The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-03
Chapter %
It's A Conspiracy


ITS A Conspiracy
NOV you know" DR.. Cumming
~ sat down on an overturned
lobster pot, "the trouble with
Slade, ASey, he never made
enough to live as an artist. and or
the rare occasions when he die
make anything, he never bought
proper food. Now he has this towr
job. his dispositions improved
some. He doesn't rant quite SC
much. You know, Asey, I've al
ways thought communism is, g
sort of religion, and the people
who get any religion really vio-
1ently. they always have some
quirk somewhere, and usually its
the digestive system. A well fed
person doesn't care two cents for
causes. They accept things. But
you take a digestion"
Saint you," Asey said, sort OF
harpin' on the digestive system
tonight"
'Well." Cummings said defen-
sively, 81 read a book about il
last night. Tonight-anyway, be-
fore got into bed a while ago
The fellow goes too far, of course
they all do. but-oh, go on!"
Asey didn't remind him that he
hadn't been given any chance tc
begin let alone to continue.
- 4Slade,' he said, "I'm tired. Let's
get this over with. How'd you
D.. know about the murder? Man
alive. I didn't like this nonsense
any more than you do! But if you
smash up furniture and act in
general like a fool kid. what can
we do? Now, come on. Who told
you about the murder? How'd you
known"
Jane wrote me note. 1 got il
this evening. She's frightened to
death. and why shouldn't she be
with all of you bullying her"
mo ones bullied her, Slade
Don't be foolish. Why did you
want all the money Emily Slade
could give your"
On. 10 get away, you TOOL! TC
get Jane away-that's why I came
here TO night. To take her away
from all of you, and all of this
before it's too late!"
But"
"And / would have taken her
too, if Eloise hadn't gummed il
upl"
whats he talking about?"
Cummings asked curiously. "He
doesn't smell drunk"
Drunk? I'm not drunk! But ]
know what I'm talking aboutl''
Slade yelled. "It's a conspiracy!
It's all a conspiracy The dirty
Chase money they've piled up out
Of their filthy baked beans"
He went on at some length about
the dirty Chase money.
I'm wrong about the digestive
system" Cummings laid while
Slade paused for breath. 81 don't
think it's the digestive system at
all, Asey. It's glandular. On the
other hand-say, Mike, do you
have many headaches? Does it
ever seem to you that your hands,
or arms. or head-or any part of
you-just floated in space? Be-
cause"
Slade got his breath and began
again.
Asey listened to the TRADE, try
ing 10 piece together some sort
Of story from it.
Set Ideas
GLADE had made up his mind
- that Asey and the rest, with
the consent of the police and the
town officers. had decided to
shield the real murderers of Mary
Randall. He was very set on that
point. and he illustrated his ideas
with any number of cases from
Czarist Russia. Fascist Italy and
Nazi Germany. But because even
tually the murder would have to
come TO light and be made public.
Slade felt that Jane Warren had
been picked as the official scape-
goat e.. 49, .-t
"And while you're bullying her.
and getting your fake case made
as water tight as you can, you
withhold all the story from the
public. From the people. From
everyone who has any right to
know. All to save your town. and
its moneymaking schemes! It's a
conspiracy"
'Tts Indigestion. that's what il
IS" Cummings said. What did you
have for support"
Baked beans" Shade wa s
caught of guard by the doctors
professional tones.
mo wonder" Asey said, "why,
IN your situation, ! think Chase's
Baked Beans would upset me-
Let's get this idea of yours about
Jane and Zeb again You wan
dered off and mixed me up when
you footnoted on SPAIN"
II was simple Slade said. Jane
would be arrested for the murder.
Hshe promised to marry Zeb, then
the dirty Chase money would get
her of. Obviously, to get of. il
would take the dirty Chase money,
and she couldn't get the dirty
Chase money without taking dirty
Chase's Zeb along with il.
Asey laughed when he finished
81 can't help IL" he said. you've
gone all around Robin Hoods barn
honest, you couldn't be more
wrong. Did Jane write you in this
note that anything like that had