The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-21
Chapter Four
Island OF Mystery

Island VI Mystery
THE island Brett Rodman was
L approaching slowly took shape
across the wide expanse Of blue
water as he turned to the man
at the wheel of the motor boat
and once more tried to get some
information from him.
II suppose there were some
great goings-on in this old place
when the first owner lived here"
he observed. But his casual man.
ner did not throw the boatman
off his guard.
Couldn't say" that individual
assured him. That's afore my
time"
'Tn your grandfather's time,
then" Brett suggested. The man
at the wheel made sound, but
whether it was meant to be Mega
tive or affirmative Brett could
not decide. Chatty lot of people
around here, he thought to him.
self. l wonder what it would take
to get the right time from this
guyl
But the island was so close now
that the taciturn boatman was all
but forgotten. Brett could see two
chimneys and part of a roof
emerging from a line OF dark trees
pines, he guessed. So fascinated
was he by the rapidly unfolding
panorama that he scarcely noticed
when the chugging of the motor
ceased.
We'll, you can git out here. |
reckon" drawled the boatman,
and Brett saw that they were
near & sandy beach.
Il rather thought there would
be landing of some sort--a pier.
you know !" Brett began.
"Mebbe so--but I'm a-landin'
here"
The boatman threw rope over
what struck Brett as particu-
larly handy spar protruding from
the sand, and settled back on the
seat. There seemed no choice, so
Brett leaped ashore.
Don't you want to run up to
the house with me?"
The man in the boat shook his
head. Brett waited for some COM
ment. When none was forthcom-
ing, he started rather gingerly to
cut across the woodland.
you'd make better time along
the Shore" the boatman con-
descended to grumble at him.
Keep a-goin' till you ketch sight
of the house. Thar's path"
The beach was more gravel
than sand, Brett found, and it
was not particularly easy walk
ing. But there really was no
hurry. He had hired the motor
boat by the hour, and making the
old rascal wait seemed a nice
thought just then. He pushed on
painstakingly until a curve in the
shore line brought the house into
view. Instantly Bretts profess
sional impulse got the better of
him. He stood still, for a full
minute. staring.
The house he saw was oddly ar
resting; ii had the piquant quality
OF some faces. in which the fea-
lures are not quite harmonious.
but the general effect is striking.
He walked hurriedly now until he
faced the front entrance, then
stood absorbed, his eye following
the line Of pillar. and roof, and
the two wings which Ranked the
central building He noticed. but
gave only passing thought TO il.
that Just beyond this spot was a
pier which the boatman could
very well have used.
1T took money, and plenty of
II. TO build this shack way back
in those days" he said aloud.
And the architect must have
been insanel"
The main building was two and
a half stories high, and the wings
on either side balanced each
other. except for the two roofs.
These were Both steep. but other
wise had little in common. Each
was broken by a series Of gables
that projected here and there,
with complete lack of anything
like uniformity
-English ancestry" Brett pro-
nounced il. 'with lots of pure
originality thrown inl"
He found the path which the
boatman had mentioned and be-
gan to make his way along il This
was no easy matter, for what had
once been a broad gravel walk
was now no more than a wander
ing ghost Of a path. There were
no trees In front Il the house.
Brett noticed that the woods
which had almost screened the
place from view on the side Of
the island where he had landed
were confined TO half the island
only. On the other side of the
house. and in front OF IL from
what he was able 10 see az the
land beyond. there were scarcely
any trees at all.
Curious Reeeptisn
A COMPLETE silence hung over
"A the scene---alrnoSt m tangible