The Key West citizen., 1940-11-30

That's not consideration for
Andrew" said Bill, dryly. %Bes-
sie's scared TO stay alone in the
servants house"
To me there didn't seem any,
thing so strange about Bessie's
tinidity. / didn't. want TO be
alone anywhere myself right then.
That made me think of Bob. Il
suspect you had better rescue
Bob" l told Bill. He's probably
wandering around upstairs like
a lost soul in the outer darkness"
But Bob himself appeared just
then, having had matches in his
pocket and having located his
bedside candle. as ne explained.
Didn't I hear you say you had
sent Andrew to RosweH?" he
asked Bill.
At Bills assent Bob seemed to
hesitate. as though he wished to
say something but feared to Of
fend. you don't seem to ap-
prove" Eve remarked. ANY sug-
gestions?"
mo. no." Bob hastened to reply.
"Only had anybody thought that
we have sent away the two peo-
pie who were nearest the scene at
the time Of the-crime?"
"You're barking up the wrong
tree there, old man." Bill assured
him. We've had Bessie and An
drew ever since we were married
and. while that may not be life
time. Bessie'S mother, who died a
year or so ago, was Aunt AIMS
cook for thirty years"
Longer than that" I said.
"YOur Aunt Ann says she practi-
cally raised Bessie" :"
Aunt Maggie" Eve cut in. Fam
ily. family. family. After all. it is
possible for murderers to have
parents Just the same as anyone
else"
But it is silly to suspect An
drew or Bessie" Claire chimed
in. after all. If that had been
their intention. they had plenty
of opportunity last night when
they were all out here alone"
Still" Bob argued. I'VE might
as well face it. Somebody who
was in the house at the time has
to be guilty. And if not the SER
wants"
Then the guests" Eve finished
for him.
cor some outsider" I sug-
gested.
That's a thought" Bob agreed.
And this outsider may still be
inside"
That's what I've been thinking
all the time" walled Alice.
Well search the place." said
Bill determinedly.
But / don't want to be left
alone. Alice walled. again.
Flat Tires
At THAT moment Andrew ap-
: peared in the doorway. Mr..
Bill. Slr." he announced when all
eyes were turned upon him. Il
done had a accident"
Accident" we all echoed.
What do you mean. accident?"
Bill demanded.
Yes, sir, Mr.. Bill. First I find
a fiat tire. | done use the spare
this afternoon. so l have to pump
It up. Then when | get it changed
and Bessie and me are going out
the gate. just as we get tc where
the road been worked on, we skid
and run into tree. | tried and ]
tried. but l can't get that engine
started up again. What | come to
ask now is. can / use your car,
Mr.. Bill, or yet Miss SalIy's? /
dunno whether | get any farther'n
I did the first time, but / try if
you say the word That roads
bad. Yes. sir, mighty bad.
And it amt stopped raining one
since it start up this after
noon
Well" said Bill. we've got to
get word to Roswell, somehow. /
hate TO make you Try it on a night
like this and over that road. but
| suppose you viii just have to
take my car and see what you can
do. It's too bad we have no tire
chains"
Yes. sir. Mr.. Bill. thank you,
Sir." said Andrew and was gone.
How about tnat searcn parry!"
asked Kirk. IF the girls don't
want to be left alone, suppose we
divide into TIVE groups, one OF us
starting IN the basement, the 9TH
er on the top floor and meeting
on the second floor"
Good" said Bill. Lets all be
sure we have plenty of matches,
in case our candles go out. By the
way. Sally. isn't there a fashlight
here somewhere?"
There's one in the compart-
ment of nv car" answered, hop
ing there was. And Andrew
probably has one in the station
wagon"
"rl tell him to bring one in
before he gets away" said Bill,
going back toward the kitchen.
you know, that's a funny
thing. he said. when he came
back MY car had a fat, too. An
drew's changing it now. I sup
pose il must have been all those
workmen we had out here. Don't
see any point in leaving nails
around though"
For our search, which finally
got under way. Bill and Eve and
Claire decided to start from the
basement, while the rest OF US
climbed to the third floor. ]. don't
think Claire was very keen about
going with Eve. but Alice was
bent on sticking close torBob and
! somehow couldn't bring myself
to face that back passage just
then.
In the study I noticed the paper
which had been propped against
the inkwen was there no longer.
To be continued
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