The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-10-06
Chapter SO
The Unshorn Truth

SAoRb~A 90
The UnshOrn Truth
TWICE during Wednesday was
hailed again to the death-cham-
Der and put through my PAGES,
hut by now was wary. ! had told
my story. and was sticking to 1t.
Three times the next day made
the trip to the police station, sat
for half an hour in a small. stuffy
room, and submitted to quick
ire battery of questions from a
succession Of plain-clothes men,
Dusk was falling as the car de-
posted me at the gates of the Cha
teau for the third time. and / was
BRAIN and body-weary. The hall
was empty and Swallowed. but as
] turned towards the lounge. a
movement behind the Office coun-
ter halted me. and ! saw the chds-
sour cycling me from behind it. his
eyes pale. luminous Sits in the
gloom.
At sight OF him all the depressed
irritation, the nerve strain of the
last two days, suddenly came to a,
head. The thought of the brutal,
beastlike crime he had committed
cracked my self-control. | took a
stride across to the counter and
saw him finch at my approach.
"You here?" said. in no very
gentle voice. II thought you'd
have cleared out long ago. Surely
you left Prague trifie more hur-
riedly after the opera-house shoot
ing?"
I could have bitten out my
tongue next minute. but the mis-
chief was done. He sprang back.
his hand few to his trouser-pocket,
and next instant found myself
staring into the muzzle OF an ugly
looking gun.
PUT il down." ] said sharply,
but even as spoke, tall. angular
whirlwind swept out from the Of
fee beside as. It was the house,
keeper. her round. puckered face
contorted with rage. "Are you
mad?" she said sharply to the chds-
seuT. PUT that thing awayl" And
as he obeyed sulkily. she swung
round on me.
This is too muchl" she said
fuFiously. "How dare you threaten
my servants? 1 will not have it. do
you hear? You. criminal. sus-
pected murderer ! shall report you
10 the police"
Report away, woman" adj
vised her. ut may be the last
chance you havei" and turned on.
my heel and stalked away.
| could have kicked myself for
my stupidity. but ! was too tired
10 do il. Body and mind alike were
exhausted. and the one thing |
craved for was food and bed. But
as ! turned TO mount the stairs. |
noticed. in the angle Of the balus-
trade. a set OF bookshelves.
crammed with aged and tattered
volumes.
A curtain was hanging behind
them. concealing. I imagined.
some wall cupboard. and / gave
an idle tug to II.
II was no cupboard that the
heavy plush concealed. but q small
alcove. backed with q white
painted door on which notice was
roughly tackled, and as read It,
every atom Of fatigue dropped
from me. II ran: "THE rSNKEEPERs
90 FRANCE. CLUE pEs SANS CLUBS
II might be the merest coinci-
dence, for, after all. Hugo had
said that there was q highly re-.
spectacle club Of that name but ]
sprinted up the stairs. two at o
time. and rang for Amedee.
Listen. friend" ! said. when he
raped on the door. THAT alcove
behind the curtain In the lower
hall-where does II lead?"
Monsieur" he said. "it leads,
one believes. to the cellars. but
these many years the door has not
been opened"
what cellars?" cut in sharply.
sUnder the hohse?" But he shook
his head.
Under the terrace. There is an
other door in the lower garden
but that. too. has never been
opened. TO my knowledge.
/ vas immens Niy elated. for II
seemed that, after weary hours OF
inaction. had stumbled on some
thing blythe second meeting
place Of that ill-omened club.
Confession
ONCE again that night. | was
" taken to the police station.
There were six men waiting for
me In the stuify little upper room
but noted that there was no sign
Of the ;sQe. the coplfaissaiFe or
Fleuriot. The fellow IN charge mo-
toned me 20 sit down opposite
him q 3 bic desk. on which were
displayed o water-carafe and glass.
q medicine bottle. and q couple Of
door handles.
With . sinking heart. ! guessed
what was before me, and guessed
only too well. For the next hour
and a half ] sat there. while FIRST
one, then another. then third took
IL In turn 10 question me. whis-
pering. shouting. Cabling. accts-
Ing. I sat there. my brain dizzy
and Keeling. in that small, sitting
place. with the unshaded lamp on
the table glazing straight in my
face.
AZ last the climax came. All six
Tot 10 their feet Standing In q
circle looking down az me. like Q