The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-01-13
Chapter AZ
The Deserted House


Sometimes they were two yards
apart on the rocky shore and then
il took long time; but in not more
than ten minutes he found himself
past the rocks and standing at the
foot Of a narrow winding path
leading straight up the cliffs.
And then he knew where he was
going.
Gordon again." Michael told
himself thankfully as he ran up the
path, lodging the bushes that
struck at him and scrambling over
rocks that tripped him. Thoughts
raced through his brain. He re-
membered the talk he had had
with Gordon when he had asked
why he had needed a boat; and
Gordon had told him of the old de-
serted stone house across the river,
pointing out its position as first
class place for a warriors strong
hold and robbers castle, where
the gang could meet on rainy days.
And Michael had said, ''But it isn't
deserted, my lad; / saw smoke COM
ing out Of the chimney only the
other day." Gordon had insisted
that he was mistaken.
Smoke a furnace perhaps.
Another thought came into his
mind. Jameson had wondered what
happened to the bodies of the tor
tured animals from the University
lab. Here. He shivered again and
went more quickly, reaching the
top with one last bound.
His reasoning had somehow
brought him to expect to see the
old house blazing with light, but as
he stood there peering ahead of
him into the darkness it was not
visible at all. There seemed to be
a thick grove of trees; then he re-
membered that from the opposite
bank the place was, indeed. sur
rounded by trees. Perhaps they OBJ
scured the light which must be
shining there behind the old walls.
He went forward cautiously in the
direction in which the house must
lie, using his light only rarely and
then for short moments.
His foot struck something hard,
and bending quickly he discovered
1t TO be a brick. So. He must be
close to the house. He went on very
slowly now. and very quietly. In
few seconds the hand outstretched
before him touched wall instead
of branches, and he knew he had
reached his goal.
But it was dark and quiet; not
a sound or glimmer betrayed that
this was anything but what it ap.
peared TO be, an old, tumble down
stone shell of what once had been
a house. Michael stood there on the
porch and listened intently for sew
eral seconds. There was nothing.
He riSked the fiashlight; turned it
down on the stone floor at his feet,
and there, just in front of the
porch, another of the coral beads.
He turned the light off instantly
and fiattened himself against the
wall. In that manner he edged
through the open door and stood
in the muSty darkness, listening
again. He looked up, and there was
no roof over his head. The stars
shone through, winking at him
family. He frowned to himself:
This was no laboratory what If
-. perhaps only the doomed were
brought here-that curling smoke
he had seen. He swallowed hard.
It seemed to be an impasse
and yet, surely Tuck had not
dropped the beads for nothing.
Thinking it over, there in the
blackness and gloom, he groaned
involuntarily. That clever, Schem-
ing devil q. he might have put the
beads there purposely. And Tuck?
Michael flashed the light full on
/. and walked boldly forward. He
went through one door after an
other until he had been all through
i the house.
He turned back hopelessly to
the door by which he had entered,
and as he did so he stopped short.
No sound, no light, had brought
him up short, but an odor, faint
but distinctly perceptible in the
still air. He shifted again.
Chloroform. Iodine =. drugs! A
laboratory?
Smoked The fireplace he
swung the light around until it
rested On the old stone chimney at
the side of the house, and went
across to it, more cautiously now.
/ The hearth was empty; no fire had
been kindled there for long years.
Yet il smelled of smoke. Strange.
Certainly he had seen smoke COM
ing from'it.
k4 Aka
1 Like a flash he was through the
door and feeling his way around
the house, and there at the side he
came upon one Of those old-faSh-
Toned outer entrances to the base
ment. Without a moments hesita-
/ ton he went down the steps and
i stood with his ear pressed against
s the solid barred door he found
there. q.
The odor Of drugs was very
4 strong now, oppressive.
A hand from above caught him
by the throat. A cloth pressed tight
over his nose and mouth. He was
. held as in wise.
$50. my friend" he heard
! voice say through the haze that
seemed to envelop him, I'VE meet
on common ground at last?"
Bad Dreams
TUCK turned her head YEARLY
and tried to put her hand up to
il. She was so tired. Such terrible
dreams. Pictures out of her dream
foated disjointedly through her
/ mind. The stump had come apart
like a door. How queer. And Dom
ovan hadn't been Donovan at all.
Strange how clearly she could
see the cave in the rock and
the boat lying below her she