The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-13

you again. Wen take the rest in
turn. Stay within CALL" he ordered
terSely.
what time is it?" Claire asked
listlessly, as a disconsoIate move
was made toward the drawing
room. you mean what year IS
it?" I heard Bob reply. And, in
deed, it was all horribly like
something that has been happen
ing over and over for at least a
hundred years. / fingered mo-
ment to reassure the servants.
who were reluctant to leave.
When they were gone, I turned to
Mr.. Dodson. MAY | ask a ques-
tion?" l begged, in the face of
Lieutenant Gregory's frown.
1T seems to me-" told Mr..
Dodson. "that there was some
thing wrong about what Andrew
said Aunt Maggie said. Did it
sound all right to you?"
"Ah," said Mr.. Dodson, and
noticed Lieutenant Gregory and
Roberts stiffen a little at his tone.
$50 1t didn't sound exactly right
to you? What seemed to be
wrong?"
81 don't know" confessed
helplessly. Il though perhaps you
could figure it out"
Il think he told us what she
said, all right" Mr.. Dodson ad-
mitted. But you are right. there
was something a little wrong
about it." He paused, seemingly to
enjoy the effects his words pro-
duced, or perhaps to prolong the
suspense, and it is true that we
were all looking at him with bated
breath.
There was an expression of
mingled bafflement and exaspera-
ton on Lieutenant Gregory's face
which seemed to say, "He's at il
again"
"What was wrong" said Mr..
Dodson finally. was the interpre-
tation given by Andrew and
everyone else to what Mrs. Am
bier said. To me it was perfectly
clear that when Mrs. Amber
called out Willie, she was not
speaking to her assailant. She was
calling for help against him. Who
more likely for her to call than
her niece's husband?" q.
"Oh, yes, yes" I cried. that's
it! / see il now"
New Version
CHE was calling to your hus.
y band in desperate plea for
him to come to her assistance"
Mr. Dodson went on, "but unfor-
| tunately he was too far away to
hear her and before she could call
out again for anyone else to hear.
the murderer had stopped her
voice with his hands at her throat.
/ don't know whether murder was
| the original intention but, if not,
| think he realized after he had
gone SO far that he could not turn
back.
So he strangled Mrs. Amber
and hurried away, perhaps just in
time not to be discovered by you.
Mrs. Stuart, as you came out
through the breakfast room to the
passage. He would not have gone
into the breakfast room, knowing
that the servants might be there.
But, as you have shown me, there
are four other exits through which
he might have stepped into anon
UNITY and comparative safety"
l was little limp when Mr..
Dodson finished speaking. "Oh,
thank you. thank youl" cried
fervently, while Bill wrung his
hand and Mr.. Marshall said, with
great satisfaction, II knew he'd
save the day"
Surprisingly. Lieutenant Greg
DRY did not seem as pleased as the
rest of us. "But you do see that
it is all right?" I insisted. That's
the way it must have BEEN"
Sounds very pretty" he ad.
mitted. "But you haven't proved
anything. No evidence to support
all this. Still got to find your muir
derer. II Mr.. Stuart is not guilty,
let him produce the killer and I'll
be the first to congratulate Mr..
DodSon."
Even Mr.. Dodson raised his
voice in protest, but Lieutenant
Gregory was not to be moved. He
had had a perfectly good muir
derer taken away from him, and
unless another could be provided
II was just no sale. But he finally
agreed that he would make no
actual arrest that night and with
this We were forced to content
ourselves.
Il suppose you realize, Mrs.
Stuart" he grimly informed me,
that il your husband is freed OF
suspicion. you become the next
most likely suspect unless, OF
course, someone else has been
proved guilty in the meantime"
Bill got pretty red-headed al
this, but we were all a little more
accustomed to the idea of being
regarded as killers and were
ready to forego useless argument
And so far as my personal feel
i ings went. there didn't seem &c
be much difference whether il was
Bill or who was accused. Either
way. my life looked equally rosy.
Did you draw any other con
cluSions?" asked Mr.. Dodson. !
mean about Ewes murder7"
Before he could answer, Lieu
tenant Gregor cut in, IF you viii
excuse US, Mrs, Stuart. I should
like TO finish my little talk with
your husband"
In the hall I stopped hv the
powder room and gazed at my
strained countenance. making
what repairs were possible at the
moment Again my mind started.
It's round of vicious circles II |
could only find the secret room.
Why couldn't I remember that
crazy jingleF Where could Plu-