The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-22

frogs 60?
"T wired Old Abe that you'd be
here tonight" Bartell said, help
ing her out of the car, "but ! guess
the old duffer didn't receive the
telegram. Sure you don't want to
go on to the Alameda?"
NO." said Toni promptly and
finally. She didn't want to 60 an
other step, not even one ahead to
the house which was supposed to
bt in the offing.
Bartell walked ahead and Toni,
following him, went along a gar
den path where trees dripped
scented moisture down the collar
of her coat; where long frondS of
ferns reached out to trail wet fin
gers along her ankles. Bartell be-
gan walking up steps. Toni fol-
lowed him closely.
"I'm going back to see if there
isn't a fiashlight in that car" he
decided. "You wait here"
Toni waited. shivering. She'd
never before known that you
could hear silence. This silence
was deep and profound. It made
you want to do something to
break it.
Bartell broke it, passionately,
when he tripped over something.
He was limping when he re-
turned. the round, white eye of a
fiashlight preceding him. a.
Silently he fitted the key in the
lock, turned it and threw open
the door. Toni followed him in
side. -.
r Gust wait until 1 get my hands
on Old Abe" he grumbfed, and
began swinging his fiashlight this
way and that, as though he ex-
pected to find he caretaker
tucked away under an umbrella
stand.
A New Allen
TONI, tiptoeing behind him, for
L got Uncle Timothy as a winged
cherub and thought of him as the
ghostly figure standing in that
Stygian- hole off the hallway. Bar
tell struck a match, lighted
kerosene lamp, and Uncle limo
thy's ghost turned into a cream
colored Hopi rug, hung on the
wall. 1t was a beautiful rug. Toni
imagined this was a beautiful
room if one could see beyond the
circle of the inadequate light.
Bartell kneeled before a fire
place, striking more matches. It
seemed Old Abe had at least laid
a fire.
The sudden squirt of fame re-
vealed a new Allen Bartell. There
were no golden glints Of laughter
in his eyes. His lips were set in a
rigid line of disapproval.
Are you sure you're not afraid
to stay here alone?" he asked,
STRENGTHENING up.
Should l be-" countered Toni.
"Any normal girl would be-" he
retorted. y
Toni didn't know why that re-
mark hurt as it did. Not even his
explanation soothed the wound.
Here you are in a strange
country, in strange house. iSo-
lated by fog"
But when I'm alone" Toni
flashed him a lovely smile. "I'm
confident I'm in good company"
Bartell waited several moments
before he either moved or spoke.
II spoke first. There are matches
on the mantelpiece. There is wood,
off the kitchen. The bedrooms are
upstairs, Good night"
He was gone. The door slammed
behind him. Soon his car started
with a roar, then the noise faded
in the distance.
Toni drew a long breath and
looked around. She shivered and
started towards the fire, then
stood frozen with terror. Some
one was tapping on the Window
pane
Three til lights flashed in
Tomi'S mind. Screaming was use
less. She could blow out the flame
in the lamp, but the freight
would still reveal her there,
alone. She had better get out of
sight.
PerverSely, the only deep shad-
oWs were near the window from
whence the tapping came. Toni
m d e the transit swiftly and
stood breath indrawn. =
There it was again. Tap, tap,
tap, tap. The Taper must be in
sane. Shed better try to peer out.
She moved closely to the window,
then Strengthened up with shaky
laugh. Condensed fog was drip
ping from the caves to some metal
object below.
Tlptoelng, Toni returned to the
dlvan before the hearth to sit GIN
gerly on the edge. She was aware
OF the house, as one would be
aware of vast, unknown entity.
Behind her and above her. were
ten rooms; ten cubicles of poten-
tial danger.
"Afraid?" Toni laughed a BIZ
historically. That wasn't the
word for it; she was petrified:
never before had she spent a
night alone in any house. and
ahead of her. if she were to retain
this place, lay five years of nights.
IT h ats it." she whispered.
That's another catch. They
thought l wouldn't dare stay here
alone. That's why they made that
provision about the family.
Well" she concluded lamely.
they win. All I want is daylight.
I'll 60. gladly"
Again she held her breath. Had
she imagined footsteps on the
porch?
Continued tomorrow