her sisters name, / saw her lip
culver, and lswung round search
ing for something to divert her
thoughts. An idol gloomed at US
from niche on the wall. and as
my eye lighted on it, something
suddenly clicked in my brain.
'Ottilie," | said, there's a con-
nection here. Cess was busy be-
hind that curtain before he cleared
put, and he came away with money
in his hand"
Archie, there's something fun
ny about that statue.
"You bet there is!p said |, and in
a couple of strides was across the
room.
The image stood there staring
sardonically at US with its twin
faces. It was carved. as far as one
could judge. from a solid block Of
smooth black stone. and when
struck match to examine Il more
closely, there seemed no crack or
Joint thatIccuid conceal an open
ing.
But Ottilie reached over my
shoulder and gripped something
1thatslooked like siinplified Tudor
rose. turning it with all her
strength. and as / looked. I saw
the image slowly swing to one side,
disclosing deepish hollow in the
center Of the plinth.
There was something lying at
the bottom. something long and
gray-black and sinister, and as I
recognised Ii for what Il was, I
drew a long breath Of relief. for Il
seemed to me that we had rounded
the last bend of the road.
N.Y.! said she. with a sort Of
triumphant gasp. What wouldn't
! give 10 have Mr.. Hugo Stern here
this minutel" And as she spoke
she reached her hand down into
the opening. but gripped her by
the wrist.
Don't touch IT," told her. -lps
4 gun all right, and I'll take q bet
its the one we're looking for, but
IL so the fingerprints on II are
precious to us: we're not going TO
disturb them. And furthermore"
! added. as she jerked her head
impatiently. were leaving 1t ex-
actly where 1t IS for the police to
discover