The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-31
Chapter At
Near A Solution

Chapter Al
..- Near A Solution
a ROUND supper time Asey re.
\ turned to the Leach house, no
remembering until he reached the
front door Sara's warning thai
Bertha W. to have the weekend
off.
But Bertha herself called to him
from the lpstairs window as he
returned to his car.
%Asey: Asey MayoI If you want
supper, come round to the kitchen
doorI"
Asey grinned. and returned.
There's plenty to eat" Bertha
@ said. Iif you don't mind cold things
look at my cupsl Threel" she
pointed proudly to the silver cups
b. on the kitchen table. sand fifty
dollars. cash money! | give it to
my mother, the money. She was
so happy she cried. Oh. / was
hopin'-but / thought Mrs. Brin-
ley would get it. She always does!
. An / know it was you that did itl''
II was one." Asey reminded her,
~of four women, an four men,"
He didn't feel it was necessary to
add that he had Unanswered things
so that he made his decisions first.
and that the others had used the
same blank afterwards, or that he
had commented rather outspoken-
ly on his ability as a Cape Colder
TO know ~0od Jelly when he saw it
in front Of his eyes. At least five
OF the judges had been returned
settlers, and they were very anx-
ious TO prove themselves good
Cape Codders.
"You fixed it. somehow" Bertha
said. "And l want you to have the
Jelly. / told mother, and she said
you should have it"
81 can't" Asey said. why, you
ought to put that on the mantel-
piece an show it to al your beaus."
mo-" Bertha said obstinately.
Il want you to have it. Say. did
they do anything to the Jelly. like
cookin' it? This looks d;f'rent from
when / took it up"
"Not while was there. an not
that jar" Asey said. Look l can't
take"
"You will. You'll have it for sup
per, right now" Bertha said. with
cold roast beef. There" She re-
moved the paraffin. and turned the
jelly out into a dish. at certainly
looks different" she said. "They
must have done something to it
after they got through the iudg-
ing"
Its a crime to open that. Ber-
tina" Asey said. "but | want you
to know | appreciate it,"
While he waited for her to cut
his beef. he spread some of the
Jelly on piece of bread.
How is it?" Bertha asked. "How
-whats-what's the matter?"
Asey. with his hand to his
mouth. rushed from tn room.
Bertha's eyes filled with tears,
and then she grabbed 2 teaspoon
and tasted the Jelly. re was rush.
ing from the kitchen as Asey re-
turned.
WELL" Asey said WREN she came
back. well? ! mean, I'm awful
sorry TO act like that. but seein' as
how you done the same"
"Asey aayol" bertha said.
"Asey. that's not my Jelly! never
made ANYTHING like that awful
burned smelly stuff! Why. | should
think someone swept out a coal
bin and boiled the sweepings with
burned sugarl | didn't think, this
afternoon. that it was mine. It
looked dif'rent. But the number
was right on it. aid it was my
number. and it was the same lar,
and all-Asey. how do you sup
pose-how did it happen?"
Different Glass
Il DON'T know"
Il But you tasted it-didn't
the judges taste it?"
Asey nodded. "You c'ntestants
put in two lars. an they had the
same numbers. An the Judges used
one to taste from. an then stuck
the duplicate under the light an
stared at it. an Gee: ed around.
Bertha. this amt the same Jelly of
yours we tasted this afternoonl
Now, that's curious. Flip it back
into, the Jar an let me stare at il
again"
He held 1t up to the light. "No.
It's not. Bertha. let me see that
paraffin. Huh. Now. get me one Of
your glasses of beach-plum from
the preserve closet"
Same Jars" Bertha said.
Nope. This here's a bluer glass"
'They all came from the same
set of iarsl"
aParaffin,s dif'rent," Asey said.
mot as white. Bertha. let me
think"
''welE" Bertha said after fifteen
minutes. %where'd that awful stuff
come from?"
'T think know" Asey said
slowly. 81 think I know where it
come from. can't be sure. ] looked
also maj jars of Jelly yesterday.
Bertha, gimme this"
THAT stuff? ! should say notl
Il goes right out to the garbage
holeI"
Nope" Asey said. Bertha, I
want you to do somethin' for me.
I'm goin' % take this awful tastin'
stuff. m you're not goin' to tell a
soul ! got it. Take the labels an