The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-09-30

If ever I got my mental signals
iammed, it was at this moment.
Terror is supposed to lend wings
to the feet. I'll never know why
l tipped the light switch. It
might have meant curtains for
me.
The figure whirled like an ami
NAL at bay, and I saw it was JEFF.
l stepped inside and closed the
door after me. Then I asked him
what in the so-and-so he was do
ing there and would he like a
few of my deathless works with
which to while away the hours
of his confinement?
He didn't answer. just stood
there turning first one color. then
another, as if the stagehands
were trying out lights on him. I
waited and the silence grew un-
comfortable.
"Why don't you yell?" he burst
out at last in cracked voice.
why don't you do something?
Go ahead-scream for help! Motif
fly Dan-call out the guard. You
don't seem to realize the MUIR
derer is at Target"
There was enough bitterness in
the LAST words to flavor carload
of quinine.
First I'd like to know what
you've found that's so interest
ing"
He brought it reluctantly from
behind his back.
. 1T doesn't belong to YOU" he
said stiffiy. 81 don't blame you
for being sore at me for prying
among your things. but this was
what I was looking for, and it's
the only thing I've bothered"
It was Sandra's notebook. The
one in which she had taken her
shorthand notes.
where did you find it?"
asked with a little stirring of ex-
element.
He looked surprised. fright
here. It was on top of those pa
perS."
But it wasn't there this morn
ing"
Connected Man
A RE you sure?"
i "Of course I'm sure. I was
looking for it. But what or earth
do you want with it?"
Suppose I don't tell you?" he
suggested coolly.
Then l will lift my lovely
voice and startle the echoes"
"And if l do?"
looked him over carefully.
II see you're not armed"
Think I'm an utter fool?"
"Tll tell you better when l know
how you come to be here. But on
the whole, yes. Any man who lets
himself be blackmailed into mar
riage-any man conceited enough
to believe three beautiful women
were all in love with him"
His face turned the color of
ripe plum. He opened his mouth
to speak, but nothing came out.
took pity on him.
Mimi told me. She knew ex-
actly what Sandra was doing. but
she was afraid to tell Dan about
it. If you had only let her talk
to vou-"
at wouldn't have done any
good" he said duly. "Sandra
could make you think black was
white. And she always had made
| trouble when she didn't get her
way. Even when we were kids.
God knows what she wanted to
marry me for. Not for love. But
if it would make her leave Dan
alone
Listen" he went on desperate
ly. dan was the best friend I had
in the world. When my father
got sick Dan was-well. he was
pretty fine. All the time I was
cadet he was my pattern of what
an officer and gentleman ought
to be"
He paused and kicked the table
! leo.
$50 you didn't want to take a
chance of mixing things up for
him. I see" l saw more than that.
I saw little of what Julia had
been trying to tell me about jeff
his loyalty. his senSibility. his
stern sense of honor. Forget that
crack about the three women" I
told him. Then added lamely. 81
hope everything IS going to be
all right"
To him that wa, probably Just
an name remark. but l meant
every word of it. l was remem-
! herring, with an unpleasant chilly
/ feeling under my ribs. that mo-
/ ment in the colonels library when
I had let my red hail get the best
! Of me- and had told what these
two. Mimi ard JEFF. had been will
inc TO sacrifice much to keen.
With an effort 7 brought back
nv wandering wits.
$50 that was why you wanted
the not book" I said. "You
thought there might be something
in it."
Some lie" he said savagely.
/ "She told me last night that she
had written down a few things
she knew about people and put
/ it in a safe place That was after
she made the pleasant remark
that it would do me no good to
/ kill her. I was tempted to when
she said that. But I didn't"
was still standing against the
door. and I could hear Felicia
coming back down the corridor
I held my breath until I heard
her turn in at her own rooms.
but I was suddenly aware Of
JefFs position.
''How did you get here?" I de-
manded. dropping my voice to a
whisper.
To be continued