The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-31
OLD HOME WEEK MURDER
by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

lput'em on another Jar. Whatevel
Iyou do, don't you tell a soull"
"You-you kind Of scare me,
Bertha said. "Why-what're you
so solemn about? What's the good
Of that nasty stuff"
"You know what's been goin' on
don't you? About Mary Randall an
Eloise?"
Bertha nodded. "Aunt Sara told
us, but we haven't told. What's
that got to do with it?"
81 figureo one thing" Asey said,
81 figured another. an now, with
luck, this nasty stuffs goin' to
solve them two murders, an it's
goin' to solve'em before ] 20 to bed
tonight"
Hamilton stood just inside the
Town Hall ball room and hummed
under his breath the tune that Up
Johns Merrymakers were swing
ing to the skies.
He had hoped to attend the final
grand ball in an entirely unofficial
capacity. but he had reckoned
without Asey Mayo.
He finally located Kay Thayer.
dancing with Zeb. He winked at
her and ierked his head toward
the corridor. and then leaned back
against the wall as though his only
problem in life was to prop up the
rafters.
The girl got it. Asey said she
would. At the end of the dance Kay
wandered over to him.
"Hi trooper" she looked at the
interested watchers and satisfied
their curiosity Found my brief
case YETI" gI
"Yes. ma'am." Hamilton said.
"Will you come look a. it,"
He led her out the back way.
l"Look." he said, there's a note from
Asey. Read it, and then take this
to Zeb Chase. I'll wait for you here.
Go grab a coat"
It's Insane
zEB watched Kay's departure
L. with increasing irritation. But
Asey's note, in his pocket, had
been firm and definite. When Asey
wanted him. Asey would tell him,
and in the interval he was to mind
his own business.
HAS Asey really got anything?"
Kay demanded as Hamilton turned
the car toward the Leaches' house.
II wouldn't say this to every
one," he told her. "but the guys
losing his grip. He lands up at the
hollow this afternoon late with
jar of beachplum jelly"
with a what?"
"You heard. And with that, he
goes into action. A md w b e n
Asey-"
"Goes into action" Kay said
feelingly. ''he goes into action. ]
know. I had some brief experience
with it last night. What have you
what's he been doing?"
Hamilton smiled. go change
your clothes. I'll tell you later"
The darkness and quiet of the
old house made Kay glad that the
trooper. was within call. She
changed in a hurry and rushed
back to the car.
Tell me morel"
"Oh. we busted into Brinleys'
darn dog. it bit Lane. He's mad
as hops. We been here twice. Asey,
he's burglarized the town offices,
with all that gang Of you below.
He.
But there were new locks on
the offices. he told me so. After
Prettyman got in. And say. what's
become Of Tertius?"
"Oh. he's okay. Asey phoned
him tonight. ! don't know why.
No. locks don't bother Asey. He
went to sea with a burglar mate
once. and he learned all the tricks.
And the fellow he had with him
helped"
"What fellow?"
Hamilton shrugged. "Asey
brought him from Boston"
From Boston?"
"Yeah. He's been there TODAY.
didn't you know? I don't know the
man and nobody told me who he
is. While Asey was doing that, we
combed around the hollow-oh. ]
almost forgot. We held up your
photographer and we kidnapped
General Philbrick."
"Buck-what for? And the Gen.
eral-" Kay shook her head.
Hamilton. this is pure Munchaus-
eningl" -g
mo, sir" Hamilton protested.
The General didn't mind coming.
He seemed to like It. Lane and /
did the hold-up. We stole his rain
coat and his pictures Of the exhi-
bition-"
81 know It's a lie," Kay said.
Buck only has negatives. not pic
lures"
Pictures" Hamilton said firm
ly. Local man developed'em. For
the winners. Pictures taken yes
terday. Lane and I put on long
coats and tied handkerchiefs
around our faces. and held him
UP in his car. Just outside where
he rooms. We tied him up. Little
later we came along as police and
undid him and gave him every.
thing back. Asey'd already found
out what he wanted. He was wait
ing in the bushes. Anyway. Buck
thinks we're swell. But what Asey
wanted a lot Of pictures Of jelly
and string beans for. nobody
knowsi"
"Jeliyl" Kay said. SITS insane
hurry up. can't stand this sus-
pense!"
Continued tomorrow.
(Copyrioht. 1851