The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-08

dously large and pretentious
place. Except for light in front
room the place seemed to be de-
serted. The front walk and steps
hadn't been cleared of snow and ]
had hard time landing safely at
the front door. Dirck was breath
less with laughter when l slipped
and chung to him for safety. Even
the brass knocker on the door was
covered with ice and Dirck had
great difficulty prying it loose. !
imagined they hadn't many call
ers in the winter.
He knocked sharply two or
three times and we waited what
seemed a. long time, cycling each
other obviously. Finally the door
was opened on crack and a voice
asked what we wanted.
! couldn't tell whether il was
man or a woman and / couldn't
see anyone.
When Dirck said he was a
friend of Richard MaeDonald's
the door opened wider and an old
colored man let us in.
The only light as we walked
down the wide hall came from a
candle in tall silver candlestick
that the old man held high over
his head
! followed him nervously, Won
dering what on earth had pos
sessed me to come with Dirck.
without a protest, to house
where we might not be welcome.
Then saw a woman moving to-
wards us. 1t was Joan's mother.
She was very cordial and if I'd
been able to understand 1t, I'd
have. said that she was relieved to
see u.s.. She insisted on taking our
coats, then led us into an old par
lor that was scarcely more cheer
full than the hall The room had
a bleak. neglected air, but Mrs.
Macdonald was so friendly ]
scarcely noticed it. She asked
about her brother. and while
Dirck talked with her ! noticed
that she looked even more dis
treSsed than she had yesterday.
There was a watchful look, almost
fearful, that lay back of her eyes.
l suppose her sons death must
have been an awful shock.
And just as / thought of that,
she spoke again. How is Rich
ard?" she asked.
A Strange Woman
I MUST have stared at her with
L my mouth wide open. / knew
then that | would never make a
good detective or poker player.
Dirck, too, was silent. He couldn't
seem to collect his wits. j.
How long we sat there in the
bleak, ill-lit room staring at her,
stupidity bereft of speech, don't
know. l felt shivery and cold. The
only sound was the wind whist
ling in the pine trees around the
house and the sharp whip of sleet
on the windows.
And then from the open door
way came a sound. It seemed at
first like a moan, yet the tones
were blurred Then we heard a
voice. and that voice called for
Richard.
heard it distinctly and yet,
ending in a low wall, it might al
most have been the wind in the
trees.
suppose the whole thing didn't
last more than a minute. from the
time Mrs. Macdonald inquired
about Richard, until we heard the
voice, but sitting rigidly in the
chair | felt as though I'd been in
that strange dark house for hours.
But Richards mother seemed not
to have noticed.
"Your telephone, Mrs. Mac.
Donald" Dirck said in a strange
voice, isn't it working?"
She shook her head. 1.-THE
storm last night" she murmured.
Strengthening in her chair, she
turned her eyes on Dirck. "Why?"
she asked sharply. bending for.
ward.
Dirck drew his chair up so that
he was quite close to her. Rich.
ard died early this morning."
The only emotion she showed
was the way her slender fingers
closed over the curved arms OF
the chair.
Richard" Just that. With hei
eyes on Dirck she sat perfectly
still. After a moment her lips
moved and I sensed rather than
heard the word. "How?"
Dirck hesitated. "They don't
! know" he said in low voice.
He was found on the cement
walk in the yard this morning"
He hesitated. 1T was, perhaps.
suicide. after ALL"
She was a strange woman. She
must have been going through
torture. Both of her children were
dead, her husband was very i'll.
yet she didn't lose control for an
instant. From Richard I'd gotten
the idea that she was somewhat
spoiled woman, dependent on peo-
pie and accustomed to being
taken care of. yet she said moth
ing, and when she spoke again il
was to ask us if we'd prefer sherry
or whiSkey and soda.
You must be cold after that
long drive she said in a low
voice.
was certain, watching her,
that it wasn't lack of feeling that
kept her from breaking down.
We protested when she rang
for the man. but she had him
bring sherry and biscuits anyway.
While we drank it Dirck told her
in a gentle voice what had hap
1