The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-12-28

Bill strained forward, half ris-
ing from his chair, but l pulled
him back. "No, no." l whispered,
and providentially at that mo-
ment a knock sounded on the
door.
Telephone call for you, Mrs.
Stuart" said Roberts. after hav-
ing opened the door and poked his
head out cautiously.
Or. Bates" I breathed thank
fully. II think this may change
things"
You mean you know some
thing you haven't told?" Bill
asked incredulously.
No. not exactly. l tried to tell
you just after lunch, but didn't
get to. Then all this other sort of
knocked me silly. Lieutenant
Gregory. would you mind going
with me to the telephOne?"
l tried to explain briefly about
Ephraim. Il know ne was here
yesterday afternoon. But DR..
Bates came to see him last
night"
You mean you think the time
NAV be Important"
eyes. something like that"
No Help
DR. BATES told me that he left
- Thomas'S house at exactly
fifteen minutes after nine Satur-
day evening. Il looked at nv
watch" he said, because l was
expecting a call at any time from
an obstetrical case, and | remem-
Der remarking that /. was later
than | had thought Ephraim's
temperature registered one hum
dred and three and he was de-
lirlous. | gave him a hypodermic
injection to quiet him. In my
opinion it would have been i'm
possible for him to leave his bed
and go to Wisteria Hall at the
time you mention"
ITS so important to be sure
about it." l insisted. You think
he couldn't possibly"
Il couldn't swear it, of course.
if that it what you mean. But in
my opinion it is just about the
last thing that was likely to hap
pen"
l replaced the receiver forIorn-
ly. II had wanted you to talk
10 him l said. "if it seemed that
Ephralm might-kave been the
one"
Well look into it. anyway" he
said Why didn't you tell me
this before?'
But hadn't a chance. Besides,
you would have learned Of Eph-
rains presence when you ques-
toned Indy. That's why she left
home"
Guess we'd better look into
that before we go on with the
guests. All. here's Anderson.
Found anything elSe?"
This. said Anderson. holding
out the piece of telephone wire.
ooh. SO il was you who removed
II from the telephone? mean
from where l had hung IT over
the telephone box"
Anderson and Lieutenant Greg
cry both regarded me with puz-
lied expressions. What do you
mean" Lieutenant Gregory
asked.
Il mean that Bessie found that
piece of wire that had been cut.
and gave it to me-" l explained.
Il had 10 answer the telephone
lust aftcrward and left it hanging
IN t,7a closet. Later. al lunch. l
s71t Bessie TO look for it and she
couldn't find il. l suppose you had
already picked il up" 1 suggested
% lIr. Anderson.
No. l found If in a pocket of
nc Of the overcoats in that
closet" he told us. pointing to the
little room.
Suppose we finish this discus
sion in the other room." said
Lieutenant Gregory. "Come along.
| Anderson"
But. of course. I first had to ex-
plain to Bill about Ephraim and
what I had hoped to learn from
DR.. Bates.
Roberts, suppose you tele-
phone in and see what they've
got on him." said Lieutenant
/ Gregory. after inquiring Eph-
RAINS full name. IF he's got
much of a record. have an am
bulance come out and take him to
Grady Hospital. where we can
keep him under observation. And
now about this telephone wire,
! Mrs. Stuart
Bessie found it in one of the
waStebaSkets upstairs"
"You mean in one of the guest
rooms?"
I looked at Bill and then at Mr..
Marshall. "Oh. this is dreadful" I
said.
Might as we'll not try to shield
ANYBODY" said Mr.. Dodson.
But" hesitated.
"WaS it in your husbands
room?" asked Lieutenant Greg
DRY.
would there be ingerprints on
it," I asked.
Wouldn't show up"
Then I suppose it doesn't mat
ter. Bessie says she found it in
the wastebasket in Mrs. Bene-
diets room"
But. Of course" said Mr.. Mar
shall. whoever cut the wire in
the first place naturally wore
| gloves"