The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-08-25
FOUR BLIND OATES.
ByEdWin Ruiz
Chapter SO
Mistaken Identity

II reached the foot or the Steps
and proceeded yard or two along
he gravel path that led away from
hem.
any property" he said, some
what pompously, extends right
DOWN to the Sound"
Miss Dorothy South shot an APP
prehepsive glance over her shoul-
der. She had some vague idea Of
attempting to signal Ape Coletti to
desist from caresSing this partlcu-
lar gentleman with his blackjack.
But, even as the notion crossed her
mind, she knew it wouldn't work.
The Ape would never interpret q
signai correctly.
Perforce she had to bring her
head back to normal position to-
give attention to Richard Grafton
bury.
eff you look across the water,
Richard Craftonbury was saying,
"you can see the lights Of. -
He got no further. There was a
quick step behind them and soft
dull thud. For the ten thouSandth
part of second Richard Grafton
bury, whose mind had been on
lights, realized that the world con-
tanned twenty million multi-col-
ored lights and that all of them
were in his head. Then he slumped
to the ground.
A Mortified scream rose to the
lips Of Miss Dorothy South, but she
choked it back. The next instant
Ape Coletti was at her side, grin
ming complacently. t
dat wuZ neat woik, huh, Dot
tie?" he said in a hoarse whisper;
With a Herculean effort Miss
South -regained a soupeon OF her
accustomed poise.
ass "Now you've done it you dumb.
wop," said Miss South! And with
out giving the Ape time to get over
one of his brilliant comebacks, she
turned and fled.
For a brief moment Mr.. Coletti
remained standing over the pros
trate form of Richard Craftonbury,
scratching his head. What had he
done, anyway, except to carry out
his orders to the tier?
Well, he supposed that Dorothy,
having unburdened herself of that
uncomplimentary remark, ha d
rushed off to faint in the driveway
in accordance with the ChiSeler's
instructions. And that brought up
another point. Where the devil was
the Chiseler, anyhow? He'd been
gone for hours and Coletti was
somewhat concerned lest he might
be pocketing certain items of value
within the house which he would
refrain from declaring in the final
division of the swag. He shook his
head. Gosh, it was getting so guy
couldn't trust anybody.
Anyway, he'd better take this
guy over to that srlokehouSe. He
bent and lifted the inert body of
Richard Craftonbury. It wasn't
much of a job. Richard Crofton-
bury, for all the fire that burned
within him, was a slight spare
man, The Ape merely tossed him
over his shoulders and set off for
the sff1okeh0use. ss
He arrived without mishap
Then, working in the dark, he took
ball of twine from his pocket
In very few minutes the wrists
and ankles of Richard Grafton
bury were securely bound
The binding completed, Mr.. Co
lett produced two large handker
chiefs. He still disdained light
This was his work and he was 2
master at it. Let rank amateurs
among binders and gaggerS risk
detection by creating Illumination
He, Coletti, was prudent expert
enced workman who used the
touch system Crushing one OF the
handkerchief into wad, he in
serted it in the unprotesting mouth
of Mr.. Adams. Then he stretched
the other handkerchief to its full
length, placed ii across Mr.. Ad-
ans mouth and secured it behind
his head. The job was finished. And
now the Ape felt justified in view
ing his own handiwork.
Bending ovSr, he lifted Mr.
Adams to a sitting position anc
propped him against the wall Of
the Smokehouse. Then he struck
match. The next instant Mr.. Co,
letti emitted a startled yelp.
Gee whiz," he cried aghast
Its da wrong guy.
For a few breathless seconds nc
stood staring at Richard Grafton.
bury in fascinated horror. Their
panic seized Mr.. Coletti. This
this was all highly irregular. Itwa:
a. condition not covered by thu
ChiSeler's instructions. And with
out instructions from the Chiseler
Mr.. Coletti was at loss as to how
10 proceed.
Quick Thinking
OF A sudden he thought more
" deeply about the Chiseler
When that acid-tongued gram
marian arrived to find an unknown
individual, who probably had no
commercial value whatsoever
trussed, gagged and waiting for
removal, heaven help the Pride of
the Colettis. All the invective that
the Chiseler had ever heaped upon
his unintelligent brow would seem
pale pink compared to what he
would say when he discovered this
business. Suddenly the Ape made
up his mind. He couldn't take what
the Chiseler would dish out He
would 60 from here. that was what
he would do.
Anyhow. he thought as he raced
through the parkland toward the
main road, this mess wasn't his
fault It was Dottie's for bringing
out the wrong fellow. How was he
to know? Now she was probably
lying in the driveway, waiting to
wake up and give that gang 9
cock-and- bull story. Well, she'd
wake up in the hoosegow, that was