The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-01-04

= Cdu see ucI HlGtlIlB OuI just
and righteous punishment - my
imagination balks at murder. It
couldn't be that with her: il would
have to be an execution. can even
imagine her executing herself In
defense Of a principle"
He stopped, grinned steepiSl1ly.
"As if | knew anything about il"
he said alphabetically. ITS a rash
man who sets himself up to inter-
pref another persons mind. We're
mysteries even to ourselves" >
"But-but that's true about her"
I said in a fash of conviction. only
there's 70 such motive here"
"Of course not. And I'm no psy-
chologist.. Well leave that;soft Of
thing to Barney" 81
The notebook! I reached a hand
under the cushion for it, and Adam
dropped down beside me on, the cot.
And it was at this inevitable mo-
ment that the door opened and Lou
Orpington peeped in.
She was still fully dressed, had
time to observe before she ducked
out and shut the door with osten-
tatious haste.
ooh, beg your pardon!" she
called with unnecessary volume. Il
didn't mean to interrupt. I just
came down for a book. -"
Adam was staring al the closed
door in blank surprise.
you'll find Little Women in my
room," I said clearly. Take it
I've read it"
Her voice drifted away, still
shrilling apologies, as if she had
really interrupted something.
We exchanged oe,wi d e r e d
glances then ! began to giggle
Eelplessly. iiW 2hi'.
What I'm doing to your repu-
tation, ADAM
He was blushing, as usual at the
slightest excuse.
"a thoroughly nasty woman"
he said stiff1y. He rose, returned to
the swivel chair. Perhaps you'd
better read it to me. Safer that
way. )" And he grinned reluc-
family.
But What And How?'
7 OPENED the little brown note
L book, tipped the pages and be-
gan to read where we had left of
in Barney's rooms.
"'Mrs. Flower - always telling
about her heart pa1pitationS, see
chapter on neuraSthenia. Many
symptoms of mental unbalance
here: /. Inability to follow SUBJ
ject consecutively or coherently.
q. Repeated use Of wrong word
ingenious for ingenious" "e1ni-
nent" for Imminent" etc. 3. ColoS-
sal tactlessness. 4. Inability to see
herself as others see her. 5. PRINT
tive defense of her chf1d's most OBJ
vious faults and real pleasure in
the fact that the brat resembles
her.
"'Odd that the child shows none
Of his fathers superior mentality.
Query: Has physique - physical
superiority-any relation to hered-
itary dominance? Flower is not
strong. 80
Mrs. Flowers father was a
pAinter-renowned, but CONNER
cially unsuccessful. II. B. Genius
often on the borderline Of sanity.
Has she any brothers or sisters?
Can seldom get straight answer
from her. Is she Intentionally eva
sive or merely rattlebrained?"
Adam murmured. what a lot
he missed"
His eyes were closed, his hands
rather tense on the arms of the
chair.
Haven't I seen you smoke a
pipe?" I demanded. 'Where is ito"
He opened his eyes, grinned at
me.
'In the car"
Then get it-you look too url-
comfortable"
"It's a violent brute" he
said lovingly. Maybe Elizabeth
wouldn't like it. ="
Nonsense think her father
smokes old rubber bands" -
He went like a child released
from school, returned nursing the
pipe contentedly; tamping tobacco
from a leather pouch into the black
bowl. Presently the sweet, acrid
smoke began to fill the room.
Go on" he muttered through
teeth clamped on the stem.
MARY Shaw heard somewhere
that she had a homely sister who
went in for good works. Never
heard of Mary doing Nnything for
her. Query: Is she ul11g homely?"
Adam took the TSEe out of his
mouth, Graded it In ms hands.
do you notice something about
this-this amateur analysis? The
same theme-as if he were on the
trail of something's"
"You mean-the hidden rela-
tive?"
The minute ! had phrased it my
mind made the connection. Adam
had said the murderer was some
one a little too anxious to keep
the skeleton in the family closet.
"Ethel Curtisi" ! breathed. He
must have found out something.
But what, and how? He doesn't
know who--you can tell that by
the way he speculates about them
all"
Adam did not reply. His eyes
were bright with furious thought,
and he was smoking with short,
rapid puffs, like steam engine
working at top speed.
(copyrtght, 1888. Vir0inio Honso.j
J. TomerEeY, PeEing over the notes.