The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-10-04

ing shorts and a damp towel, but
I had a feeling that the farther I
kept away from nay room until the
arrival of the police, the better. so
for the next half-hour ] kicked my
heels in Amedee's little pantry.
until, with a grinding of brakes,
two big cars pulled up on the
gravel sweep outside.
They came pouring into the hall,
the comnlisSdire in the lead and a
stout. cheerful looking man at his
heels to whom he seemed to pay a
certain Difference. Following them
came the doctor. and after him a
horde of men in uniform, men in
plain clothes, men with cameras,
men with attache-caseS.
The c0nmisSaire bowed form
ally to me, but it was to Anedee
he turned.
THE key of the room?" he de-
manded. and when the big fellow
handed it over: you, my friend,
will accompany us upstairs. but
you, on the other hand, Monsieur
Lumsdep, will remain here until /
Senu Ior you.
| After about half an hour / saw
a uniformed gendarme coming
down the stairs, and when he
beckoned me to follow him back
to the first floor, obeyed with as
good q grace as / could.
| The windows of the bedroom
were flung wide. The blanket, had
been decently drawn over the HOG
died shape on the bed, but as 1
pushed my way throughlthe crowd
OF men who seemed to fill the
| room, / saw something black
stretched on the floph beneath it.
and paused on my way across the
window, where the c0mnsiSSdiTs
sat installed behind a table, to
drop on one knee and see what it
was.
E.ngerprsnted
| TT WAS the big black dog, Lulu,
and he lay on his back, glazed
eyes half-closed. But as | laid a
hand on his big chest, ! felt the
heart still family beating, and
when / lifted his head ] saw that,
though he had nasty crack over
one eye. he was otherwise un-
touched.
Great Scottl" | said wrathfully.
This poor brute is still alive, and
you leave him lying therel Anne
dee. get a man to help you carry
him down to the kitchen and tell
the women to look after him."
The c01Rmiss1iTe signed to me
TO be seated, and in the same ges-
ture indicated the stout man who
had entered with him and was
now sitting on his right. This is
Monsieur Fleuriot. head Of the
police mobile of Marseille.r he ex-
planned "All we wish from you at
the moment. Monsieur Lumsden,
IS to tell US your story and to allow
us to take you fingerprints..
Surely" said |, and in as few
words as could. told him what
had happened from the time had
returned from my swim.
He nodded. THAT will do" he
said indifferently, and added. with
a certain emphasis: "for the pres
ent." And so, after | had read
through my statement and signed
it and allowed my fingers to be
pressed on a black, oily pad and
several sheets of paper, I made my
way once more down the stairs.
1t was more than an hour before
| was sent for again. and as fol.
lowed the gendarnle up the stairs
for the second time, I reflected that
must watch my step and keep q
curb on my tongue If / didn't want
TO and myself deeper in the mo-
rass.
My room door was open as
passed 1t. and a hasty glance in
side showed me the bedclothes
tumbled untidily on the floor and
the content os my suitcase strewn
over the uncovered mattress, but
the broken tile cracked reassur-
ingly under my tread as | walked
on, and | entered the place of in
QUESTION with my head held high.
/ realized, with an unpleasant
shock. that the juge obstruction
was also present We exchanged
formal bows. but | saw by the
CLINT in his eye that he had not
forgotten our last exchange OF
compliments and bore me no love
for il.
Monsieur Lumsden," he said,
and tapped a closely written sheet
OF paper on the table before him,
Il have here your account OF your
movements this morning. from the
time that you went for a battle.
but find that Monsieur le Com
miSsaire has omitted to ask what
you were doing yesterday evening
and through the night"
That's easy" said I. Il started
the evening BY calling. with my
lfrieni Mr.. Stern, on Monsieur
Rene Cess at his villa"
Ny eye was upoi. him. and |
saw him start at the cartoonist's
name. Indeed" said he. "and may
| ask what took you there?"
| grinned az him. "Surelyi" |
retorted "A friend OF Mr.. Stems,
Mr.. Virgoe Wills, was alarmed be-
cause his niece had not returned
from sitting she was giving to
Monsieur Cess. He did not al.
together care for what he had
heard of Monsieur Geiss's reputa-
ton and asked Us TO fetch her.
which we were delighted 20 do.
After that I returned 10 the hotel
here. had a short talk with Mr..
Venner. and went 20 the Chalet
d'Amour where / remained until
ten
And the subject Of your con-
verSation with Monsieur vennerf
What did you speak Of during the
half-hour you spent with him."
The subject OF that conversation
was the last thing I was prepared
10 disclose.