The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-10-03
S7sISaYQ1Iy -
By MAX SALIMARsH

| gravely. sAnd that means to say
we have all the chief conSpirators
| located. but If we had all their
thoughts and plans similarly taped,
must confess I'd feel lot easier.
And now" said he, whats your
end Of the tale?"
I told him, and / don't think q
pin could have dropped unnoticed
while / was speaking.
You don't imagine" said Hugo,
athat with this new development
lin the way of chdsseurs in the ho-
tel, shall let you 60 back there
for the night?"
II imagine nothing" / told him.
"But / certainly know I'd be a
fool not to spend another night
there and see what this new de-
velopment means. Only, if you
like, you can do something for
me. Meet Jean-Francois down the
lane and tell him from me to keep
an eye skinned for the arrival Of
that yacht"
He agreed with extreme relic
lance, and after supper, at little
before ten, / strolled back to the
hotel. / had purpoSely timed my
arrival to get in before the place
closed, but though my watch still
showed five minutes to the hour,
the big gates were closed when /
reached them.
I turned the key in a lock that
felt freshly oiled, entered the
darkened house, and tiptoed my
way upstairs. Everything was still;
! could almost hear the house
breathing in its sleep.
opened my room. switched on
spection, but everything seemed
to be in order. Even the lock of
the door still worked, a fact that
surprised me mildly, for ever since
I had identified the new cF1dsseuT,
had had vague suspicion that
things were going to move that
night.
! fastened the door, wedged a
chair under the handle. and closed
the stout outer shutters of the win
dows; then, with the comfortable
feeling that il was to wake UP in
paradise it wouldn't be for want
of taking precautions. / went to
bed.
But the long hours wore on and
! slept and woke and slept again
until suddenly, somewhere before
the dawn. / woke with a start.
What had aroused me I couldn't
tell. was painting as IL / had
dropped out of race. and in my
ears ] still seemed to hear the
] echo of muffied cry.
Dripping Red
I CREPT to the door, listened in
1 tently, and then, with immense
precaution, turned the key in the
lock. As ! opened the door silently,
saw that the passage outside was
filled with the gray half light of
dawn, but 1t was completely emp
ty; and then. a little way to the
right. with a stealthy quiet that
made pulse leap in my throat, a
door began to open.
Inch by inch it moved and
stood watching it, holding my
breath. / could not. think what
room il was, for the rest Of the
corridor beyond was in shadow
and | could not count the doors;
but this door was clearly lit, and
as ! watched something appeared
round the edge, pushing it wider
something that sent a cold
shiver of horror sluicing down
my spine. It was the fingers of a
mans hand, heavy-knuckled.
white-skinned, but they were not
all white, for the nails dripped red
on the marble flags below.
In one swift stride I was back
inside my own room with the
door shut and locked and my ear
to the crack. For moment all was
STILL and then / heard a small
ominous sound that knew to be
the broken tile in the passage out
side, giving under stealthy tread.
There was no more sleep for me
that night Something horrible had
happened but dared not try to
discover the truth. for my own
life. and Hugo's and Cummings,
were all that stood between .he
old man Virgoe Wills and a sirni-g
lar fate.
Just as my watch showed.
seven. heard footsteps outside.
and. .peering cautiously round the
window, saw the housekeeper.
crossing the gravel sweep with
long. nervous strides towards the
gate. A minute later a thin figure
IN dark trousers and a loose white
jacket followed after her; recog-
nlzed the mop of waving, tow
colored hair and shuddered in
voluntarily. II seemed a reason
able hour to make my appearance,
but before starting any investiga-
tons | had an uncomfortable long,
ing to take header into the sea,
50 pulled on my bathing-trunks
flung towel round my neck, and
ran down. through q deserted
house and garden. to the white
beach and the sparkling water.
After q gorgeous half-hour Of
swimming. floating. and lazing |
made my way back. The hall and
lounge were still deserted, but as
! came up the stairs to the corridor
! saw at the far end. outside MIR.
Venner's door. the stout blue.
overalled figure of Amedee, armed
with breakfast tray.
He turned as he heard my step.
showing troubled face. sBoA
jour. naonsieurl" he called, and
then set the tray carefully On the
floor and came at q numbering trot
towards me. Monsieur viii ex-
cuse he said. fumhling nervously
at his apron. 1T Is unsuitable that
] approach him. but I know that
he IS friend OF the pdtron.s
Well. what Is it," ! asked curl.