The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-01-12
The s33a51i Man
BY Fr0nces Shelley Wees :
Chapter 46
Pursuit

N back to the house only a few
minutes after Tuck had left it.
Michael was whistling as he ran
up the steps to the sun porch, and
talking to Bunny over his shoul-
der. well. it clears the air a
little" he was saying. agreeing
with something she had already
said. Then, "Tuckl" he called,
Il guess she's gone to bed" he
said as Bunny came in and stood
beside him. They went into the
house. Michael went through to
the kitchen to find Charlotte Jean.
II was dark out there.
81 wonder where Charlotte Jean
is?" he said. "It's only half past
eight"
Bunny looked at him with the
beginning of a troubled frown.
"It's her evening off, Michael, and
! didn't think about it. Tuck
shouldn't have been left alone,
feeling so ILL.,"
Michael was half way up the
stair by the time she had finished.
The bedroom door was closed. He
put his hand on the knob and
opened it very softly. so as not to
disturb Tuck.
Her bed had not been disturbed.
He came down again in two
steps. "She's not there" he said
quietly.
"She's nowhere downstairs
either. Tuck!" Bunny calle d =,
Tuck" Then she went to the door
and called, kitty. kitty!"
"Agamemnon's not around
either" she said after a moment.
"She's not in the house. Michael.
He never goes away unless she
does"
Michael went out and stood in
the garden. He looked over at the
Deanes'. There was a light in an
upper room.
"She may have gone over to see
Gordon" he said, and started
swiftly for the gate.
He did not knock, but opened
the door and went in and ran up
the stairs. Mrs. Deane was there
alone.
HAS Tuck been here?" Michael
asked softly.
She got up and came to the door.
"YeS." she whispered. Gordon
wanted to tell you something and
she came instead. But the poor
boy couldn't talk intelligibly, I'm
afraid. ! don't think she under
where is she now?"
why. Pm awfully sorry, Mr..
Forester. ! haven't the slightest
idea. She went out of here and
home. l suppose. She didn't D.. -"
What did he tell her?"
"Why. that's just what ! was
telling you. ! don't think he told
her much of anything although it
seemed to be troubling him ter
ribly. He said something about a
Creeping Man. I remember. as if
he were having a nightmare. He
said the Creeping Man came up
out of the ground and hit him"
Where did he come UP out of
the ground?"
ION the cliffs. Mr.. Forester.
And =. ="
Michael was gone.
Bunny was waiting on the porch.
isn't she there?"
"No." he muttered: the cliffs.
He ran across to the path. Bunny
followed him. Fear lent her wings.
The sun was gone. The open
space on the cliff was dark.
"Tuckp Michael called. "Tuck!
Where are vou?"
There was no answer. He called
again. Bunny stood beside him.
listening.
Hush" she whispered after a
Doesn't it sound like Kitty
kittyl" she called.
The sound resolved itself into a
loud new.
They ran toward it. The cat
mewed again. Michael reached into
his pocket and drew out a flash
light He turned it on ahead of
them.
There, on top of a stump, new
ing anxiously and shifting at it,
sat Agamemnon. He turned his
head toward them and blinked in
the light. He gave another loud,
pitiful NEW.
Tt Opens
"TTS the stump, Michael" Bunny
j said, excitedly. 'Look at it D..
she's touched that stump lately.
He can tell, Michael. He loves her
So"
He turned the light on it and
they both examined it carefully.
Il did not take long to discover the
mark Of the saw; but it took longer
to discover its significance.
'T believe it opens" Bunny said
eagerly. Michael. I'm positive the
night we saw him he came up just
about here"
Through the stump?"
"He might. There might be a
assure in the rock down below"
Michael drew a long breath. "a
assure in the rock" he repeated.
THAT would be it look here,
Bunny, is this knot I've got my
fingers on, or isn't it?"
She held the light closer. at
looks like it."
He twisted with his fingers.
'Well, il isn't. It's a pin that lifts
out" He took his knife from his
pocket opened it with shaking
fingers, and worked at the knot.
Then he leaned on the stump and
It gave way.
Michael was down the narrow
steps without a moments hesita-
ton. Bunny followed him. He took
the fiashlight from her once he was
safely on the fight, and held it out
before him. Far below he saw a
ledge Of rock and another fight