The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-11-24
Cnaper IA
AIar.Ier

AROL had got through her big
scene nicely and ct her exit
applause had started In the or
chestra and1zhindaed solidly
through aqths eewheie house. 4
realized then that osr audienceI
was not as lethargie as we had
supposed, bat that suspense was
lowering over them as wen az us.
They waited, as we were waiting.
for the evening - cad safeyV.
That hand had been Tor Carols
courage as wei as for her acting.
Through the wide French doors
4 could see her In the wings
making toward the stairs. bofh
Peterson and JEFF close az her
heels. Almost two thirds over
now, and Carol was stiIl safe.
There were only Eve and old
Ben Kerry and ] on stage nov.
and in q moment Eve followed
Carol through the door on stage
rlght Kerry lounged in the chair
beside the big golden oak desk
where | sat writing what was
supposed TO be a passionate love
note. scrubbed, Green Apples.
Green Apples, Eve North IN
Green Apples ana rushed
through my few lines with kerry.
he rose now. heavily, and with
an avuneular pat on my shoul-
der started for the door.
The act was nearly over nov.
little scene with Eve. then
Carols entrance and then the
blessed respite Of an internissson.
IT. &as the half-sn7s thered
sound he made that caused me
% look up from my desk and
stare at old Ben Kerry and won
der hysterically If he had gone
mad. Instead of exiting Though
the door right he had closed il
softly and turned and taken one
falterlng step back into the room.
And then / saw his face.
For one terrifying moment /
thought it wasn't Kerryss face at
all. In spite of the ford make-up
that he used. II had somehow the
look OF a plaster cast, nHrnb and
frozen But his eyes darted wildly
around the stage, stopping for a
moment as they rested on me and
seeing nothing.
/ searched frantically for some
thing to ad lib. Back SO soon2"
rose namely to my lips and I
snnothered It and could think Of
nothing else | had TO get the old
man of the stage. Eve wouldn't
make her entrance until had.
tried to catch his eye and mo-
ton toward the door. He stared at
me and made no move TO 90. ST.
ience pressed down in cold
sitting clouds over the house and
then was stabbed BY . litter In
the audience.
got out Of my chair at last
and took Kerry BY the shoulders,
turning him forcibIy around 10
face the door. The litter spread to
a running laugh, rolling through
the audience. tire balcony, The
boxes. / said, trying % fght the
laughter, Good night, Uncle
George. and IN Kerry's ear
muttered, @For Gods sake, get
ontl" / held the door open for
him. Il was then. I guess. I
screamed.
Before touched the shapeless
mass on the floor at my feet. even
before saw the sharp glimmer
Of the knife beside i. / knew
that she was dead. ! knew from
the way the thick velvet of the
cape fell over her body and from
the terrnle stiffness Of il. knew
II and Vet | screamed, Carol.
Carroll" and tried 70 lift her.
I saw the jacket then. the snin-
mering white jacket that was
splotched now with thick green
stains and crumpled under her
head With feVerish fingers ] tore
the big black cape from her
shoulders. My arms went limp
and numb with horror.
The back beneath the cape was
hideously shriveled. the arms and
shoulders . network Of ancient
brutal scars. Somehow | managed
to put my hand under her head
and turn Il toward me. Eve
North's dead eyes stared up into
my face
Aftermath OF Murder
1T was half past four when we
4 left the theater. Carol sat be-
tween JEFF and me in the cab. her
hands working spasmodically in
her lap at the little bah OF felt
that had, much earlier in the eve
ming, been a hat.
II was no good. If could blot
out Eyes face there would DC
Carols. Not Carol now. white and
tired, but Carol as she ran down
from her dressing room when she
heard my scream, and stopped
and stood there above the gro
tesque figure in her velvet wrap.
/ was crouching over Eve. star
ing I'D at Carol. ] had waited Tor
her TO faint or 70 cry. but not 70
laugh. She had reached out her
hand to lift a fold Of the black
velvet and to finger Il. as though
a sales girl had just pushed a
bolt over the counter toward Der.
and she had laughed Tiaen JEFF
slapped her, hard, for the. print
OF BIS hand was white and then
red across her face. He put his
arm around her and led her
away. She was crying then and
the long choking sobs were al
most as awfai Is that first ter
rihlgf laughter. sdt IL sno
II was Amelia,s face that was
the worst OF all. There had been
no grief nor horror on i. 5ust .
cold lock that made i seem as
dead as Ewes. Only once had