The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-12-16
Chapter "a
Ridiculous Question

Ridiculous Question
MISS LISSEY is your anony-
IfA nous letter writer" said Nc
Balm.
Michael rubbed his ear. 81 don't
think So" he said slowly. II asked
her, pointblank, today. She knew
what ! was doing here, having
guessed some and ferreted out the
rest"
you asked herr"
"Yes. And no one could have
been quite so gui1eless if she'd had
guilty knowledge. No, I think
we're off the track there"
McBain shook his head heavily.
ITS a damned puzzle to me, from
beginning to end" he said. "And
those love letters-that's a,greater
puzzle. I told YOU what / thought
OF such rotten idea once before"
He dropped into. his chair and sat
thinking. while Michael watched
his expression. did it ever occur
70 you" McBain said suddenly,
that those mightn't be love let
tiers at alI?"
What do you mean, Sir?"
Why-they were with the dia-
monds. Surely, if Murchison had
gone with a woman he would have
taken his valuables with him, Of
that nature. It appears that he
didn't. Is it possible that the dia=i
monds have some strange and Sc
cret history and the letters aren't
what they seem to be but some
thing else. in code, relating to the
diamonds? Do ! make myself
clesr?"
by the Lord Harry" said Mi
chael softly. II wonder if you've
struck something? You're suggest
ing let me think now sup
posing the diamonds were stolen"
He went on, disregarding Nc
Bain's hand. Stolen. Not neceS-
sarily by your friend-but still
quite possibly by him. Supposing,
as you say. these letters are code
letters, from someone familiar
with the circumstances. Someone
who is warning him :. ratherl"
Michael smiled sweetly. "We'llget
a code on them tomorrow"
THAT would fit in with your
letter from Chicago" McBain said
abruptly.
cit would" Michael replied hap
PLY. "Murchison's afraid to give
his address or any hint of his
whereabouts to his wife. In that
case. she may or may not have a
hint Of the real truth and is
acting accordingly. You can inter
pref her actions differently accord
ing to the light you see them in.
But the thing that gets me, is d.
why haven't we heard about the
theft or loss or misrepresentation
-. whatever you like of fifty
thousand dollars worth of dia- 4
monds?"
"They may have come from
some other city," McBain said. u
don't believe for one instant that
MurchisOn stole them, Forester.
] think you're barking up the
wrong tree there. But certainly
there's something strange about
them .. and it may be he's keep
ing them to protect someone else
.. | don't know. I'm no Jewel
thief. But as for thinking of
Murchison in that light .itwould
mean sort of double identity :.
it's preposterous."
You've got to come back to
that letter warning the Commits
sioner. though" Michael said after
a moment Somebody sent it. AS
for Alix Lissey I'm convinced
she thinks she knows something.
! found her today out on the river
bank. inspecting the rocks with a
species of microscope. Can you tell
me what might have been in her
pretty little head?"
Whose HAITI
MCCAIN iald MS pipe down on
IfA the arm of his chair. Inspect
ing the rocks with microscopic"
Something of the Sort" "a
"Where?" s>
"All along the bank between
the University path and the first
big ravine. I don't think she found
what she 1as after, but she was
certainly searching" +
McBain laughed shortly. "Per-
sonally. | shouldn't like to venture
an opinion. She's a bit off. I've al
ways thought"
aAny special reason why she
might want to cause trouble for
the Murchisons?"
McBain smiled suddenly. per
haps the fact that she once expect
ed to marry Jared Devoe might
have something to do with II" he
replied.
~What7" 81
tits incredible, but true. She's
been a changed woman ever since.
Il was the summer he came he
taught first at summer school here,
Mrs. Mlrchison was away at the
coast. Miss Lissey was here. and
she did her best to make Devoe
feel at home. She took him every
where. bought hosts. Of new gar
ments and blossomed like the rose.
My wife says she even went so far
as to hint at an engagement Then
Mrs. Murchison came home, saw
The situation, and rescued Devoe
from the tolls. Miss Lissey has
been bitter ever since. It was q
very close call for Devoe."
Il can see that that might well
explain her attitude"