The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-24
Chapter Al
Stop, Look, Crab

stop, LOOK, Orab'
HAMILTON wandered around,
II peering at the old book case
whose shelves were filled with
preserves and 'put-up" jars of veg
etables and fruit. He even re-
moved the lid from the old stone
crock, and after shifting at its con-
tents, hastily replaced it. The odor
Of sauerkraut filled the cellar.
Lets get back upstairs" Lane
said. Il don't see anything here
that's doing us any good. If she
was killed. she was killed and we
might as well get to the Warren
girl and get it over with"
WHAT" Asey asked as they
climbed back to the kitchen.
whats that?"
"Jane Warren. She came in the
house after Eloise did. / saw her.
She was here a couple of minutes.
] saw her come and ! saw her CO."
"You didn't tell us about that"
"You didn't" Lane said tartly.
give me any chance to. Don't you
want to amend your ideas, and say
she fell or tripped, instead of was
pushed?"
Asey shook his head. Nope.
Doc, how did Jane take it, when
you told her Eloise was sick?"
"She said EloiSe had eaten any
quantity of lobster salad and peach
ehortcake with whipped cream for
lunch" Cummings replied, land
had been taking soda minis by the
pound ever since. should say that
Jane was philosophical. and more
or less unmoved about it all.
Eloise's stomach and its eccen-
tricities are hardly a closed book
to anyone who ever slept under
the same roof with her, you know"
Didn't seem to see anythin'
strange about your comm. or your
wife's comin'?"
"She said it was thoughtful, and
that she couldn't possibly have
managed the tourists alone"
"Brazening it out" Lane said.
Remember what she threatened,
Asey One more word from Eloise
about Mike Slade-"
you're so obvious, Lane" Cum
mings began to put things back
into his bag. Il knew you'd say
that I've been 'aiting for you to
say il. Tell me, what sort of things
do you eat, usually?"
II eat what can get" Lane was
annoyed. "Wha: do you Think"
Specifically. what?"
ooh. meat and fish and vege-
tables"
obvious foods" Cummings said
cheerfully. "See how it works out.
Asey?" Eioise eats futi' things
you get the idea"
"You tell me-" Asey said. what
the feller we want feeds on, an
I'll pay your grocery bills for a
year. Hamilton, bring Jane in, will
you?" He lifted the curtain and
peered outside. 9TH, tourists seem
TO have let up
He led Jane into the dining room
and motioned her to a seat from
which she could not possibly see
the blanket-covered figure on the
living room couch.
'How's Eloise? Was il indiges-
ton again? And Asey, wasn't she
sporting about that sock: I've felt
a beast. Sara laid me out in laven-
der, in a few well-chosen words.
Oh, I'm so tired!"
"Jane," Asey said, "what'd you
come indoors for. just after
Eloise?"
"Cards. Shop card. you know.
Business cards. Those tourists
were yelling for 'em, and the ores
in the barn had all been taken off. l"
Where were they?"
Appendicitis ..>4
"THE cards? In the corner cup
4 board here. See, | spilled some
on the floor. ] was in such rush.
D'you know what Eloise said? She
said il / could sell that oak chest.
] could have the mon> ! for myself,
and Ifdide To a friend of General
Philbrick's. Now I have dowry,
isn't that swell? Mike told you
about the man who bought his
pictures"
did you go into the kitchen
when you came in?
mo, ] just got the cards and
went out. Asey-" she looked at
him. "whatever's the matter now?
Does Eloise think she has appen-
dicitis again? Because she did
have her appendix out. and Mary
has a thing signed by the doctor
saying so. She had to get it, be-
cause Eloise has fits of thinking
that they just opened her up and
peered at her appendix. and left
Il there. Why, I can't imagine. I
should think it would be one of
those things you'd just naturally
sense. whether you had an appen-
dix or not, no matter how much
you mistruste. doctors. Asey,
we're going to be married next
week, did Mike tell your"
aJana" Asav said eEIoiSe has