The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-01-10
YESTERDAY: The same rainy
night, Gordon Dedne is severely
trounded, and the ForreSteTs
paSsed. Duncan Is arrested.
Chapter A

DAy De QlmSelI again WILnln a
month or two. BY the merest frac-
ton of a chance he blow had
failed to be fatal. Gordon was not
yet conscious, and the doctor
would not in any event allow him
to be questioned for many days.
Later that day Michael, with his
father and the Commissioner, were
back at the Forester house. Tuck
and Bunny were still in bed at the
Deanes'.
The District Attorney was very
angry. There was a spot of brill
liant red in either cheek, and his
shaggy brows were bent in such a
ferocious frown that his eyes
never became visible.
THE DEVIL" he was saying over
and over to himself. THE DEVIL"
"Donovan's swearing mad" the
Commissioner said. "He didn't
seem to mind about you, Michael,
and the three women being at the
point of death. But he's ready to
strangle with mis- own hands the
man who hit defenseless and in
nocent lad"
Michael smiled wryly. Gordon
isn't quite as defenseless and in
nocent as he appears" he replied.
apparently our murderer'S found
Il out. tell you-Gordon's been
keeping watch for me-"
Michael" his father broke in
brusquely. "the girls are safe at
the Deanes'?"
7 'They couldn't be safer, dad"
mo, Perhaps not. But thought
i" he pulled angrily at his pipe.
michael. I'm all completely raz-
gle -dazzled. You told me that stuff
about the vivisection and you
limited at man e.. certain man
and I've been suspecting him
all along, waiting for you to pile
up the evidence. And now" he
iaeed ais son squarely. Michael,
the worst man in the world would
not attack his own son so! It's i'm
possible. ladl And on top of that
you have another man arrested
that seems as innocent as the
day"
Michael twisted the signet ring
on his finger in a slow cOntempla-
tion. ITS not a man we're dealing
with. dad" he said at last ITS
what you called him in the begin
ming. ! think A devil At least. a
mailman. But - never named
him TO you. did II"
no"
Il wasn't sure. then I'm sure
bow. But how in the name of
Heaven can | prove it?"
you say you're sure now" the
Commissioner put in. 81 issued a
warrant for young Murchison's
arrest. Michael. without knowing
upoi what grounds YOU based your
certainty. Will you give them to
me?"
"He's in custody"
~Yes. But raving like lion
Crazy mad at Us. Insists that he's
got to be released Immediately
>. and | don't know how to an
sweI him."
"Donovan's not back yet?" Mi
chael queried.
mot yet. Where is he?"
81 sent him on little errand.
He'll be here any moment. He'll
have the final proofs for you-and
I'll give you the rest of the dope
I've said | can't prove my case,
remember. but we had to do some
thing. Well prove it later"
Unbelievable
LIE sat at the big desk and
L L propped his head on one hand.
First" he said. what about
that letter from Chicago? We
know it was a fake, in this way
that it was sent from here by some
one, held in Chicago a few days.
and then sent back. But-the ex-
pert testified that Murchison him.
self wrote it. Until Smith came
with his frantic story a few days
back, that seemed utterly impoS-
sible. although the expert does not
make mistakes. told myself then
that the only way in which he
could have made mistake was in
the case of two handwritings, be-
longing to members of the same
family. alike in temperament and
upbringing. Therefore. ! decided
that it was quite possible that
Duncan could have written the
letter. | discovered that their
handwritings were very similar by
looking up lab reports at the Uni
versity. No one there can tell them
apart. So that point might be
settled So"
His father looked at him Curl
ously, but Michael went straight
on. Second, Duncan's story about
the diamonds sounded remarkably
unbelievable. He wanted the dia-
monds. The very fact that his
brother put pebbles where Duncan
thought the diamonds were to be
points to some misunderstanding.
/ know Duncan said it was to de-
ceive the wife, but that needn't be
true. And. if you remember the
speech Duncan made to Marie on
the sun porch. about not being able
to stand it any longer - stand
what? And the threat to kill some
one-it looks as if he wanted more
than the diamonds. doesn't it? Il
seems that they have had a quar-
rel later. perhaps. It may be that
Duncan knows the truth about
Jared Devoe now. But we could
interpret the situation at that
time as we have interpreted it.
There We have Duncan's motives.
Third, he has no proven alibi for
the night of the murder. He says
he was at the theater. but he can't
prove 1t. We know that Marie
MurchiSon-or rather Mr.. Deane
says so-got out of car beside
the mems residence. where Dun
can lives. at midnight. Had they
been somewhere together in car?