The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-11-11
Chapter "a
Tricking The Tricksiers

PUFF poured out to George the
story of her last talk with Iris.
But look here!" George ex-
claimed excitedly. '1f she practi-
caliy admitted she did that last
summer. there's nothing to it. All
we have to do is to tell Tim and
he"
She shook her head. II told him
last night It didn't do the least bit
of good. II only made him more de-
termined to defe nd her. No,
George. we've got to work from
the other angle-from Iris herself.
She's up to something, and the pub
Ished announcement of her en-
gagement to Tim is what it all
hangs on. Don't ask me how /
know. Part intuition. perhaps, and
part cold reasoning. The point is,
1 do know. Now here is what
want you to do. George. Go to Iris
and offer to buy back that land at
what she paid for it, at what you
bought il for from LatshaW."
Horrified establishment took pos
session of him. "Are you crazy,
Buff? Just when Tim and are on
our feet again, when I've convinced
myself all over again that there is
a Santa Claus who puts nice fat
checks in my sock, Christmas or no
Christmas. now you want to barge
IN and ruin everything. She'll snap
at the offer, of course"
IF she does. it'll prove that she's
straight. George. and will make
Tim good wife. Surely you'll be
willing TO pay that much for his
happiness. But"-her most urchin-
like grin deepened the corners of
her mouth-'ten thousand dollars
says she isn't straight, George, that
she won't sell it. mean," she went
on, seeing his face vacant with be-
Wilderment, that's what you'd
lose if you bought it. I'm betting
you exactly that sum she won't
sell IT, Take me up?"
He thought a long time, his
hands on his knees, his forhead
corrugated with puzzled consider
alton.
81 get your he announced at last.
"Ant. by golly. | believe you're
right, No. of course | won't take
your bet. Buff hope I'm as good a
sDart as you're proving yourself
n be. I'll offer to buy the land. Tim
certainly can't object to taking his
half of il, considering the circum.
stances. If she accepts. | lose ten
thousand dollars and YOU"
Lose Tim. she said steadily.
But we're not going to lose,
George That land is the other half
of her scheme. The announcement
OF her engagement to Tim COM
pletes It Things'll begin to happen
very soon. Tomorrow you hustle
around to her tell her you're hap
py about the trouble between her
and Tim being ironed out"
BE damned if | will" he ex,
plofe1.
Yen O. IS | sayl Act like a nice
polite young gen 'eman. Then tell
her you want TO buy the land back;
that YOU have a conscience as we'll
as she. and you can't bear the idea
o. her being loaded up with all that
useless land Don't threaten. and
don't come right out and tell her
thai YOUR acceptance of her as
Tins wlfe--no as his fiancee-de-
ponds on her selling out to you.
Then watch her | predict she'll
protest that she will never, never
rob YOU consciously as she did I'M
consciously last summer The more
closely you press her. the more
she'll retreat You'll walk out
without any deal having been
made Which proves"
That there's dirty work afoot."
he interrupted with rising excite
ment. And | sort Of think ! could
look into my crystal-supposing |
had crystal and powers of proph-
ecy and was the seventh son of
seventh son and born with a caul-
and outline the shape of that work.
But where Tim comes in don't
quite see"
Marry Me1
~DONT you? Supposing there
IL was a."
New buyer for the land!"
and Latshaw or Iris, or both
working together, had convinced
him by fake tests that"
the mines were what we
thought 'em last August"
But one last bit of proof was
needed, one thing that would
clinch the deal so that our imagi-
nary buyer would not call in other
experts
and our buyer, who's not so
darned imaginary at that! knows
Tim by reputation"
"And Iris says carelessly that
Tim paid twenty thousand for it
as a pre-nuptial gift to her
having. of course. the deed In
her possession to flourish before
his credulous eyes
Then the only thing lacking
would be the absolute, direct proof
that they are engaged And here"
she said simply. laying her hand on
the paper. "is the proof in black
and white"
Weekes gave a whoop Of pure
Joy. What a stupid ass I've been
not to see it! Stupider than Tim be-
cause of course he's trying to be-
lieve Iris is straight, and I've
known all along she isn'tl Oh. Buff.