T IM E S . W IL L A M IN A . O R E G O N
B L A C K
S O M B R E R O
C L IF F O R D K N IG H T
the thatch of the roof where with a
flutter of wings and wildly clutching
feet he re-established himself,
wheeled about to stare down at us
with his wicked little eyes and ut
ter a squawk of pleasure. We pre
pared to take our departure; Rogers
bowed and smiled.
“ I wish your husband a safe jour
ney, señora, and a speedy return.”
he said, and we withdrew to our
arar.a, tagged by the still silent chil
dren. while the pulque seller's wife
stood in the doorway of the hut to
observe our departure.
We had jogged along for some dis
tance in the direction of the busi
ness district when I remarked,
CHAPTER X I
“ Some grist for the m ill there."
“ I t ’s a nice little puzzle sc far,
“ Yes, Barry. There is confirma
Barry,” observed Rogers. “ We’ll tion of the conclusion we reached
not solve it tonight—probably not to last night. Pedro ran out on us at
morrow. It can very quickly be Sam Chatfield's, hurried home, re
solved if Lombardo and his man mained briefly and then fled to the
Friday w ill catch up with Pedro.
Suppose we sleep or it.”
We did sleep on it, rocking gen
tly in our stateroom on board the
Orizaba anchored in the harbor. In
the light of a new day, after a lei- I
rarely breakfast with Margaret and
Dwight, at which time we spoke j
softly and with respect for the now 1
murdered James Chesebro, we wait- ;
ed for the launch to take us ashore. I
Suddenly Dwight's body stiffened, j
“ Look! Did you see that?” he cried.
“ Look!"
Before our eyes some hundreds of
yards away a huge fish leaped clear '
of the water and then fell back with
a great splash.
“ There's your marlin, darling,"
said Margaret sweetly, “ come to '
play with you.”
“ Let’s go fishing now.” Dwight's
voice was excited. "Come on, fel
lows.”
“ Sorry,”
said
Rogers.
“ I'd
planned some other things—about
Chesebro’s slayer.”
“ Well, go on, then; the launch is
waiting for you. As soon as it ’s
back I ’m going after that fellow.
Hunting me up, is he? Wanting to
play with me?” said Dwight as Rog
ers and I went down the ladder.
We landed at the wharf, found one 1
of those ancient two-wheeled aranas i
like the one Elsa had ridden in that
first day, climbed in and set off. |
“ I t ’s probably like hunting for the
needle in the haystack, Barry,” he
remarked, after an extended con
versation with the driver which ex
“ What is he called, señora?”
plored the fellow's acquaintances
among the pulque sellers. At first mountains for an indefinite stay. He
the driver, a sleepy-eyed fellow with
carried with him the belief that he
a bushy mustache, had not been able not only saw the murderer of Chese
to comprehend why we should bro, but can identify him. He fears
search for a pulque seller when liq the consequences if he is made to
uor of many kinds was easily ob
identify him.”
tainable almost anywhere. When he
“ You’re right, of course,” 1
realized, however, that we were
looking for a particular dealer in sighed. “ But where does that leave
pulque, he believed that he knew us, Hunt?”
“ It leaves us with a simple ex
several Pedros. And so we started
planation of the crime—when Pedro
out.
At last our dispirited horse pulled is captured and returned to Mazat-
up with a sigh before a thatched lan. To the jefe del policia, Senor
hut near the end of the street. Otilio Lombardo, w ill fall the honor
A small shy woman came to the of solving the murder of K itty Chat
field, as well as that of Chesebro,
door when Rogers knocked.
“ Does Pedro, the pulque seller, when his men bring in Pedro.”
“ But there’s no evidence that the
live here, señora?” Rogers inquired
two were done by the same hand.”
in Spanish.
“ Yes, sir,” the woman replied hes
“ No,” admitted Rogers, as we
itantly, a frightened look in her drove along the shady streets,
deep, dark eyes.
"there is no evidence of it; there’s
“ May we speak with Pedro, se only a hunch on my part, and a
ñora?” inquired Rogers, smiling.
very, very faint hunch at that. Per
“ He is away, sir,” she replied.
haps no more than a wish that it
“ Did your husband return home be so. Simplify things enormously,
last night from his trip to the rancho wouldn’t it, Barry?” he said, look
of Senor Chatfield?”
ing at me with a twinkle in his
“ Briefly, sir; and then made haste mild blue eyes. “ Let’s go and talk
to depart.”
with Lombardo and urge upon him
“ Did he go far, señora?”
our belief, and perhaps spur him on
“ To the mountains, sir.”
to greater effort in bringing back
“ And he w ill return soon?”
Pedro.” He turned to the driver and
The woman shook her head. “ He said in Spanish: "Senor, take us,
is away, sir. I do not know when please, to the police station.”
he w ill return.”
