The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-12-09

You know, / heard That Shot. IL
wasn't bit like the noise a bal
loon makes"
Where did it come from?" I
asked quickly.
She stopped and looked at me
uncertainty.
Maybe I oughtn't to tell what
/ know until I'm asked. Officially,
I mean. But you won't talk"
She leaned closer, confiden-
tally. 81 couldn't swear, you un-
derstand, because / was dancing,
and those colored lights make me
just a wee bit dizzy--I'm almost
certain it's my heart. That's what
I tell people when they say how
well I'm looking-you know heart
patients always look healthy"
She came to a full stop and
beamed at me as if she had made
everything quite clear.
But the shot?" asked help
lessly.
We'll, as / was telling you, it
was just after saw Mrs. Orping-
ton 60 out on the veranda. She's
little impetuous, you know; and
she can't bear not to be first in
everything. She was so provoked
with her partner for stepping on
her balloon, and I think he must
have said something, for she just
turned right around and left him.
He didn't go out on the veranda
after her, which I think was very
wise, don't your"
My chance of learning any
thing of value seemed a forlorn
one, but / persisted.
"And right after that you heard
the shot?"
"And, you see, I'd just been
looking at Mrs. Orpington, so it
isn't likely could be mistaken
about the direction, as my hus-
band says. Not that / think she
did it, goodness knows, even if she
is quick on the trigger and crazy
about Barney, because where
could she carry a gun with that
costume?"
Il OAAA1kV0o DAaCh DS0A
CHE had resumed her measured
~ pacing, scrutinizing the floor
carefully as she went. ! fell into
step beside her.
'But you think the sound came
from the veranda?"
ooh, / don't know. I dare say !
was mistaken about the whole
thing" she said with maddening
inconsistency. There were so
many balloons popping - do you
know, mine was the only one left
except Anne's, of course. I told
Mr.. Shaw ! really should have the
prize, since all the rest are elimi-
mated. But he said he didn't know
anything about it--that was Mr..
Nelson's job, awarding the prize.
But he's gone-Barney, ! mean.
/ think he tainted, or something.
I saw Major Drew helping him to
a car. So expect I'll Just have to
wait until he's feeling better. !.
I wonder what the prize is? Mr..
Shaw didn't seem to know"
This was a little too much for
me. rnurmured some excuse and
crossed the floor toward the front
entrance. There was a subdued
murmur from the veranda, but no
voice greeted me and ! felt sud-
denly like an intruder.
/ turned back, a little aimlessly,
and surveyed the room.
Suppose the shot had not come
from outside the building? Sup
pose, in the semidarkness, some
one had fired from the edge Of the
floor? There would have been the
smell of burnt powder. Or was
there smokeless powder now?
/ shifted hopefully, and il
seemed to me could detect faint,
remaining traces of the acrid
stencil. but it was too late to locate
its possible source. Had I noticed
anything earlier, when / fed
across the dance floor after Adam?
could not remember. but some
one else would.
Suppose, for the sake Of argu-
ment. that Mrs. Flower had been
right in thinking the shot had
come from outside, or from the
vicinity of the entrance. Suppose
the bullet had lodged in one of the
narrow pillars that supported the
balcony. -.
Idly ! inspected the row nearest
me, crossed the floor and scanned
the pillars on either side Of the
deserted stage. And on one of
them. at about the level Of my
shoulder, I found the bullet.
To say that I was surprised
would be an understatement. I
had been following train Of
thought. The possibility Of its
leading 10 anything had been so
remote that I could hardly believe
my eyes. But there was no doubt
ing the bullets reality. II had
plowed through corner OF the
pillar, splintering the wood on the
other side - an ominous black
bead, half exposed by the torn
timber. And as nearly as ! could
judge its path, il had come from
the direction Of the front door.
Mrs. Flower had been examin-
ing the willow chairs that were
grouped into q sort Of lounge on
either side of the front door. Now
she approached, cycling me intent
~. ! moved to meet her, making
an effort TO hide the excitement
that was making my heart pound.
| had no intention Of sharing my
discovery with her. That was for