The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-15
OLD HOME WEEK MURDER
by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

ASey'S Tree lett nano patteo 6rln-
ley's pockets.
mot in a shoulder holster-my,
my, what'GAyou do with your pop
gun an siiehcer?" Asey asked.
Dropped 'em into the pond, did
you? Or what?"
what do you mean? l."
"Brinley," Asey said, there's no
two-year-old in the world who
wouldn't tell you this is not the
time to buster. Pick up both feet.
laddie, an ln1rch along the road
We amt taking to the bush no
more tonight. That's it. Just you
hep right along. I'm behind you.
March"
Brinley marched.
Cant we," he said breathlessly
after a minute or two, "go in my
car? That's my car, there"
Il just couldn't trust myself to
take rides with you, ]. Arthur. Not
after tonight. l somehow feel !
mightn't get |; chance to walk
home. / might just be tossed out
No, | think we'll walk it."
Before they reached the main
road, Brinley stopped short.
Garry on, feller," Asey said.
"It's my corns," Brinley said.
Really, l would like to take my
shoes off. They hurt. And do I have
to go along the main road with my
arms up like this? I'd hate to have
anyone see me-and besides, I
don't understand what this is all
about, anyway! What is this all
about?"
''The trouble with people like
you," Asey said, "is that other peo-
pie don't take 'em serious until it's
too late. When you get comb'na-
ton of henpecked husband, an a
Mister Milquetoast, who tries to
be pompous an blustery, it's sort
of misleadin'. You don't expect
whoa-you don't turn around, J.
Arthur, you"
Save Your Breath
II WILL so turn around!" Brin-
L ley said. what l do is my busi-
ness, and you have no right to
interfere!"
You might just as we'll save
your BREATH" Asey said, IAN
march along-hey, who's that?"
Someone was calling his name.
"Asey, Asey Mayol Where are
your"
Asey beloved back, and short
ly Hamilton appeared from the
woods.
You got him! Who-Brinley?
Well, Well"
Hes tryin'," Asey said, ito be
innocenter than a new born lamb.
l hand it TO him."
What went on?"
81 don't know about the first
part of it," Asey said. But he's
been givin' me a workout / won't
forget in years. Had a little ST.
lencer arrangement, an used il
lavish. Tried to bog me, too, but !
r'fused to be begged How's Kay?
You seen her?"
Il guess she's all right. She was
up at the house, and Cummings
was looking after her. Had scalp
wound. Just a scratch, but it bled
a lot. ! didn't wait to hear her
story. started out for you. Lanes
out, too, and a bunch of his boys"
did you get Prettyman off all
right?" Asey asked.
Hamilton laughed. 'That guy Is
a pip, Asey. He got on the train
and walked smack up to Burley
and said, Let's be friends, it's so
much easier that way They got 8
wire from Burley before I left
Boston. He said they were getting
along swell. He Said-hey, what's
the matter, Brinley? Get going!"
j. Arthur turned around.
Il will not" he announced firm
ly. move one more step until !
have taken my shoes of, and I will
not move very many steps after
that! | tell you, my feet hurt!"
With Hamilton here to helm
cope with you," Asey said, 81 can
afford to be gen'rous. Go ahead"
Watch out" Hamilton warned.
Wait, Brinley. | had a guy nearly
kill me once, taking a stone out OF
his shoe. Little gadget in his shoe
fired a slug. I'll take the shoes off
for you. Stick up a foot"
Despite Brinley's protests that
he was perfectly able to remove
his own shoes. Hamilton pulled
them off.
"okay," he said. And what
fancy shoes you wear"
Say" Asey interrupted, s"T got
a-let me see them shoes, Hamil-
ton. didn't think to-''
They were white buckskin OK
fords with leather soles.
Put in our light an watch him
Ham," Asey said. 81 want to look
into these things"
They were not just white buck.
skin shoes. they were the whitest
buckSkin shoes. ASey had ever
seen. There wasn't a scratch or a
mark or smudge on them. They
were brand new.
Asey looked down at his own
rubber-soled brown leather shoes.
Briars and blackberry vines had
Scared the leather in two dozen
places. There were broken pine
needles stuck in the lacings. The
toes were wet. Jumps of dirt and
mud from the lowlands showed or,
the toe and along the side.
He raised one foot. A mixture of
leaves and dirt was packed solidly
in the space between the low heel
and the instep.
And j. Arthur's buckskin shoes
were white, and the leather sole
was barely damp.