The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-01-06

"Letters?"
an the box, honey. The warm,
friendly ones"
Michael Bruce Forester! How
long have you known that?"
ooh. quite while"
Bunny laughed suddenly. Il
thought perhaps they were one of
the unspeakabIe things Duncan
was responsible for" she said.
mo" He blew a smoke ring.
$50 you see." he went on. why
Mrs. Devoe would have committed
suicide if she had committed sui
eide. Which she didn't"
What makes you so sure she
didn't. Michael?"
"The same thing that explains
why she might have. Her tempera-
ment and her religion. She was q
very moody. serious minded. earn
est Christian woman. She has been
wringing her hands and praying
for long time now, worrying
herself sick over The sins of her
only child. But suicide in her eyes
must have been a greater sin than
all; she wouldn't pile one sin on
another. No. But it must have been
rather awful for her for. you
see." Michael said quietly. "she
didn't know into what black
depths Devoe and his wife had
been led in order to conceal their
relationship"
Then. if it isn't suicide, Mi
chael-Why was she murdered?
Because she knew too much? Like
Miss Lissey? Old Mrs. Devoe? Is
what you have told us the thing
-" Bunny's eyes widened. 81,
Michael. drew a deep breath.
That's question should like
to be able to answer" he said de-
Spondently. .5te.
The inquest, followed so closely
by old Mrs. DEVICES death, marked
the end of the period of seeming
inaction for Michael. He was away
from home most of the time, on
mysterious errands which he did
not explain. One of these errands
was in answer to a telephone call
from the Veterans Hospital-a
call which asked him to come to
the hospital Immediately, as one
of the patients wanted to see him.
AS Michael knew it must be,
it was Smith. He was pitifully
thin and pale. AS they came in he
jumped up and gazed at them
frantically. His eyes were burning
with an insane light.
"It's you'll" he choked out.
eyes," Michael said cheerfully.
what can do for you, old MANI"
with My Own Eyes
CMITH relaxed little. He sank
- back into the pillows, but his
hands still clawed nervously at
the edge of the blankets. He
looked at the doctor. II got to talk
to him alone" he said.
The doctor went out and shut
the door quietly. Smith dropped
his voice to an accusing whisper.
"You said as how I didn't need
to be afraid of him no longer" he
said hoarsely. "You said, as how
he was gone away, and wouldn't
never come back. You said as
was safe. Didn't you? Didn't
your"
ayes"
well, you got that paper, amt
you? Can't you do something for
me? Can't you get him locked
up?"
Locked up?" Michael repeated
in amazement.
He'll be hangin' around here
in day or two, like as not. Send
in for me, that's what he'll be
doin'. won't go. tell you, won't
go. Nothing on earth can make
me CO."
Listen" said Michael tersely.
"Act like man, will you? You're
acting like a damned rabbit"
Smith wiped the sweat from his
face. "You amt never been shell
shocked" he mumbled.
mo. l don't know what it's
like. But talk sense, anyway.
told you the other day you were
safe. Safe as anything on Gods
earth could make you-from Muir
Gibson. He's dead, man."
Smith stared at him. His eyes
were starting from his head.
'Dead?" he whispered. Dead!
Didn't see him with my own
eyes no later than yesterday"
What"
TITS true! l might have known
that devil had you fooled. He's too
smart. Dead! was in a store, way
on the other side of town. Univer-
sity folks don't go over there. He's
hidin'. l say. God knows what for.
He come in the store, and l saw
him coming. l got down behind a
counter quick. He never saw me
at all. But / saw him, the devilI
Dead! Not on your life. he isn't
dead"
"JuSt a minute" said Michael
quietly. You're not doing your
self any good. You say you saw
him yesterday. Are you sure
you're not mistaken"
Il am not. It's Murchison. saw
him plain"
Describe him"
"Well-he looked Just the same
as ever except he had on a coat.
One of them dusty looking rain
coats it was. and fawn hat. He's
tall F.. clean shaved. dark. What
else is there?"
You'd swear on the Bible that
it was Edgar Murchison?"
81 would"
what kind of store?" Michael
asked after moment.
"a hardware store. was buyin'
a bit of tape to mend my crutch."
what was he buying?"
That's what | asked the clerk
when he went out. l thought it
might be :" Smith Shuddered,
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