The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-02

"Mrs. Brinley," he tried to make
his voice solemn, you an your
husband have been the victims of
a plot" go.
Mrs. Brinley squealed and look
ed around her anxiously, as though
something on the order of an octo-
pus was about to pounce on her
from corner.
"Slade." Asey pointed to the fig
ure on the floor. II was telling your.
husband about it when you came.
Slade wanted to get you two all
worked up, for the publicity.
That's why Weston asked me to
come over here. To forestall any
thing like this. Now" he turned to
the trooper, "do you know any
TING. about any murder? You don't.
do you?" '@ !
mo, sir!"
"Zeb? No. jeff, if there had been
a murder, you'd know about it,
wouldn't your"
Good gracious" Jeff said in his
best McGuffey's statesman man.
ner, who brought the matter up?,
It's preposterous! Murders, indeedi.
| Was that what Slade has been say:
ing? Why, the idea!"
Aunt Sara swallowed hard.
Nov, Miss Thayer, you're a re-
porter. Have you heard of any re-
ports about murder?"
eff l had a whole fat murder
story staring me in the face" Kay
said with utter truthfulness, 81
should not be here. promise you,
that" II ifi !
Ruthless Publicity Seeker ].
HERE" Asey SAID; 'ssee? IT'S a
1 horrible thing, Mrs. Brinley;
but you see, you an your husband
is influential, an Slade knew i he
could start a story through you,
people would believe. it. It's-uh-
eXploitin'. The-uhLrich, mean,
the influential folks always gets
this sort OF thing, in any COM
munity. You was bein' exploited
by a ruthless publicity seeker,
that's what"
'Ruthless?" jeff Leach said.
ITS dastardly!"
Just so. Now, for the best in
terestS of everything, Mrs. Brin-
ley, Zeb'll take you home. You an
your guest. l want you to leave the
rest to me. l." he added meaning
| ly, will fix this, | will"
Nip it in the bud Sara helped
him out.
Il want justice!" Mrs. Brinley
began to lapse into. her Wemen's
Club manner. Il want justice, and
justice will be done! Justice, or"
There's only one thing" Asey
said, IAN JeffYl agree with me. If
there's any scandal now, with the
Old Home Week goin'@ on-well, l
certainly would hate to think of
the effect" '' -.
He talked on until he was tired,
and then Sara came to his rescue.
She had never in the past been
very cordial to Mrs. Brinley, but
she made up for it.
At last the Brinleys gave in. To
save Billingsgate, to leave un-
marred the escutcheon of Billings
gate and Old Home Week, they
would forget their personal feel
ings. They would leave everything
to Asey. They would never men,
ton the affair. Never whisper
about it. --.}
Zeb drove them homo in Asey's
roadster. Madame Meaux, who
had also allowed herself to be per-
Suaded 20 save the town, winked
at Asey as she left.
What an NC" she said, SHOW
business lost in you! I'll lay it on
some more for you when they get
back"
Finally Cummings got Eloise to
sleep, and Asey got the rest of the
household off to bed.
What are you going to do with
him?" the doctor pointed to Slade.
Him an me is goin' to have a
little Seance out in the barn. Help
us take him out, doc. There's been
enough TODD in this house for one
night"
After Slade had been deposited
on the barn floor, Asey turned to
the trooper. 1tA
| Go on back an see none. of;
therl folks decide to come help us.
after ALL" he said. IF they DON'T
get to sleep right away, they'll:
probably decide to lumber out an.
assist" $50
He removed the handkerchief
and the piece of soap from SHADES
mouth and stood back to await the
torrent of abuse he fully expected
would issue forth.
But Slade just lay there sullenly
and never uttered word.
Asey looked at him thoughtful.
ly. He could see how someone like
Jane would fall for a fellow like
that. Slade was no moving picture
idol; his nose was too long and his
mouth too wide, but his dark hair
had the sort of crinkly wave in il
that women seemed to like, and
his black eyes had probably made
any number of conquests. About
thirty-five, Asey decided, Younger
than he had at first thought. Ard
even bound hand and foot, there
was tremendous vigor about him.
Huh" he said. II can see where
you would make Zeb Chase look
like skim milk. An see why Sara
give you chance. Slade, what's
the hip idea9"