The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-13
Chapter Nine
Adrianne's Answers

4 = room only a moment / heard
the Sergeant calling. so | poked
my head out of the door.
miss Howarth. bring some
water in here. The girls tainted"
And for the second time that
day | ran down the hall with a
glass of water. When | went into
the apartment found the girl in
a pathetic little heap on the floor
with the Sergeant looming over
her. trying Intellectually to loosen
her frock at the throat. While |
dampened her forehead he rubbed
her wrists gingerly.
did you accuse her of the muir
der?" | asked.
To my intense satisfaction he
looked quite uncomfortable.
Just asked her what she was
doing last night between eleven
and one" he -said grufffy. "She got
white then. and tainted"
Then Mrs. Evans hustled into
the room Here's some smelling
salts" She said as She thrust
small bottle into my hands. q
heard the Sergeant call that some
one had tainted. I might have
known it would be Adrianne
Wells"
How she heard the Sergeant
from her attic apartment couldn't
imagine, but il was no time to
argue While the Sergeant raised
the girls head l held the bottle to
her nose and Mrs Evans looked
on with what seemed to me grim
satisfaction. She had changed
from her hat and coat into black
alpaca suit and an fashioned
shirtwaiSt with a high, tight col
lar. Her outfits were startling. to
say the least.
In a minute or so Miss Wells
raised her head, gave us a bewiI-
dered look and then lay back
again.
Are you feeling better?" 1
asked.
She nodded. I'm sorry" she
said in weak voice. 1T was silly
of me-"
Silly seemed an odd way of put
ting il, | thought, as Mrs. Evans
and | helped her into a chair and
tried TO make her comfortable
with pillows. OF all the inoppor-
tune times to faint she had picked
the winner.
The Sergeant closed the door to
the hall and stood with his back
to It, grim expression on his
face.
Perhaps you can answer a few
questions now, Miss Wells" he
said.
was annoyed. 1t seemed to me
that the law had little considera-
ton: the girl was still as white as
a sheet and very shaky. But said
nothing. The Sergeant, was fast
learning, didn't take to interior
ence, and il was odd that the grit
should faint when all he did was
ask a simple question. Besides.
there was something about her /
didn't like now that | got a good
look. She was rather pretty, at
least she was very feminine. She
had black curly hair and her eyes
were dark. almost black, but they
were set too close together, and
her mouth looked sullen.
I'm afraid ! won't be able to
help you" she said finally in COL
orless voice 81 wasn't in between
eleven and one last night"
And where were your"
Il had an engagement" Adri-
anne Wells hesitated. Il was out
dancing"
Il see. What time did you come
back?"
The girl stared at him, her dark
eyes flashing. Say, what is thiS?"
she asked roughly. "And what
business is it of yours what was
doing last night?"
Mary Ann
THE Sergeant stepped forward
y from the door. II asked what
time you came in last night?"
The girl lowered her eyes.
"Quite late. don't remember ex-
actly what time it was"
Mrs. Evans cleared her throat.
"If you was to ask me. Sergeant,
il means no good when people
can't account for their comings
and goings." Her mouth snapped
shut like a trap.
Amused. ! watched the Ser
geant to see what he would say,
but he ignored her.
did you know Miss Kent?"
he asked the girl.
why, yes, know her."
For a moment the Sergeant
studied her thoughtfully, and
then he said, "She was murdered
last night"
Murdered" She stared first at
the Sergeant and then at me as
If she could not believe what
she'd heard.
Now perhaps you can help
me" the Sergeant went on. do
you think anyone in this house
might have killed herr"
Still staring, Adrianne Wells
shook her head. Her hands were
white against the dark upholstery
of the chair and her fingers sud-
denly frightened.
Can you think Of anyone else
then. who might have had rea-
son for numbering herr"