The Key West citizen., 1940-12-16
Chapter 21
Tangled Evidence

L may not be important. but
which certainly seems strange.
The eiderdown puff for Aunt
Maggle's bed is missing. | found
a torn scrap of it on the stairs
but we can't find the eiderdown
itself. anywhere"
"Humph." said Bill. and paused
for moment with knit brows
EYou know" he said. Il shouldn't
be surprised if this is one of those
cases where you add two and two
Granted there is a secret room.
wouldn't that be the logical place
for things to disappear to?"
"But why? You mean somebody
In there-got cold?"
We'll. that would be the best
reason. Soon as | get through with
this telephoning. I'm going to take
a look around. But don't you go
poking about by yourself. looking
for trouble There's no telling
what might have happened to you
last night. You stay within reach
ing distance" he added. putting
an arm around my waist and Civ
ing me a squeeze.
From the safety Of that haven.
/ asked. why don't the police
come? You get a Wrecker and an
electrician, but no police protec-
ton"
The difference, my sweet" Bill
explained. sis that the wrecker
and the electrician came from
Roswell But Wisteria Hall is not
a part of the-er-city of Roswell
It is in Fulton County. The police
have to come from Atlanta. While
we are at this telephone business,
] believe I'll call Mr.. Marshall. He
only handles civil cases. but his
advice might be worth having and
/ don't know anybody else I'd
want to call"
Returning to the study, found
Alice and Kirk just finishing up
with the last of the papers. Moth
ing that seems al all promising"
said Kirk. in answer to the ques-
tiOn in my eyes. I'm ready to
start looking for the room. Alice.
JOA / AAA OAA NAO - AAo eeA4AS aLAA SG4AJ
! know you must be tired"
"Oh. no." she demonstrated
SIN not at all tired. Really this
has been fun" Then, "Oh. Sally
/ didn't mean it the way it sound
ed ! only meant"
Didn't Mrs Amber say some
thing about the books in the Ii
brary?" Kirk interrupted tact
fully.
Alice and both remembered
that she had. but not one of the
three of us could remember ex-
actly what It was. "I'll help you
look down there" Alice offered
Heavens" ! groaned. at would
take weeks to 90 through all those
books There are thousands of
them and all printed before the
Civil War"
Wonderful" said Kirk.
"It's true" / said. "All the new
er books are in the Office or in
the upstairs sitting room. My
great-great-grandfather collected
those in the library"
That's it" said Alice. That's
what Aunt Maggie said. Almost
those exact words And she said
1t was in one of them that l."
Alice stopped and we all looked
al each other. remembering. For
Aunt Maggie had left that SEN
tence unfinished. just as she had
left her life's work unfinished q
short while afterWard.
But even SO" Kirk pointed out
"that doesn't mean that the clue
Is still there. Mrs. Amber prob
ably removed it
It seemed all too likely.
Downstairs again. ! bumped
into Claire and Bob just emsrg-
ing from the basement.
The Library
I WAS touched with all this con-
j scientious industry. You are
both sweet" | said. I'm sorry
you have to be starting your en-
gagement like this"
Claire's eyes sought Bob's as
eyes have sought other eyes since
time immemorial But Bob smiled
at her only briefly and then said,
"You are the one who should be
considered. Sally. All this cant
be any fun for you. Have the-er
police put in an appearance
YETI"
mo, but the telephone is in
working order, in case either OF
you should wish to talk TO anyone
in town"
Good" said Bob. Il would like
to make a call"
"And I'd like to shed a little
Of the coal dust" smiled Claire.
Obviously. she had made no is
sue of Bob's visit to Eve.
In the library Alice was stand
ing before the bookshelves with
an open volume in her hand. Al
my approach she flushed and re-
placed it quickly. noticed that q
marker protruded above the
pages and resolved TO examine
the book later. Someone on the
place did not want the secret
room to be discovered. Could that
person be Alice? Could she now
be suppressing evidence?
The electric lights. fighting the
gloom from outside, shed a sort
Of diffused half-light over the
rows of books. Titles were not al
ways easy to read And there