The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1942-10-09
Chapter rs
Strange Night

THE next few hours were the
strangest Julie had ever expe-
rienced, Dawn. playing hostess.
invited them to raid the kitchen
and finish plans for the mornings
fishing trip.
81 haven't the faintest idea
what we'll find to eat" she chat
tered as they trailed after h,r
down the long hall to the lean-to
kitchen at the back. Dad usue
keeps some canned goods on hand
and Arnaldo - Arnold - brought
some fruit"
Julie pretended not to not =
the correction, answered smooth
ly. Looks as if we wouldn't
starve," and smiling, pointed -
the well-stocked shelves in the
dark pantry. There was quite
enough to last several people
weeks.
And plenty of signs that the
kitchen had been used frequent
ly and recently. Someone. Julie
decided as she perched on the
Scared kitchen table munched a
sandwich, had been living here
for some time. And more than
one person.
All the rest of the afternoon
as they wandered around the de-
serted grounds. Julie tried to put
the puzzle together. Dawn and
Arnold never left them for a mo-
ment. Kelland never appeared.
Dawn. growing steadily more
worn, more drawn under the
strain, chartered necessarily
laughed almost Historically. Plans
for the mornings fishing trip were
laid carefully. The three men
would leave shortly before day.
light. 1t was to be Pete's special
assignment to get Kelland aside
long enough to have a talk with
him, try to persuade him to rea-
condolences.
Daddy admires you so, Pete, ,
Dawn said as she bid them good
night. He'll listen to you"
Maybe. I'll do my best, any
way" Pete promised. patted her
shoulder with clumsy tenderness.
What must Pete think of all
this, Julie wondered. He'd been
IN love with Dawn himself. Per-
haps he still was 1t must be hurt
ing, terribly.
Julie was to have a front bed
room.
You're right across from me.
darling" Dawn said. leading the
way upstairs. Nothing Is vely
fancy-but you'll be comfortable.
Kelland, Julie decided must be
in a third bedroom at the end of
the hall. Pete was to share
the fourth. and last. room w :
Arnold. That was DaWn's -. o.
Arnold's-plan, anyway. Pete up
set it carelesSly.
Thanks. anyway But [
wouldn't think OF disturbing yoa.
Mount. Got my sleeping bag
in the car and I'd much prefer
stretching it undcc a tree. if you
don't mind"
Visitor
a RNOLD did mind, pretty OBJ
viously, but there was nothing
much he could do save offer to
drive Pete back to the highway
Julie heard them go with strange
misgiving. Nothing could happen
to Pete, of course. The man
wouldn't murder him in cold
blood. She tried to laugh at her
self. Still, she was glad when, a
few minutes later, she heard two
cars return, heard Pete's voice.
Slipping into the nightie Dawn
had loaned her, Julie blew out
the smoky kerosene lamp, tried
to open the windows. Only one
gave reluctantly under her push
ing. The other two held fast. Their
locks, she discovered, nailed shut.
Funny.
She slipped into the creaking
bed, grateful for the chance to-
relax and think a way through
the tangled maze of the days hap
penings. But the thinking didn't i
last long. Her exhausted young
body demanded-and got, sleep.
How long she'd been asleep
she didn't know. But something
Weakened her. She sat bolt upright,
her heart pounding, unable to
think for the moment where she
was or what had happened. An
other sound. And She realized