The Key West citizen., 1940-12-10

IL SIlOulQ nave. 41Ut a=A-- SAL
didn't expect you 10 De running
into gorillas or TO have mirrors
rise up and sock yoa on the
head"
Bessie padded in, bringing
fresh toast. Funny to me-" she
grumbled. looking glasses jump
IN down of the wall all by their
self and hittin' folks. Somethin'
evil in this here house. Miss Sally.
we goIn' back to town today. amt
we?"
Bill and | both said we hoped
so and tried to explain that Bill
had knocked against the mirror
and that the fastening was no
doubt ready to give way. But
Bessie remained firm in her con-
viction. "Somethin' evil in this
here house." she reiterated, as she
went back to the kitchen.
Bill was as much in the dark
as I with regard to the red light
and inclined to think ! had
imagined It ! was none too sure
myself, and yet why would I pick
out red light to imagine?
''The trees are thinner there"
1 pointed out. '1t's that long
sweep of lawn with the cherry
laurel hedge and the trees and
that curve of the road just be-
yond. II could have been the tall
light of a car"
But all the cars are in the
back yard, just as they were last
night" said Bill. "All of 'em with
fat tires. And both Andrew and ]
tried to start the station wagon
this morning. Anyway. no car
could have negotiated that mud"
Perhaps it was a car from the
outside"
"a car that turned around and
went back? get you," said Bill.
"but why?"
"You tell me why" suggested.
Look here" said Bill sudden
ly. did you have any crazy rela-
tives?"
"All of them are more or less
crazy. according to what you've
always seemed to think" / an
swered, with feeble attempt at
lightneSs.
"No, mean would any of them
be likely to be shut up here in
this so-called secret room? You
know how people sometimes are
about admitting such things. Try
to hide the afflicted one away"
well, | never heard of any
thing of the Sort" I said. "Of
course, Grandmother did die
rather suddenly. There wasn't any
chance for her to tell anybody
anything. That is, of course, If
there was anything to tell"
81 only thought of it as a pos
sible explanation" Bill said.
Cryptic Paper
"CPEAKING Of crazy relatives"
- / said slowly. "that makes me
wonder :. There was some sort
of jingle set aside in Aunt Mag
rie'S papers when came out here
yesterday. When didn't see il
last night. I thought she had put
1t away. Do you suppose"
The clue, you mean?" asked
Bill. his face frightening. what
did it say?"
That's the trouble. I can't re-
member. 1t was all mixed-up
tumble, something about hands
and feet and steps. / thought Aunt
Maggie had set it aside as a Curl
osity. You don't suppose it was q
reducing exercise?"
II don't think they bothered
very much about such things back
IN those days." said Bill. "Sure
you can't make head or tail of it?"
| shook my head hopelessly.
Anyway. it may not have been
the clue. I'll look in Aunt Mag
gie's papers. But first ] want to
speak to Bessie"
"And / want a shave and a
BATH" said Bill.
In the kitchen ! tactfully
broached the subject of the secret
room. But I got exactly nowhere.
Bessie swore she had never heard
OF any secret room in the house,
nor had she heard any sort of re-
mark at any time which might
indicate an anseemly interest on
the part Of anyone else, white or
black.
A knock sounded on tie kitchen
door just as / was leaving, and
when Bessie opened it Thomas
came shufiling IN, hat in hand.
"Mornin. Miss Bessie" / heard
him say. and then as he caught
sight of me. "Mornin', Miss Sally.
| come to see if could help An
drew and Bessie some, SEEM as
how Lindy couldn't come. An
drew come over to my house Fri
day and say you want Indy to
help. but she amt home. She
gone to visit her sick aunt"
Like all his people, whatever
their usual disregard of the
broad "a" Thomas pronounced
it a'h'nt. "Yes'm, her a'h'nt is
sick"
q hope she isn't very sick"
said absently. When did Lindy
go?"
Thomas suffered and seemed
unable TO remember. Day before
yesterday. / think it was, Miss
Sally. Yes'm. she went day before
yesterday" While this hesitation
struck me as little odd. decid-
ed that perhaps Lindy had gone
after Andrews visit and that
Thomas was embarrassed by the
fact.
Thomas" ! said, have you
ever heard of a secret room at
Wisteria Hall?"
Have / ever heard Of what
Miss Sally2"
"A secret room," repeated,
knowing very well he had UNDER
stood me the first time. Think.
Thomas"
Il don't rightly remember, Miss