The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-12-19


tightly around nay throat, around
my arms, trusting me as securely
as a colt for the branding, muf-
fling me as completely as gag.
| felt the knot jerked tight between
my shoulders. Then along my
ankles, where my letters left on,
/ felt again that brief current or
air and, family through the muf-
fling folds, heard the key turn IN
the lock.
The realization Of my criminal
foolishness gave me strength l
had not known I possessed. /
fought savagely at the cocoonllke
wrappings. Oh, fool! fooll / had
deserted my post, walked so trust
ingly into the trap. Behind the
door-that was where the danger
had been hiding; and / had turned
my back on it. A woman's life
would probably pay for this.
Half sobbing, | twisted and tore,
bit and squir.ned, and inch by inch
the bonds worked upward from
my forearms until / could use my
hands.
Velvet-the stuff was velvet.
Someone's evening wrap. The
thought passed briefly through
my mind Then | tore the, thing
from my head and threw it across
the room, staggering to my feet,
gasping air into ~ starved lungs.
There was a thin streak of light
above the door--the wooden tram
som, open a crack. Gould / get out
that way? Or should scream for
Adam? twas too late for secrecy.
/ needed help-at once.
In that brief instant of hesitation
the crack of light vanished, and
from the dance floor rose the
shrieks of women and the cons
fused babble of voices,
The lights were out! ! ii
Too Late
7 POUNDED and kicked at the
i door and added my voice to the
clamor outside. But what chance
had of being heard? The room !
was in was roughly above the
stage-too far from Adam for him
to distinguish my voice in the gen.
eral commotion.
I gave it up and leaned hope
lessly against the door. What good
could I do now, anyway? With the
crazy monotony of a cracked pho
nograph record words were re-
peating themselves in my mind.
'Too late. Too late. Too late"
Suddenly ! froze into listen
ing sileEce. Someone had come
noiselessly along the gallery, had
paused on the other side Of the
door and was drawing furtive,
painting breaths like a runner
forced to rest, yet wary Of pur-
suers. Instinct warned me not to
speak or move, not to seek rescue
here. TIL IN something clinked
lightly on the floor at my feet:
and there was silence on the other
side of the door.
The kev-~it must have been the
key. ! did not take time to wonder
why it had been returned to me.
/ screamed again with all the voice
] could muster and dropped to my
knees, cropping in the dark.
found it almost at once and
my fingers closed on It convulsive-
ly. Nightmare clumsy, I yet man.
aged to find the keyhole. ] had the
door open and was in the hall
when the finger of light searched
me out from the encircling dark
ness.
'sKayl Thank Godl" said Adams
voice. and the circle of light
swooped to the floor between us.
You're all right? I heard you
screaming. -"
His voice wavered a little and
the light danced at my feet.
'The murderer" gasped hys-
terically. 'He--it--was here an
instant ago. He locked me in that
room, then the lights went out
and he threw the key over the
transom--he can't have got farl"
"A mann" Adam asked quickly.
IL don't know. TIT was
somebody"
And then ] saw how hopeless it
was. There were people on each
side OF us--they had come like
moths to the light. / saw Mrs.
Flower peering excitedly around
Adams arm. Behind her the
Shaws, looking almost comically
surprised. Mrs. Orpington had
come up behind me and was Just
standing there, her eyes cleaning
and funny half smile on her lips.
Nobody passed me-" she said
brightly. Il was right at the foot
of the dressing-room stairs and I
stood still and yelled until saw
light up here. -. You're sure
the door was locked?"
There was no mistaking the
skepticism in her voice. ! stepped
closer to Adam.
Adam said, SHAW, get out 10
the cars and find some flashlights,
then get busy and find the fuse
box--I think it's backstage."
1T is" seid Shaw. "Barney's
back there with Elizabeth, max
ing coffee. II it's in the box he'll
have Il fixed-I heard him STUN
bling around and swearing a min
ute before came up"
Adam" whispered urgently,
shat girl !"
His eyes met mine, and there
was apprehension in them too.
fcoryrtrAt. 1855. vsr9tsfa HaasoaD