"
"Offer me something?"
She came a little closer, so that her round shoulder touched mine.
"Why not? You need money, I take it. And that's the one thing they
have--money."
I began to understand her.
"I see," I said slowly. "They want to bribe me."
She shrugged her shoulders.
"That is a nasty word. They might wish to buy--a key or two that
you carry."
"The storeroom key, of course. But what other?"
She looked around--we were alone. A light breeze filled the sails
and flicked the end of a scarf she wore against my face.
"The key to the captain's cabin," she said, very low.
That was what they wished to buy: the incriminating key to the
storeroom, found on Turner's floor, and access to the axe, with
its telltale prints on the handle.
The stewardess saw my face harden, and put her hand on my arm.
"Now I am afraid of you!" she cried: "When you look like that!"
"Mrs. Sloane," I said, "I do not know that you were asked to do
this--I think not. But if you were, say for me what I am willing
to say for myself: I shall tell what I know, and there is not
money enough in the world to prevent my telling it straight. The
right man is going to be punished, and the key to the storeroom
will be given to the police, and to no one else."
"But--the other key?"
"That is not in my keeping.
Pages:
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139