The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-04-17

business, with the shotguns Satur-
day, or the killing of Mary RAN
dali, or anything else. But her
wandering around made him I'M
easy. Very likely it was a regular
habit of Sara's 10 take a stroll
every night down by the swamp.
But how long had she been there,
and what about that crazy laugh?
It was all -screwy.
Out of the whole mess only one
real fact emerged; someone had
something against Billingsgate. It
might be grudge against the town
itself, or perhaps someone wanted
to blank the celebration. Anyway,
the person had issued plenty Of
warnings about how he felt. and
now he was getting right down to
business.
Why, Asey wondered, all this
paving of the way? Apparently the
fellow had nothing against Brinley
or Weston or the teaches. The Sc
lectmen didn't figure. If they did,
why hadn't the fellow shot at them
instead of just aiming to one side
Of them with buckshot?
Anyway, by some accident Mary
Randall had become aware of
whatever this person had in mind,
probably stumbling nearer to the
truth than she comprehended. At
least, she understood enough to
want to see him and tell him Things.
But Someone anticipated that, and
took good care that nothing of the
sort happened.
That led to Jane.
Thorn In The Flesh
LIE DIDN'T know about Jane
IL Warren. She had been a bit
sour on the antique business that
afternoon. What was that crack of
herS-"All work and no pay"
Something to do with the Randalls
or the antiques had annoyed her.
But if she were as destitute as she
claimed, and if she was supported
solely by Mary Randall, it hardly
seemed that Jane would deliber-
ately kill her benefactor and en-
ployer. Perhaps in some way she
would benefit by Mary's death.
Maybe she inherited the antique
business or some money. Perhaps
it was something more indirect;
clearly EloiSe was too scatter
Drained to carry on by herself, and
Jane would profit thereby.
With the radio going, and the
static and the fireworks, it was pos
esH1o 4Haf she gLaI yot Loarl 4ha
shotgun. Offhand, it wasn't very
credible. And most people when
they were confronted with a muir
der, promptly began to tell how
innocent they were. Jams. had TAX
en- the other attitude and offered
herself up as sacrifice 2
After cleaning up Mrs. Randall's
room and fixing the window, Asey
had gone over the entire house
from attic to cellar, and investi-
gated Zeb's shotgun in the shed. It
was covered with the chips and
saWdust and dirt of the woodpile,
and the barrels hadn't been
touched for a month of Sundays.
He could find no trace of any other
weapon, nor could Lane. But that
didn't mean that there wasn't any.
After Jane and Eloise had gone
to Sara's, he had even read through
Mary Randall's diary, but that cast
no light on the affair. From it he
picked enough to know that Mrs.
j. Arthur Brinley was more of a
thorn in Mary's flesh than anyone
guessed, and that Jane cared far
more about selling antiques than
rubbing or restoring them, or
tracking them down. Mrs. Randall
had been rather plaintive about
James lack of what she called
~stick-to-it-iveness." There were
numerous items about EloiSe. A
lot dealt rather resignedly with her
clumsineSs, like breaking some
Stiegel glass, and smashing up the
beach wagons tenders again, and
once or twice she mentioned Elo-
ise's inability to take a stand or
make decision. Asey remembered
one sentence, she is so good to
me, and works so hard, and means
so well, but she does clutter, with!
the things she says as much as the
things she does"
Asey thought he knew exactly
what Mary Randall meant.
Well, Jane would have to be
looked into. For fun he would
check up on Aunt Sara, although
he knew it was a futile gesture.
Zeb didn't enter into II, or Eloise.
That ferris wheel was rock bot
tom aiibi, il ever one existed or
was needed.
He turned over, closed his eyes
and slept soundly until Aunt Sara
banged on his door at nine o'clock.
"Asey, JEFF and ! have to CO."
she called to him. ''Zebs already
driven the girls to the hollow, and
gone to work, but he said he'd
leave any time il you wanted him.
Sally or Bertha'll be here all day
long. and get you any meals you
want. I'm leaving a program for
you"
Hey Asey scrambled out Of
bed, wait till l."
i simply can't wait. Really. I'm
the sheep and lamb sorter for the
Old Returning Settlersl Bye"
Asey looked out of the window
at the open official car with its fly
ing blue and yellow streamers IN
which JEFF and Sara drove of In
state behind . uniformed chauf-
feur.
IAN they need" he nurmured.
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