The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-10-01

Sandra Is concerned, maybe
you've got something. That girl
was the most credulous fool I've
ever encountered. She could be-
liever anything. If she was any
kin to us I'd say she got it from
the old gentleman himself. He
swore until the day he died that
there was silver on the place. He
kept sending samples to be as
sayed and tearing up the reports
when they came"
His voice trailed of.
"And if Sandra had ever heard
that story she would have be-
l;eved it?" I asked tensely.
"She might, I suppose. Even
Father liked to toy with the idea,
though he knew better. He al
ways said he'd 60 back when he
was retired and spend a little
money proving to his own satiS-
faction that there was nothing
there. Maybe he talked to Sandra
at the last-maybe ne got to be-
ileving it himself. Anyway, she
and / quarreled about it when
we were first engaged. and almost
as soon as she got here last week
she was at me again to change
my will. I didn't think even she
would be that cheap"
did you change it,"
mo. Why should I? Julia has
never known anything about il,
but I intend her to have the place
if anything happens to me. Then,
when Sandra practically accused
me of killing Ivan, told her that
finished things, as far as / was
concerned. I'd married her, but /
didn't propose to pay any more
for her silence. She ran to you 10
make it appear, / suppose, that
the breach was of her making.
And it was part of her spite to 60
to the reception with black eye.
Kay, l swear I didn't even know
she had it until right there on the
front walk when she took off that
scarf thing she was wearing.
Just Bluffng%
"CHE was shut in the bedroom
- with headache when I came
home at noon, and after duty she
was still in there. She had laid
my things out in the sitting room,
so after dinner I dressed in there
and got out. ! never had a good
look at her or l wouldn't have let
her go a step.
Il felt like backing the other
eye when ! got her home. That
was when she told me il wouldn't
do me any good to kill her. After
she went off to your room /
looked through everything she
had, because l thought if she was
leaving anything written down in
those rooms that noSey hostess
or one of the orderlieS would be
into it. But l didn't find anything.
That's why I thought about the
shorthand notebook. Only l can't
read shorthand, so l wasn't any
better off when I found it. Can
you? Do you know what was in
it,"
"Just some dictation l gave her
That's all, as far as l know. l can
read it fairly well, if it's Gregg.
But I haven't looked at it. I'll see
when I get back. But I think she
was just blufing, don't your"
God knows. II doesn't pay to
take chances with people like
her"
The prison ward was on the
ground floor of the west wing. At
Jeffs suggestion, parked by the
side entrance. got out and went
IN.
The sentry was sitting in front
of the door to the ward, his face
as white as chalk. He jumped a
foot when l Kissed at him and
came at me with his hand on the
butt of his automatic.
You haven't reported Lieuten-
ant Tack miSsing?" | whispered,
and l thought the man was going
to faint. ITS all right, sentry,
he's out in the car. We were hop
ing he could get back without
anyone knowing"
The enlisted man took his hand
off the gun and brought out a
handkerchief with which 10 mop
his brow. He became suddenly
garrulous, in a strained whisper.
Listen, | just missed him. see?
. come back with that tray. and
/ the room was dark, and he had
rolled blanket up on the bed, so
| think he's asleep, see? Then |
/ get 10 thinking about me leaving
/ that door unlocked, and about
two minutes ago l reaches in and
turns on the light. Lady. I'm in
the lieutenantS troop. l was 60
I ing to wait to report il until /
seen the Officer of the Guard
/ comm down the hall. He's due
any time now. Lady, sure am
/ glad you brung him back"
saw JEFF safely behind that
door, locked this time, then
drove back TO the club. II must be
nearly ten o'clock. and l still had
! my packing TO do, and that short
hand notebook to inspect.
The rejected manuscript was
on the seat beside me. | had found
myself still treasuring its ham
pering shape when I followed
JEFF out to the garage. I had chung
TO it, unconSciously, as I had to
my pocketbook, while all the
time my mind was on other
/ things.
put the car in the garage, COL
lected manuscript and pocket
book, locked the garage. and
went back TO my rooms. II did
not occur to me to be frightened
a second time. My mind was on
/ the shorthand notebook. I was