The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-18
BY MEDORA FIELD


ney attached to the end of the
house where there were Only
back stairways-except on the
third floor. of course. Then he saw
those three doors on the basement
landing, or rather two doors and
an imitation door without knob.
He decided it would be fun to
wait until we were all out here
sometime and he would produce
the secret room as if from a silk
hat. You know Bob" 2".
"But what about that piece Of
telephone wire?" Kirk inquired
dryly. PLANTED first on Eve and
then on me?"
Bob didn't do that" Bill told
us. ''That was Andrew. both
times, trying to cover up for me.
l pinned him down just now and
he admitted it. Said he didn't
know whose coat he parked it in.
except that it wasn't mine"
Tell me just one thing" asked
Kirk. ut was you out here early
yesterday afternoon, wasn't it?"
eyes" he admitted. Nov that
it is all over and Alice has gone,
l can tell you. Saturday morning
Alice overheard enough of tele-
phone conversation to gather that
Bob was mixed up in some sort
of a mess out here And Alice
knew he owed Big Shot twenty
thousand dollars. So she asked me
to slide out and try to get a line
on things for Bob's protection. |
got here before noon. but didn't
see anything until you almost saw
me, Sally, though twice | thought
/ heard a car. That's why !
fingered on.
"Of course" he added ruefully.
there's little doubt that my pres
ence prevented the kidnapers
from releasing Mr.. Brannen. Az
ter they had contrived to clear
the place of Andrew and every
body, here I was"
mo, no." the quick, unexpected
exclamation came from Claire.
"That was Alice's fault. not
yours"
Curiosity Did IL
NOBODY looked at anybody else
~ and Bill said, II suspect we'd
have to go back even farther than
that to find where the fault really
began, but"
"But let's DON'T" begged.
well, anyway" said Kirk, IT
owe you an apology. Sally. Ma
turaily, l couldn't explain this
before without giving Alice away.
And l was never sure that any of
it was connected with Aunt Mag
gie's murder"
II suppose it would all have
gone through well enough" Bill
observed, eff Aunt Maggie hadn't
found the secret room. Or even
if she had been willing to post
pone her investigation"
"Thats true" Kirk agreed.
"And those green notes?" ]
asked.
Were the same as the kidnap
notes." Bill nodded. That's why
Gregory was bearing down on us
So"
But where does Eve fit in?"
"She heard Bob and Aunt Mag
gle talking and recognized Bob's
voice, but turned back to the pow
der room in order to miss Aunt
Maggie. In the powder room she
probably did not hear Aunt Mag.
gie's call, but she pieced it all to-
gether afterward, Bob said, and
threatened to expose him unless
he broke his engagement. Bill
stopped abruptly.
Its all right" Claire assured
him. Bob had already told me
that our engagement was-a mis-
take. When he said he wanted to
save me any unpleasantness, ]
thought, of course, he meant Eve"
Color suffused her face, but she
forced herself on. Il refused to
release him and then he said IL
never would have worked out.
That only wanted to have my
way. ! suppose--he was right"
At this awkward pause Andrew
appeared at the door, all of his
old aplomb restored. "'Scuse me,
Mr.. Bill Wc'se ready to ride. See
in as how they was two cars, we
put yourn and Miss Sally's bags
in one and Miss Claire's and Mr..
Kinks in t'other. so they'd be
gentleman to 3rive each one"
There il was again. Bessie and
Andrew always one Jump ahead.
The End
IceswiEkk. 1879. As3era Fisla Rsrkettoni