The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-10-08
Chapter IS


Tosthpicks Fer Two
THE rafe was vast sea Of crowd.
L ed tables. set out under
canopy Of trees Hugo was sitting
at table on the outer fringe.
We'll said. as dropped into
the vacant chair beside him. Tive
had quiet day.. but the evening
promises tn be livelier. ii one can
Judge bv the advance sample I've
Just had"
For answer he kicked me sharp
ly on the ankle. mntioning inn
patiently towards a man seated
with his back To us at the next
table. ! bit back an exclamation
for the fellow had raised his glass
TO his lips. and | saw that the in
dex finger Of the hand that held il
was missing from the first Joint.
Hugo's eyes met mine, but,
neither spoke q word, and so for.
a matter OF twenty minutes we sat
there. exchanging the mist ultrab
banal Of small talk. Then. sudq
denly, things began TO shift. III
l noticed. gliding through Ithe
fhrong on the pavement. tall.
Negroes. in a crisp. white cotton.
dress. with a snowy muslin turbani
folded fatty about her small head
She was a splendid looking crea-
ture. ninving with q free un-
trammeled grace. but there was
a purpose in her movements. for
as ] looked she turned sharp left
threading her way among the
tables. and with rnurmured word
OF apology sat dnwn in the vacant
seat opposite nv neighbor
He glanced up at her without
the SLIGHTEST sion nj recognition
The Negress settled herself at
the table. reached forward and.
helped herself TO one of the little
paper-wrapped toothpicks from
the china contsiner before her
For a moment she sat there idly
twisting II between her fingers.
then. TO nv surprise. instead of
stripping of the fiimsv covering.
she started to thrust II intn the
bosom ~ her dress. changed her
mind arinarenflv. and renlaced II
IN the little china pot 1t was
pointleSs action. but its very mean
Inglessness made me suddenly on
the alert I glanced at Hugo and
saw that be had noticed nothing
A waiter passed scurrving and
the Negroes called him and gave
him her order A. the same mo-
ment the mnn or. .nsit, her threw
a couple of coins on the table.
yawred nsfentafio islv and cot to-
his feet: hut as he did so. he
stopped and in his turn. with an
bsent-minded air. extracted
fnothpick from the container
Then he turned and SLOWLY saun-
tered away In the direction Of the
harbor.
narn0r
~Cnn,e On" said ~ Hugo I've
had ennrsh NJ This !" He planced
up sharriv r,uahi tho lnok IN nv
eve. and -nse IN his feet What's
the frn,.Eiep" he wk'r~ared as he
followed me down The narrow
aisia IN fse Movement
"The trouble said |. sis waik-
inc inst psSe~d" and In half a
dozen wnrd~ told him what had
happened "T''s nv bet that q mes.
sage n.ssed from hand 10 hand
snusIv turl,ed swav In tina. tooth-
picb
He whi-fiad "what do YOU pro-
pose IN do"
sCztch him In sorae dark spot
and take the tonihpick off him.
I answered hlithelv
sThat's coming eui intn the opfn
with \ vpn1eanret n Il could be
ARRANGED I'd nrefer snFnpthing
more s-sbtle" Ard even as he
smoke. Providence itself answered
him.
slsaA Mission
(I,cANNOMED into a dim figure
Nm flowi1puwhite. robes which
prnnnflv lsiH a hand on NV arm
aMnneieur" n whispered won
have he'd M fa3rthar trouhle7"
n was the Arab Garnet seller
and ~ sisN, IF him I gave a sasn
OF relief Tell me said eatrh.
ing him hv tho shoulder ard draw
ing him m with Ne "vou WORT for
Mon~ir,,r Dunrinq9"
~rrrieed vrsi" he Fnnrrnured
Send rnnushw said | "Now
iists-' rye = iok ta~ WI, You soc
that man ahead lin the white
shirt and trousers. who Is nv
croSsias the square UPWARDS the
iettvs You must follow him see
where Ne Rnes p~d report ~ Mon
sieur nnnning Tell him u is tho
man without snoer aEid ~ will
understand Alsn.r broke nff hest.
tatins how 10 hrnach delicate
subject there Is small matter
Of a tnaihnirk which he carries IN
his ri~hs-herd trnuser- pocket Is
Il nnssihle that under nretext oet
olIerirs him = Garnet one might
purinin that ionlhrirk sr,N esin-
vev u n Monsieur naanlng9gaAsn
Hr sHve me . swift nod and
departed ~.s&a .ss4
sAna where = said II ues psfTsnt-
" a. ! turned hack tn hifSfs 80
you find that a6Hltlon toc&he
Leasue n NationSs
Draw up your stool to uncIe's
knep- retnrted benevoientlv.
and TIL tel von." for was feel
Inc fairlv pleased with mvself But
as We drnvp hnrnp and ] unfnlded
the tale I detecsed q certain un-
"Reminiscences IN lis recension.
Its immensely exciting" he