The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-08-19
Chapter 81
The King OF Hearts

THE Chiseler Inspected the up
per stories of the house. They
were in total darkness. Having
noted this >salubriodS fact. the
Chiseler glided across the lawn
and fumbled along the side of the
house until he found a rainspout,
Peering aloft. he perceived that
this rainspout, on its gay journey
70 the roof, ran close to an iron bal
cony some fifteen or twenty feet
of the ground.
'sOkiedoke," muttereo the CHS
.eler, who occasionally permitted
himself the luxury of lapsing into
the vernacular.
In his youth Mr.. Jennings had
been no mean porch climber. And
the 1T of porch-climbing is similar
in certain respects to those OF
swimming and bicycle riding. One
forgets the finer points with the
passing years, but the rudiments
remain. In short, once porch
climber, always a climber.
MINDFUL Of the crying need for
absolute quiet, the Chiseler re-
moved his shoes and secured them
in his belt. Then he went up the
rainspout nirnbly.
He gained the balcony without
mishap and climbed cautiously
over the rail. But, all of a sudden,
he paused. A light had been
switched on in one o. the rooms
that gave on the balcony.
Drawing back into darkened
corner, the Chiseler took counsel
with himself. He speedily came to
the conclusion that it would be the
height of folly to be st;.mpeded by
this slight untoward occurrence.
Doubtless the light had been
snapped on by a maid who was
turning down. a bed or something.
Shed probably be gonc in a min
ute. He resigned himself to wait.
Five minutes passed. Ten. Fiji
teen. And during them there came
at intervals to the Chiseler's ears
small slithering sounds as of birds
fiuttering their wings. The sounds
issued from the open window OF
the lighted room and the Chiseler
was at a loss to account for them.
He began to fidget. Valuable time
was passing.
He permitted another two min
utes to go by Then he came to the
conclusion that the maid. having
turned down the bed. had left and
neglected to switch off the light.
He stole forward stealthily and
looked in the window. At table
sat a portly woman playing what
appeared to be solitaire And the
sounds he had heard we're made by
the cards as she shuffied and riffied
them.
Mrs. Dipiang, housekeeper at
Saltair Acres, had called it a day.
Having made adequate provision
for this party of Mr.. Jonathan's.
she had turned the reins of gov
ernmenT over to Matherton and
his subordinates. Then she had
slipped up to her room, intent upon
a Quiet cup of tea.
Before ringing for it, however.
she had sat down to tell her for
tune few times. Mrs. Dipsang was
an inveterate teller of fortunes.
True. il was very seldom that the
events prophesied by Mrs. Dip
sang about herself or anybody else
ever came off. Nevertheless she
persisted. huUyed by the fact that
upon the night of the decease of
the late Dipsang. seafaring man
lost overheard in a blow off Cape
Hatteras. the Jack of spades had
come up no less than seven times
in spots significant of disaster. In
Mrs. Oipsang's occult scheme of
things. the jack of spades was a
bird of ill-omen.
The present Set-up of the cards
indicated nothing exciting. Mrs.
Dipsang sighed. gathered up the
pack and tried agains And this
time it vas apparent from the first
that something big was about to
happen. Propitious card after pro-
card fled from the deck
ana fell in the oroper juxtaposi-
ton with one another. Cards IN
dicative Of health. wealth and har-
piness practically twined together.
The eyes Of Mrs. Dipsang bulged
and the Dipsang knees trembled.
Never before had she had such a
fortune. Great events. all of a Ia
vorable nature. were ganging up
with a view to Transporting in the
near future. The stars were whirl-
ing in their courses. The world was
and jittering. just prior to
Ringing itsell at Mrs. Dipsang's
feet. With nervous fingers she
hipped over the next card. And a
little cry left her throat The card
was the king of hearts.
Brimming Cup
MRS. Dipsang's cup was COM
M plete. The king of hearts,
turning I'D with other cards of
salutary significance. could mean
but one thing. A large light man
Of regal bearing was about to come
into her life. And, in addition TO
catering her life, this large light
man was predestined to remain IN
1t. doubtless replacing the nautical
Dipsane who had so careleSsly
gone to Javy Jones of Hatteras.
Yes, Destiny was arranged on the
side Of Mrs. Dipsang. And Mrs.
Dipsang, heart a-fiutter. sat back
gasping. the happiest woman on
Long Island.
Il was at this momentous instant
In the worlds history that Chisel-
e. Jennings essayed to vacate the
balcony.