The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-09-05
Chapter IS
Death Warrant

chaplain at Us heels. CURLY re-
fused an invitation to join us and
went upstairs. Chaplain Henry
fingered, softening his own re-
fusal, making manful attempts to
prove himself a good fellow In
spite of his cloth, and finally TAX
ing his departure with il1-con-
cealed relief.
| think it was Gerald who sug-
gested another swim. The lake
breeze had died and the night
turned sultry. Julia greeted the
idea with enthusiasm but turned
thumbs down on the officers
beach.
The barge OF else" she said
darby.
''The barge it is" agree Gerald.
Adam stood in the lounge look
ing detached, aloof, and said that
he believed he would turn in.
Keys are in the car" he said.
"You might put it in the garage
when you get back"
In vain Julia protested that she
needed him for probability, for
a chaperon. Father was tired of
tending the children and was not
backward about showing it. A
compromise was finally reached
by which I was to act as chaperon,
and the three of us set off once
more in Adams car. with Gerald
driving.
Should we stop by your house
for Sandra and Ivan?" he asked
innocently.
TN pigs eye" said Julia ele-
gantly. THAT dizzy pairl"
She fell silent evidently brood
ing.
The moon was low behind a
bank OF clouds that promised rain
before morning.
Drive up the beach a way"
Julia suggested. 4 don't like that
barge in the dark. It's-sort Of
ghoStly."
Gerald agreeably parked a hun
dred yards up the road from the
barge, but we could still see il,
dark bulk against the sand, secret
and forbidding.
/ waited until they were in the
water, before swimming out to
them. The beach, as far as ! could
see in either direction. was COM
pletely deserted.
It was fun. Julia and Gerald
played like seals, diving. rising.
slapping the water with hands
like f1ippers-
We were resting on the sand,
yelled by the half-darknesS. when
we heard car and saw lights ap-
preaching from the direction of
the post. It stopped on the far
side Of the barge and a car door
slammed.
Into the water" said Julia,
until we see who If is"
It was poor advice, but we fol-
lowed il. We kept close together
in the water. watching for an ap-
preaching shape along the sand.
but there was none.
Someone on the barge" Julia
said presently. and we all saw
something move slowly against
the gray sky. Whether man or
woman, the silhouette was too
vague TO betray. Not that we
thought of that then. | think we
all believed it to be man be-
cause of the loneliness. even the
ghostlineSS of the scene. And af-
terward. when we had discussed
1t until we were no longer sure
OF anything. we realized that there
might have been more than one
person. though there had been
only one car door slam and no
sound of voices.
Whoever the person or per-
sons. whatever the errand, il was
soon done. Perhaps ten minutes
after the arrival of the car. we
heard the door slammed shut and
the prolonged. patient whine of
the starter.
Where's Ivan?'
4 THINK we were all afraid that
L whoever it was would not get
away, when finally the motor
eoughed. started and turned. la
boring in the sand.
Forgot to turn on his ignition"
guessed Gerald, but later Julia
confided to me that it was Minis
car.
Its hard to start-you always
have to choke it,
But what in the world would
she be doing out here?" l asked.
Where does she 60 on these
long evening drives of hers?"
Julia countered.
Although she was to deny il.
that conversation took place. Il
was not the sort of thing ! would
be likely to imagine.
On the way back in the car she
announced, rather plaintively.
that she had vacated her room for
Ivan. and would have to bunk
with Sandra.
There are only four bedrooms
in that big house. and Mimi and
Dan each have one. Dan shores.
or something"
I asked her to stay with me. of
course, and she accepted with
alacrity.
do you want to stop and get
anything?" Gerald asked, slowing
the car as we neared their guar
tiers. 81 have an extra tooth
brush"
"And I'll lend you nightie."
Swell Let's not stop, then.
I'll call up from the club"
Adam was pacing the lighted
club veranda. He saw us and hur-
ried down the walk before Ger
aid could put the car away.
"Where's Ivan?" he asked. peer
ing into the car as If he expected
to find him there.
"At home in bed. I trust" Julia
told him. "Why this sudden de-
sire for his comDanv?"