Rogers asked for Lombardo at a
A man was lurking inside the small desk, and the courteous occu
house as we talked, just beyond our pant assured us that we should see
view. I had heard him and so had the jefe at once. But it was some
Rogers. At last overcome by curi ten minutes before we were shown
osity he appeared suddenly behind into a small room where Lombardo
the woman in the doorway. It was sat alone.
not, however, Pedro a3 1 suspected,
“ We came,” Rogers said slowly,
but a man whose face was familiar. “ only to offer what help you think
Rogers glanced at him.
we can give toward the solution of
“ Good morning,” he said and the murder of our friend, James
smiled. The man returned the greet Chesebro.”
ing hesitantly.
“ That is very kind of you, gentle
“ My brother, Jose,” the woman men.”
said.
“ Our opinion, reached after con
“ And did the old dog die, senor?” siderable reflection, senor, is that it
inquired Rogers. I recognized then is vital to capture Pedro, the pulque
the individual who the morning of seller, who fled last night when we
Elsa’s attack on Chesebro was put were about to require him to identify
ting to death with chloroform an old the slayer.”
dog near the stables.
“ Yes, of course.”
“ Undoubtedly Pedro knows who
“ Oh, yes, sir. Quickly, as you
the slayer is.”
said he would.”
“ Senor,” began Rogers, “ the
“ I believe so, gentlemen.”
chloroform—tell me again who gave
“ We understand that he fled last
it to you.”
night to the mountains.”
“ Señora Chatfield, sir.”
“ Ah, so?” Lombardo’s eyebrows
“ Señora Chatfield?”
shot upward. “ You know that too?”
“ Yes. She of the golden hair—”
“ Yes, from the man’s wife. You
Rogers suddenly elevated Pepe to of course, have questioned her?”
B M C K H A cld. H o llyw o o d a rtis t. I l d ll*
t a k r n i r d by b c r A u n t K ilt y , wbo died
fro m a a o te rd o s e of m o rp h in e .
H o t:
R oger». professional s le m h . and B a r r y
M adison , a a a m a te n r d e te rU v e , go to
M a s a ila a . M e xic o , to solve w h a t they
helicTO to be K itty C h a td e ld s m u rd e r
On a r r iv a l, thev and th a t E ls a 's p a rty
had preceded them by plane. D u rin g a
f ie s u a t the ra n c h o f Sam t h a the Id
(E ls a 's f a t h e r ) , J am es C hescbro I t m n r-
dered . L o m b a rd o , c h ie f of the M e x ic a n
police, questions P ed ro , the pulque m an,
a fte r questioning a ll the gtsesta. T h e y re
e n a c t the prologae to the death of Chese-
bro.
W h ile this Is going on P e d ro , the
s ta r w itness, m akes his escape Into
t i q v ick
“ Of a certainty, senor. Already
the order has been given to bring
the man back from the mountains." C hoosing Right Breed
“ It would be helpful, gentlemen," O f Rabbits Im portant
he said carefully, “ if you could pro
vide us with additional motives to
M arket Demand Should
be put with those we already have
when it comes to the trial.”
Govern Selection
"You—” he began hesitantly. “ Is
it possible you have reached a de- ' Every farmer who wishes to raise
cisión, senor?”
rabbits should become fam iliar with
“ We have made the arrest, this market demands In order to select a
morning. The murderer is now in breed that will find a ready sale,
custody, gentlemen. I would appre says a U. of California publication,
ciate it if you could supply, perhaps, “ Rabbit Raising.” by II. M. Butter
additional motives, although what field and W. E. Lloyd. Some rab
bits w ill satisfy the market demands
we have are ample, I am sure ”
We both were silent, stunned a better than others. For exumple, a
little at this announcement of an ar market that prefers a small fryer
rest in the case so early, before rabbit weighing from m to 2 pounds
even Pedro had been returned to dressed or 3 to 4*i pounds live
weight w ill Justify the producer in
Mazatlan.
considering a breed that develops
“ May we ask, senor—" began early and soon reaches a market
Rogers.
able condition with a low feed coat.
“ Of course,” Lombardo replied, Breeds that are alow to develop or
his white even teeth showing in a that do not fill out well when young
magnificent smile. “ I have arrest are better suited for markets using
ed Senor Reed Barton—"
large meat rabbits weighing five
pounds or more.
"B a rto n !" I exclaimed.
Only a few breeders cater to a fur
"Yes, Senor Madison. It was not
difficult to discover the fact that he market and sell the meat from rab
is guilty. There was the testimony bits producing the fur for whatever
of Pedro last night; not testimony in it w ill bring. The meat from a six-
so many words, gentlemen, but by month-old fur rabbit w ill usually
his actions. He was terrified of hav weigh four or five pounds or more;
ing to identify the murderer who it is important to find a market that
was at the moment re-enacting the is willing to take dressed rabbits
of this size. Such meat is usually
role before our eyes."
low in price, five to nine cents a
"B u t—” Rogers attempted to pro pound live weight being a fair range
test. Lombardo ignored the effort in list price.
courteously.
