The Key West citizen., 1939-12-05

door OF that room and ask you to
deliver a message for meg"
The inferno eyed HIM thought
fully. fft sounds damn funny to
me-" he commented. "You want a
man and all you know about him
is that he has sandy hair and wears
crutches."
"It is damn funny" Michael
agreed. II wish, had time to ex-
plain all the details to you. You'd
be interested"
We'll, maybe. haven't got time
either. We're under-staffed. Come
on. then.p Michael followed him
across a polished floor. down a long
hallway toward glass door
through which 'eddied sounds Of
conversation and wisps of smoke.
The inferno pushed the door open.
Forty pairs of eyes looked up at
them.
"Say you're looking for a man
who is expecting a message from
DR.: Murchison," Michael said
quietly. :
ANY of you fellows waiting for
a message from a DR.. Murchison?"
the inferno said loudly.
Silence. No one stirred.
The inferno frowned. mo CO."
he said to Michael.
But MichaeIs keen eyes were
rowing over the group. One face
had paled dreadfully at the in
terne's first speech. Michael looked
straight at the man. II think | see
him." he said pleasantly, raising
his voice the merest trifie.
At his words the man stirred in
his chair and reached for the
crutch at his side. He stood up, a
shell of former bravery and cour-
age. a husk of lost strength. His
voice was small, tense.
I'm Not Coming
I'm not - I'm not coming" he
l said.
Michael waited. He looked at the
man. The man stared back at him.
I'm not coming" he said a little
louder. 'I don't have to come"
A big, black-haired chap beside
him looked up at Michael. "Is that
the doctor fellow. SMITH" he
asked.
The sm aIler mans mouth
twisted. mo. that amt him." he
said, "Inever seen this one before"
Never mind all that talk" the
inferno said sharply. "Are you the
man who is expecting a message
from DR.. Murchison?"
I'm the man." Smith said heav-
lily. "But I'm not coming"
That's all right with me-" Mi
chael said lightly. 81 don't want
you to come. want to have a talk
with you"
The little man stared at him.
The big man spoke truculently.
"You better go off and leave him
alone" he said. He's been half off
his nut worryin' about your doctor
friend. You can't make him go. He
don't have to 60. Well get the law
on you if you worry him about it.
1t amt right" b Z.
Michael left the door and went
down beside the two men. Smith
was breathing hard. The room was
very still.
II don't want you," Michael re-
peated.
1T amt no good askin' for the
money either" the big man said
again. "It's gone. But you can't do
nothing about it. Just try it and see
what happens. Well have the law
on you"
For the love of Pete" Michael
said gently. "Shut up, will you?
Let me get a word in edgewise, Is
there any place where we can have
quiet talk?"
The big man eyed him suspi-
ciously still. II haven't got CUR" +"
Michael assured him. And I'm not
kidnapper Your friend will be
quite safe with me-"
He don't go nowheres to talk
without me" the big man growled.
Michael turned to the inferno.
''D'you mind if we go to the wait
ing room to talk?"
"That's all right. Look here,
Smith, stop that chittering. will
you? You'll have a temperature
again. you ass"
Smith passed a shaking hand
over trembling mouth. and en-
| deavored to control the nervous
spasms overcoming him. The big
man took him by the arm after he
had raised himself laboriously
from his chair. "Come along, old
bird" he said, 1--WE might as well
git it over with"
In the waiting room, Michael
looked at Smith sharply. why
are you afraid Of Murchison?" he
SAID at once.
Smith looked at him and swal-
lowed. His hand went to the breast
of his coat and felt for something
there: His lips moved but made no
sound.
why aren't you coming?" Mi
| chael said again.
The big man broke in. "See
here" he said, cit seems to me you
don't know much about this buSi-
ness. Did that Murchison send you
here?"
"Not exactly"
do you know what he wanted
OF Smith. here. or not?"
Il have merely glimmering of
an idea"
Then, what the hell are you
here for?"
Information" Michael said
promptly and truthfully.
who are you anyway? A friend
of that. ). of Murchison's?"
81 have never met the gentle
man. am lawyer"
Smith gasped. "A lawyerl" he
said weakly. 'Then maybe !.
Exactly" Michael agreed with
him. "Now viii you tell?"