The Key West citizen., 1939-12-05
Chapter IA
Man With Clutches

Man With Clutches
WHEN Murchison asked wha,
proof the delegation had that
ne was torturing animals. thew
showed him the order he had at the
pound, signed with his own hand. 4
said Jameson. He was sure In
wrong around here all last wear
over it. Most of the profs was away
when It all happened, but Il
seemed Like an awful lot of them
felt like they had to light In to him
when they come back. He took II
not too bad from the Medical profs.
but when it come to some of the
Arts and Law faculties comm over
here to give him hell about the
credit OF the University and profes,
slonal etiquette and ali that. he
simply told EN- off to fare-you-
well. You can't blame him. It's not
so much their business"
He and Deane had a blow up,
didn't they?" =
Jameson pursed his lips and let
out a long whistle. "And did theyl
Well, you just better guess they
did. ! never heard so much LAM
guage from people that's supposed
70 know better in my life. / saw
Deane come in that day with fair
murder in that little fat face of his,
and saw him stamp up to Murchi-
sons lab and pound on the door.
and ! made it my business to be
around. They was inside with the
door shut. but the row was as plain
as you like. Deane sure got what he
come after and then some. | kind
OK felt like standin' up for Murchi-
son there. Deane's such a snoopy
old busybody. And when he come
out OF there. after Murchison had
told him he was a stupid old fossil
that only held his job because the
college didn't have pensions for
worn-out wrecks, his hands was
just shakin' like they do when he
gets excited. He went out of here
like a whipped kid fair daft with
rage"
%Um." said Michael. He looked
up at the glass jars filed with
strange and awful specimens in the
cabinet. What do you suppose
Murchison was doing with his cats
and dogs?" he asked lightly.
God knows. But it was some.
thin queer" Jameson turned on
Michael suddenly What han.
pened to their bodies after he was
through with them?" he de-
manded.
Bodies? Well - what should
happen to them?"
That's it. | ought to know. have
to take care of that, But ! tell you
even after | heard the groanin'
and yellin' and knew damn well he
was doing internal things to the
poor beasts. never a hint of hide
or hair WIS there left around in the
morning." ....,..
"Um." said Michael again. Fifth
dimensional stuff. Maybe he's a
wizard, Bill. Maybe he can wave
his wand and change you into IA
piece of cheese"
Maybe he can that. But there
never was no pieces of cheese lay
in around in the mornin' either"
Jameson said good .naturedly.
Mystery number one" Michael
said portentously. What about a
furnace?"
mo bones"
"Dear. dear. No boneS2"
''Not bone"
well, well. Indeed. Strange"
Mystery number one. you calls
II. jameson said, his tone lowered.
There's another mystery amt
got straight yet"
Bill. you ought to quit running
this University and get Job with
the police force"
Too fat" said Jameson conten.
tedly.
What's your mystery?"
'Shiverin' With Fright
ITS a man. He comes here every
Il Thursday afternoon. He asks
for MurchiSon, and he's shiverin
with fright every time. Then when
] tell him Murchison's still away he
straightenS up and goes off with q
bit of color in his cheeks again. He
won't tell who he is or what he
wants, and ] say it's something
fishy. Blackmail. ! think, or some.
thing like that he's ashamed of
Won't say nothing but that he
wants Murchison."
Every Thursday"
What kind of a man?"
That's it." said Jameson. "He
thinks don't know anything about
him, but you just have to take one
look at him. and you can guess
Sandy-haired chap. He has to have
a crutch, and he's got a service pir
in his coat. and he comes only or
Thursday. Any fool would know
he's from the Veterans Hospital
Thursday is their day out"
And he won't say what he
wants 2"
mo. Only Murchison."
We'll. Indeed" said Michael.
Bill ground the stub of his cigar.
ette against the side of his dust bin
and threw it in. Michael copied
him.
Afraid I've been talkin' an aw.
ful lot" he apologized. 81 work
here alone a lot, with this fussy
stuff / don't dare let the new mer
touch, and get a talkin' streak
whenever anybody'll listen to me-
-
Crutches?" repeated the young
inferno in the hallway. "Crutches?
There's a whole room full of leg
cases."
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