The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-09-30
Chapter q
Unsuccessful Quest

HECILY tried to laugh, do you
know where else man coulc
sell that many raspberries?"
Let me see >. well. how about
the inn?" said Laura.
mo, it couldn't have been the
inn. I saw Johnnie Elder driving
In with his baskets full myself yes
terday morning. Johnnie Away:
supplies the inn with things like
that"
'Cecily, you're not trying tc
make out that the berry man coulo
have gone in there and stolen Lady
Rathbone's heirloom, are you:
How would he have known it wa:
there?"
"Of course I'm notl" Ceeily sale
savagely. But you must admit
that things would look pretty BAG
for him, If the pin doesn't turn ur
and there's no one else to faster
suspicion on"
Laura said weakly that it prob.
ably would. "Only don't see why
you should worry about it, Cecily
Your whole party was cleared
when Mrs. Brewster said she'c
take personal responsibility fol
you"
"Oh, Pm not worried" Cecily
picked up some booklets. They
slipped out of her hands. She bent
to pick them up, decided it was
not possible for her to diSsemble
any longer.
Laura, Locke was the man who
sold those berries to Mrs. Brew.
ster's Addie."
Locke? Well, then" Laura
deprecated the idea that Cecily
was obviously trying to express.
Don't you see?"
mo, don't. Cecily. Suppose you
explain?"
That's just it-there isn't any.
thing to explain! was only think.
ing that Locke Locke is q
stranger here, and in case just
in case anything should come
of it, well he ought to have q
chance to clear himself"
you don't think that he'd dc
that, do your"
Laura Atwill, you know DON'T
He he couldn'tl Besides, like
Mrs. Brewster, / don't believe any
thing was stolen. It's Just lot OF
ado ouar pOfbipoD
Mrs. Brewster does believe the
pin was stolen" Laura said quiet
ly. "And I'm going to betray a
confidence to you, Cecily. She's
sending for a detective"
Cecily felt as though the missing
pin were burning hole in her
very own pocket.
Thanks for telling me-" she
said. Il won't tell anyone, Laura. u
She went to the back of the shop
and put on her coat.
When she came back, Laura
placed a timorous hand on her
arm. where are you going. Co.
cily?"
"To find Locke"
what for? If you don't believe
he had anything to do with this
why do you get so concerned about
it,"
Cecily wet her lips. I'm going
TO find him and tell him to go right
up to Mrs. Brewster's and clear
himself"
Wouldn't it be better for you
not to do it, dear? / mean, since
you were there. wouldn't it be bet
ter if were to go and find him for
your"
Cecily dropped her eyes. She
took her coat off.
You're a lamb, Laura, and you
see more than you pretend to,
don't your"
'rd be blind not to. don't BLAME
you, Cecily. / like him, too"
you don't think he had any.
thing to do with it, do your"
81 don't know" Laura answered
honestly. Neither of us know:
anything about him, after. all. Blu
suppose you let me speak to him;
Have you any idea where I'll fine
him."
"Yes, he was in while you were
out. He said he was going berryins
over in the patch" She described
the place as Locke had described
IL 10 her.
Gone
At half-past twelve Cecily be-
"A gan to expect Laura - will
Locke, perhaps.
Two small girls came in to buy
a book of paper dolls. Cecily GO
out her stock obligingly and pom
dered the problem with her two
young customers.
Automatically, she changed i;
quarter and gave the girls two
dimes. She couldn't think in term.
Of nickels and dimes when hel
mind was occupied with more per
sonal problems.
Half-past one. Two o'clock. Lau
"a should have had time to fine
Locke, to tell him and to bring
him back. Perhaps they had botl
gone right on to Mrs. Brewster'S
An old gentleman from the I'M
came in, seeking an historical
novel Cecily showed him detec
tive stories, biographies, made NJ
sale, saw her first disgruntled Gus
toner leave.
Where were they? Where wa!
Laura? What kind of a girl wa
Cecily Stuart that she didn't trus
her own judgment? Locke wal
honest. He was whimsical; h
wasn't evasive.