The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-12-23
THE ARMY POST MURDERS
Bv Nr0ini0 Hanson

land Mrs. Flower came up the other.
We met no one going down. There
was only one person up there. Was
she tied up behind locked door?
No. She was standing on the ball
cony shouting that the murderer
had just thrown the key over the
tranSom. Thoughtful murderer.
And the mandarin coat-covered
with blood-who was wearing it
anyway? Seems to me you can be
too subtle in a case like this. And
it doesn't do to be swayed by per.
sonal feelings"
There was a malicious half smile
on her face. Adam had turned beet
red, and for one awful, world
shaking second I detected fash
of uncertainty in his eyes. Then he
caught hold of himself and the old
hunting CLEAN returned.
May ask how you learned
about the mandarin coat?" he in
quired smoothly.
She looked rather staggered, but
only for a moment.
| Il keep my eyes and ears open,"
she said arrogantly.
For some reason ] was reminded
of Popeye. ("I yam what I yam.")
Mrs. Flower broke in imperson-
| ally. $50 that's why you sneaked
back upstairs and left Mary and
me alone in the library"
about the weather. Though, come
to think of it, good bit of emotion
is expended on the weather every
day. Mrs. Flower was merely mat
ter of fact.
swell, what of it?" challenged
Mrs. Orpington. "We're investigat-
ing murder, not a piece of gos-
sip. I'm not ashamed of caves
dropping in such a cause"
She looked Extensively virtuous.
Adams glance should have with
cred her but didn't.
He said stiff1y, miss Cornish
was with me when Anne was shot.
Are you suggesting that the two
crimes were not committed by the
same hand?"
''That's exactly what I'm sug-
costing. The only reasonable mo-
tive for killing this girl-you'll
probably find she was some SOL
dier'S Sweetheart-waS that she
saw the first murder committed
and was killed to keep her from
telling what she saw"
A COrnered Animal
GO she was going to bring Charlie
- into it. ! saw red for a moment.
you're craZy!" ! said holly.
Elizabeth's hand was on my arm.
She gave it reassuring pat.
Never mind, dear, some people
are like that" she murmured with
unintentional humor.
Mrs. Orpington had been wait
ing for me to be goaded into
speech. She whirled on me now,
her eyes like those of an angry cat.
"Where did you 60 right after
Anne was shot?" she demanded.
II went to tell Elizabeth" re-
turned and was sorry had spoken.
"And what did you do with
Charlie Spencer"
Left him here" said feebly.
There were all staring at me
now, and I knew how a cornered
animal must feel.
She dropped that line as il ! had
suddenly become invisible.
1T would be easy enough for her
to come down the stairs, turn out
that light and close the door, cross
the room and get that wrap and
tnen go back up again. The velvet
wrap is the only alibi she has-and
a weak one, you must admit"
Better than yours, at that,
though, isn't it, Lou?"
Mrs. Flower was looking at her
brightly. II mean, after all, nobody
Sato you in that dark room; and
there were other people screaming
II was, for one, and Mary Shaw,
and Kay. And after all, you sdu
you saw the coat hanger swinging,
but 1t might just as well have been
you who took the wrap"
There was bright interest in her
glance, no malice in her tone. Butt
have never seen a woman wilt so
completely as Mrs. Orpington.
why ). why you :" think
she wanted to say Judas"
Her sheer surprise persuaded me
against my will that she was not
the murderer. And yet there
was irrefutable logic in what Mrs.
Flower had said. / looked at her
curiously, more deeply astonished
than If Elizabeth had been detected
in smoker. One does not expect
logic from the village idiot.
Not that I think you did It.
Lou" she resumed placidly. Dear
me. no. No more than ! think Kay
did il. Or any of the rest Of us, I'm
afraid. OF course the knife being
gone and all makes It rather diff
cult though I'm sure it could be
done by means of pulleys and
CONFERENCE.-The. Did anyone look
for any?"
She yawned prettily, caught
Adams eye and finished in rather
a rush.
"JuSt-I meant Just occurred
to me that she might have shot
Anne and then killed herself"
copyright. 1883. TirSinsa RoRsonl