The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-07-12
Chapter 80
Arson


with the FOG.
With powerful flashlights and
hand axes the men went through
the smoking ruins. searching tor
snnoldering ruins. Geoff, Thorn
dyke, and Nola joined Jocelyn and
Mrs. Mack. Each one advanced q
different theory as to the fires ori-
gin, but their premises we're
Knocked into q cooked hat when
one Of the firenaen emerged from
the wreekaRe with an empty kef0-
sene can from which extended q
length Of blackened hemp.
He eyed them all accusingly.
s.Somebody d deliberately started
this fFel" he growied. std say il
was planned and set by q profess
sional frebugi"
Joeeiyn gzsped. The man turned
70 her. what do you know about
this, Miss?"
Nothing except"
Except what? Listen, lady, II
there's an arsonist around here
we've got t. get him before he has
the whole county on frel Come on,
speak upl"
~Pm not sure this means any
thing" she hesitated, then told
him about her suspicious boarder.
sounds like our man." He gave
orders to search the property.
Frightened now, Jocelyn recalled
how interested the little man had
been In the fog and In the seclu-
sion Of Seacliff. But before she had
time 70 relate any Of this two hlas-
Ky dremen appeared from the sta
bic. dragging the weeping Mr..
Jones between them.
sSure 1 did It." Jones was saying.
''Never figured you'd get here so
quick to put it out--would've made
made beautiful bonfire-beau-
tifuIl"
Rough questioning elected fur
Their facts. He had served q five-
year term for arson at San Quen-
tin. Aienists had pronounced him
Q pyromaniac and recommended
an asylum. but the state had de-
cided be knew right from wrong
and should be incarcerated IN pris-
on. Jones himself told all Of this in
detail, obviously enjoying his
moment In the spotlight.
Come on you'll You'll be in an
asylum for good this timer
As they led him away. weeping
once more at the failure of his
bonfire, the Macks' old car rat
tied into the driveway and Bob
and Gretchen jumped out.
In the midst Of excited explana-
tons Gretchen cried. Where is
Betsy7 Grsmp?"
"Gramp wouldn't go far away
on his crutches." Tally soothed
He's probably up in his room.
Betsy and Tex are sure to be with
him."
"I'lI run up and see" Bob said.
- He returned few minutes later,
the answer plainly written on his
distraught face. Nobody in the
house. Didn't any Of you see them
around here?
The uneasy circle exchanged
glances- mo-" Tally rasped. TOO
much excitement. Besides, the FIRE
wasn't anywhere near them"
But i. were they -. near the
fire?" Jocelyn asked.
Badly Burned
A HARMED. apprehensive, the
a group split into ones and twos
and began a search of the house
and grounds after agreeing upon
q signal to be given when the lost
were found. Jocelyn found herself
paired off with Tally. Stealing a
look at him she saw that every
exposed BIT of his skin was COW
cred with a Aim of SCOT and his
clothes were scorched and wet.
"You ought to 60 in and go to
bed" she said. You're the only
one who did anything to save the
house. We'd have lost everything
IL ii hadn't been for your courage.
Are-you sure you are all right?"
He brushed her words aside;
said: I've got to find Gramp and
Betsy. Come on If you're going
with me. Il doesn't seem to make
sense but we'd better start comb
ing the fruit orchards"
There was no need, now, OF 90
ing around the eight-foot fence.
There was no fence. There was no
vegetable garden.
"I-Pm sorry about the garden, "
she said. touching his arm. He
WINGED. either from physical or
mental pain. She had no way OF
telling.
Thank heaven, It didn't get to
the chickens" he muttered. his
voice still hoarse from smoke.
From then on they trekked
through the orchards in q silence
broken only to call the names Of
the missing ones. Jccelyn stun
bled over the rough earth, feeling
drugged and faint with WEAKNESS.
She seemed to be Flooding on and
On in nightmare. Her eyes burned
from straining into the fog-laden
darkness; her ears ached from
straining for the signal that would
announce all was vel.
In the gray dawn both families
gathered once more by the charred
black ruins In the back Of the
house. All Of their faces were hag-
gard. Low voices worried: -. i
They might have been trapped in
the garden they might have
been Smothered with smoke !
they might have
Suddenly through the gray mist
came q Querulous old voice.
What In tarnation's all the fuss