The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-12-06
Chapter Is
Drawing Conclusions

CMTTH fumbled in that breast
- pocket and brought out GER
tain dirty folded paper. 'Murchi-
son has the mate to this" he said
HE gave me the money when we
signed it. He said the minute he
sent for me / was to come. He said
he might be ready any time. I
been nearly crazy. ! couldn't give
the money back it's gone. The
wife D.. =. she amt got so much now
adays." He gulped. II didn't ought
to have signed it. was mad for
the money. ] never got it through
my head what he was goin' to do
with me-"
What he was going to do with
your" Michael repeated.
Eyes" Smith fumbled with the
paper. MichaeEs fingers itched for
1t. He said he said he'd buy
what had to sell :" Smith went
on shakily. ''He'd give me half the
money then and half to the wife
after g.. after =" he stopped.
This Murchison," the big man
took up the story. Smith here was
broke. He'd heard about these
here people that buy bodies TO use
for experiments. He went to the
University and struck a bargain
with this here Murchison. Only
..
well? It's been done before,
surely"
Eyes. Smith thought he couldn't
hang out much longer. The doctors
told him so. Only b.. Murchison
didn't want him after he was dead.
He doubled the sum if :"
81 see," said Michael quietly.
His eyes were hard and cold.
Smith looked up with awful
fear in his eyes. what would he
do with me?" he asked. What
does he want to do to me?"
MichaeIS voice was very low.
HE won't be doing anything with
you," he said. 'Not now. Not at
any future time, either"
Smith stared with unbelieving
eyes. The big man gave a deep
sigh of relief. 81 said as how he
must be dead" he exclaimed.
Either dead, or they got wise to
him. They don't let that kind of
thing go on. l bet Smith here
wasn't the first one"
Michael was frowning. I'D like
TO know all the details, if you
please" he said in a tone of au-
thority. "And 1 must have that
paper, of course"
Il been waiting for something
like this to happen" the big man
said.
Smith cleared his throat. He
YVES beginning to believe. "You
got it all" he said. II said he could
have what's left of me after :.
well, after =. the doctor gets
through with me. Mary, she need
cd the cash something awful. He
said all right, but he'd give me
twice as much if I'd come before.
He said we could fix it up that he
was TO operate on me, and he'd
give me half the money now, and
the rest to Mary later. And then
when the operation fell through
:. he could just say I'd died on
the table. He said he could fix all
that. And not to come hanging
around until he sent for me. But
that was last winter, and / been
waiting and waiting and thinking
about what he'd do to me there
all alone maybe, and no whiffs of
stuff to take the pain away
and been nearly crazy. Jake here
says he couldn't hold me to it, but
I been scared he could. You sure
he can't?"
Sure" said Michael.
Smith held cut the paper. Mi
chael opened it and read it.
WE THE UNDERSIGNED HAVE
ENTERED INTO A BARGAIN ON
THIS TENTH DAY OF JANU-
AIRY. NEITHER OF US CAN
BREAK IT WITHOUT THE CON-
SENT OF THE OTHER. THIS is
TO CERTIFY THAT WE BOTH
OF US HOLD IT TO BE LEGAL
AND BINDING. 3
f. MURCHISON,
c. SMITH. i. a.
1T doesn't" said Michael queer
ly, as he folded it and put it into
his pocketbook. 'Tt doesn't mean
a thing"
Black Books
THE conversation at dinner was
l. sedate. The District Attorney
surveyed his daughter-in-law sew
eral times with keen and ques-
tioning attention, but she seemed
quite well. Michael refused to
meet his fathers glance, so moth
ing could be learned in that quar-
ter, and ii was not until dinner
was over and the two men were
walking about the garden with
their pipes that he had a chance
10 ask his question.
What's the matter with the girl
tonight?" he demanded. 81 feel
as If ] were in her black books.
She treated me just as if were
anyone at all" he finished with a
touch of grievance.
you are" Michael answered.
Then, at his fathers astonished
glance, he fastened to qualify ''In
her black books. Not just anybody.
But I'm afraid Tuck's regard for
you has gone 10 YOUR head TIL