The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-04-24

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Aunt Sara's face became as
white as her hair, and she bit her
lip until Asey was afraid that it
would bleed.
"Oh, Asey, did I-have been"
d fYou did. Sara, Pm sorry to be
so impatient an abrupt, an | don't
mean to bully, but you have gone
an done the silliest thing you could
do! What's her name? Can't I find
her another place, an head her
off? Amt there some way out?"
"She charmed JEFF, too" Sara
said. 81 don't see what we can do,
she's already had someone take
her luggage-Asey, what did I do?
When waS-of course it must have
been last night. Oh, dear, dear,
what shall l do if I'm beginning
that again."
She was more diStraught than
Asey had ever imagined she could
be, and she seemed suddenly to
become rather a frail little old
lady instead of the erect. brisk
person he had always known.
I'm sorry" ASey said again.
"But you took to walkin' out by
the swamp in your sleep, an our
shotgun friend was in the vicin-
ity, pretendin' to be loon. When
I found it was you, l near went
crazy to think of what might have
happened to you. Does lido you
or don't you want to talk about
it?"
81 don't, but I've got to. Let's
leaye this din" -
tAsey helped her into his car. |:
1--WE done it since I was a child"
Sara said. sNo ones been able to
dor anything about it. It drove
mother frantic, and she made me
SDsashamed of it that it rather
pfeyed on me when / was older.
Father took me to doctors. and
they figured out that it happened
only when | was upset and wor-
ried about something. and usually
when was trying to keep a secret.
The older I've grown. the fewer
secrets I've had, and well Il
thought it was all over. This affair
must have started me going again.
ASey, what shall we do?"
How You Talk
ITO LOCKS stop you, or do you
~ Skinny out of windows?"
Locks will do it, and I'll have
to tell jeff. I'll tell him the whole
story, think he suspects most of
it. He knows about me, of course.
He thinks it's funny. He claims he
had to tie me. shortly after we were
and father'd told me
about some railroad bill in the
that vas a tremendous
secret. I've always kept it hidden
you can see why. Billingsgate
would love a bit of news like that.
--he maids know. but mercifully
they like me. too much 10 talk. Oh.
dear! What can. we do about this
girl? Her name is Kay Thayer.
She's a good sort. really. but-oh.
darn this Old Home Week. Darn,
it," 49,, =-- $40
Why Sara Leach. how you
talk"
Il mean It, Pve wanted TO say il
for months. Asey. if we try to shunt
the girl, she'll get suspicious. And
on the other hand, how can she
help knowing, right there in the
house? Well have to cope with it
somehow. Have you any ideas?"
"One," Asey said, @but-oh,
Sara. oh. my"
He waited at the Leach house
until after the rest had returned
from town. and then ne set out for
He'll Hollow. where Hamilton was
waiting for him.
This place." Hamilton said,
"has my teeth chattering. Asey, /
never saw anything like it. The
way that mist comes out Of the
swamp, and those mud holes. and
the noiSeS-I never heard so many
noises in all my life! Look. what
sounds like this?"
He opened his mouth and pro-
duced something between a moan
and a wall and . horse whinnying.
1T sounds like someone in a ra-
do mystery" Asey said, Eat the
end of chapter. think it was
a raecoon, though. When's your
trooper due?"
"Iwelve-thirty. He's a new man,
and hope he can take it. IL had
to park here alone until tomorrow ,
I'd go crazy. Honestly,
look at those figures! One ofem
fell down fen minutes ago, and do
you know what I did2 / fell fiat
on my stomach and drew my gun.
Honestly. I'd rather spend the
night in the morgue alone than
sit here with those figures! Look
at'em. Watch'em sway! And don't"
he added. tell me I'm nervousl"
"Tl confess, Ham. reached for
my gun the first time I semen.
Here's your man comm. Tell him
to put his car back of the house
where it won't be seen, an don't
tell him how you fell"
81 won't need to. He'll feel the
same way in fifteen minutes.
What's orders? Stick around and
watch and listen?"
"Just about. Lane'u relieve him.
Tell him Wen come back an visit
with him later. May hearten him"
From the hollow they returned
to Aunt Sara'S. where another
trooper stood in the shadow Of the
garage.
81 rugged up that gadget on the
foot bridge" he said. THE fellow
at the house and. / did. Anyone
who comes up from the swampn
get q blank cartridge going of UNI
der his feet."
Continued Tomorrow.
{ (cOpyri1ht, 1881