The Key West citizen., 1938-12-10
@You don't think she did it her.
self? Mrs. Flower. ! mean"

Il
He did not answer at once.
"She's got queer eyes. suppose
she might be crazy Then he
shrugged it away. "But what's
the use of Specializing? What we've
got to do is find evidence"
"Oh! That reminds me. / found
the bullet"
''The bullet? You mean the car
fridge ease-the elected SHE'LL" he
corrected me kindly. "WE,ere is it?
Have you got il? Can you show me
where it WASP"
mot the she'll, the bullet" | re-
peated patiently. "And it's just
where / found Embedded in one
of those pillars that support the
balcony"
Adam rose to his full height and
looked down at me with the most
aStonished expression | had ever
seen on his bland face.
"You must be mistaken. Or else
it's been there for long time"
''But-but it's. in plain sight, and
the wood it plowed through is
bright, like freshly split kindling.
Why must be mistaken"
There was growing excitement
in his eyes. He took one long step
toward the door.
"Come and show me-" he conn
manded. I'm not doubling your
word--you know what you saw.
But it's something hadn't count
ed on. You see, the bullet that Shot
Anne Carewe is still lodged in the
wound. They were probing for it
when / left the hospital"
After looking at the bullet,
Adam put me behind the heavy
curtains of the stairway that led
from the reading room to the ball
cony. where could see and hear
without being seen. Enough light
filtered down from. above to illu-
inmate the brief. inexpert notes /
was taking. Adam allowed two
couples to 60 home. {
Next came the Wheelers, mother
and son.
The mere words Mrs. Wheeler
used were trivial. but the satisfied
malice that was visible on her
granite-hartl. tight-rnouthed face
would have enraged a plaster
saint. Adam grew laboriously po-
lite.
Crude fnnuendoes
TT SEEMED this was no more
than she had expected. A girl
of such low principles as Anne
Carewe--one could only be grate-
full for ones foresight in keeping
clear of entangle ments. 1t was
clearly a mothers duty to protect
an innocent boy-this last with a,
triumphant side glance at her thir-i
|lty-year-old son.
My glance followed hers and
fingered. I forgot to listen to heri
crude innuendoes, focusing instead
sharply on the figure of the young
man. trying to analyze the hum
cry. baffied look on his narrow.
face. He was intensely excited: his
agate gray eyes were too bright
he was breathing too fast.
You understand, of course, Ma
Ejor Drew. that we will be happy
to help in any way possible" his
mother was saying largely. "But, /
as you know, we keep ourselves b /
ourselves and are very careful /
fteDer to be involved in the ugly
intTigues that constantly occur on
a post. One knows, of course, pure
ly FIR om observation. ( b at the
young woman was justly disliked
in more than one quarter. One is
scarcely surprised"
She paused to shrlg her beefy
shoulders and seemed to become
aware for the first time that Adam
was standing very still, staring
past her right ear. with no express
sion whatever on his normally
animated face. With something OF
an effort she returned to the at
tack.
"As | say, my son and l are
among the few who can be of no
assistance to you. You will no
doubt find many whose move-
ments will require Investigation
He and | were together through
out the entire evening. I can as
sure you he was entirely without
motive or opportunity for the
shooting. And | must insist on TAX !
ing him home. He is very high
strung. This has been an ordeal"
She CAME to a full stop. and
Adam executed stiff little bow !
II would have been funny. except
for the fury in his eyes.
quite so" he observed coldly.
He maneuvered her to the door,
where she baked. She had been
saving something for this moment
her parting shot. She produced
il with a depreciating wave Of
thick, ieweled hands.
II have Just remembered-pos-
SHY of no value. but one never
knows. does one? II must have
been two or three weeks ago that
| met Miss Carewe coming away
from the colonel's quarters. She
smiled and made some light re-
mark. but one could sec that she
had been crying. -
What response she had expected
Of Adam | do not know.
~0ne moment. Wheeler" he said
irnpaSsively. I'D like you 10 an.
swer a question OF two"
For a moment thought she was
coming back into the room, but
Adam did not seem aware OF her
intention. He closed the door quite
firmly in her face.
fcepprleAs. 1853. varetnta Haasosl