The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-01-13
THE ARMY POST MURDERS
Nv Vir0inin HnnSOn

a while, Anne knew, or thought
she knew. that Annie was her
mother.
'aThat was why she was drinking
too much. That was the thing that
was driving the silly little fool TO
destroy herself. That was why she
had to take Barney away from
Observation-Disclosures she knew, or
thought she knew. that she was
the daughter of the coloners
cook"
"And that" said, twas the Ina
portant thing, the real skeleton.
that Barney missed"
The road reeled UP under our
wheels. we would soon be at the
station. My mood grew bleaker.
Charlie had fingered that morn
ing after the others left had wait
ed stiffly. doggedly. until ! was
alone. then offered me the ring
"Pm sorry. Charlie I said u
was proud to wear it. But-but I'd
rather you kept it---for a while"
He was painfully white, and ]
felt drained by conjunction. But
only for a moment. Then. I told
Adam it wasn't any use," he bad
shouted angrily and dashed out Of
the house.
stole a glance at Adam now,
a glance compounded of admira-
ton. of baff1ement. OF regret for
the unattainable. How impreg-
| nable was his glass house? How
great a shock would it take to shat
ter it? Above all. why - why q
glass house?
II understand now why she kept
looking at nay ring. Ethel Curtis,
I mean-on the train"
'Gooaby. Adam
| A DAM nodded and swung the
"A car around the last corner.
The station was in sight.
1T might have been you for all
she kneW-the girl her brother
was to marry. He was magnificent
| ly self-obsessed. His letter told her
nothing but the bare fact" :
I shivered. "Just think-before
/ stepped off the train had that
clue in my hands, that and the nag
ging resemblance. If only ] could
have solved it -"
Adam did not answer. The little
car noSed up to the platform,
stopped. He turned to me, his eyes
gentle, his mouth rather grim.
you'll be coming back" he
said.
He did not speak Of Charlie. !
knew he had seen my ringleSS hand
at luncheon when ! asked him to
drive me to the station. And the
request itself had told him enough.
! shook my head now. Tive
asked Elizabeth to spend a week
or two with me in September-I
want to help her to forget him. But
there's nothing to bring me back
to Fort Ravens"
There was a miserable lump In
my throat, and nothing more !
could say.
Up the track my train whistled.
tumbled out of the car, made q
great fuss of getting my ticket, Of
running to the edge Of the plat
form before the train was even In
sight. Through it all Adam strobe
grimly, silently, beside me, carry
ing my one suitcase.
! kept talking brightly.
"By the way, Charles gun came
back-shortly after Lou Orping-
ton went upstairs after her TOOTH
brush. I suppose she had hidden Is
in her room. It's hard to realize
that she was afraid Of me too. /.
It's in the colonels den, under the
cushions; If you could sneak i
Twas the only departure. I stood
on the step and held cut my hand
to him.
"Goodby, Adam. and thanks
for everything"
With the faintest Of Jars the
train glided into motion; his hand
frightened on mine He was, just
looking at me, not saying any
thing He began, to walk with the
train.
aYou promised to write" he be-
gan.
His long legs were increasing
their stride.
Look, Kay"
He broke into a dogtrot. His
breath was coming faster. I tried
to pull my hand away.
Look-you're coming back
He swallowed, leaped from the
platform to- the narrow right Of
way. He was running, now, letting
out the full spring in those jack
rabbit legs. He had surrendered
my hand, but he was still with me.
IL want you tot" he shouted
over the growing clamor Of the
wheels.
nodded, called, sAli right"
He was falling behind, now, he
was giving up. But across the IN
tervening yards I saw the smile
break over his face.
| / located my seat, feeling, b
spite of myself. no longer quite 90
forlorn.
copyright. 1888. Vircimio HamsomI