The production of breeding stock
“ Moreover, señores, yesterday Se calls for u wise choice from the
nor Barton and Senor Chesebro many breeds now available. The
quarreled violently in the office of newer breeds usually sell for more
the mining company. Senor Barton than the old established breeds, and
was discharged; there were threats the beginner should anticipate a
exchanged. The quarrel was over drop in prices for some of the pres
Señorita Chatfield. All this has been ent high-priced new breeds. Nearly
told us by Senor Costillo, the clerk always the final choice w ill rest on
in the office, who was a witness."
the value of the animals for meat
and fur. A new breed may possess
Reed Barton was sitting in his excellent fur qualities and yet have
cell smoking a cigarette with the no value on the fur market because
air of one upon whom has descended the pelts are not available in suf
a vast and philosophic calm. His ficient numbers for matching.
dark blue eyes indicated that there
Breeds for the Beginner.
had been no strain, no loss of sleep.
Most rabbit raisers find it best to
His handclasp through the bars of start with but one breed. The char
his cell was vigorous and warm, and acteristics and requirements of one
he looked at u6 wrtti a feint expres breed are far easier to learn than
sion of amusement at our concern those of several. As skill is ac
for his predicament.
quired and markets are developed,
” 1 didn’t dream, Reed," 1 said, the producer may then find it profit
“ when we parted at Sam Chatfield's able to cater to several kinds of de
last night, that we would find you mand.
Certain breeds have become popu
here this morning.”
“ Neither did I, Barry. Mexico not lar because they have returned a
only is a land of romance, but. in profit and have had the approval of
the threadbare observation, anything buyers. For example, the New Zea
land Red or New Zealand White
can happen in it.”
and the Flemish Giants are very
"And does, apparently,"
re popular for supplying the market de
marked Huntoon Rogers, a wry mand for high-quality meat. Among
twist to his lips. “ I ’m sorry that j the fur rabbits the Chinchilla, the
this has happened, Reed. It is much American White, the New Zealand
too soon to make an arrest.”
White, the White Flemish Giant, the
We spoke in English, to which ! Havana, the Lilac, the Castor Rex
the guard lounging near by paid no and its crosses, and certain blue
and silver breeds have been very
attention.
popular for fur and have consider
“ When were you arrested, Reed?”
able meat value. All these breeds
I inquired.
are produced in quantity so that
“ At the very moment when 1 was stock is easily purchased and the
sleeping my best, just before sun market demand is kept up by a regu
rise. They came knocking on my lar supply.
Some of the newer
door, made me dress and brought breeds might be more popular if
me here.”
they couid be secured in larger quan
“ But they haven't anything in the tities and at smaller expense. The
way of evidence that a good attor introduction of a little-known breed
ney couldn’t shoot holes through—at is not always a paying undertaking.
least, back home it would be so,’’
Selection of Individuals.
I said.
Some general c h a r a c te r is tic s
Reed cocked his head and looked which should affect the choice of
at me. “ This is different, Barry,”
breeding rabbits, regardless of the
he remarked. “ I don't know what breed or variety are:
they've got. Except for one thing—
1. A bility to maintain health and
the police picked up a paper knife vigor under commercial conditions;
in my room while I was dressing. not unduly susceptible to disease.
It seemed to have its effect.”
2. Meat white, fine-grained, firm,
“ Yes, it was a small, thin-bladed and delicately flavored, in the case
weapon that killed Chesebro. But of meat rabbits.
3. Dressing percentage high, with
there’s more than that, of course,”
Rogers
explained.
“ Lombardo a large percentage of the best meat
seems to have been swayed a great cuts (saddle); body compact, meaty,
deal by what a clerk in your office with fine bone for the meat trade.
4. A bility to thrive on inexpensive
told about you and Chesebro quar
feed.
reling.”
5. Market weights and desirable
“ Costillo?” said Reed. “ He would, plumpness reached at an early age.
of course. We did have quite a go—
sufficient to leave a prof
the Chief and I. I guess I told you it 6. for Value
the producer under existing
about it, Barry. We unloaded every conditions.
thing we had been storing up for
7. A bility to reproduce true to
each other for several months. color and type.
Chiefly concerning Elsa, you know;
8. A good breeder the year around.
but, even if I do say it, he rather
9. Females good mothers, able to
started talking about Elsa. Down
here, of course, things like that bear and rear large litters.
U tility vs. Fancy Stock.
amount to fighting words.”
The first concern of the breeder
Steps along the corridor interrupt should be with u tility rather than
ed our conversation; the guard sat with fancy stock. Rabbit breeders
more erect in his chair and shot a have too frequently wasted much
glance at us as if he meditated time on unimportant characteristics.
bringing our conference to a halt. Leg bars, black toenails, and nose
Walking rapidly around the corner or ear markings have little effect on
came the short, rather thick figure the u tility value of any rabbit, though
of Sam Chatfield. He saw us stand such markings may sometimes be
ing outside Reed Barton’s cell and correlated with certain desirable col
came directly toward us, a smile ors in the pelt. Ultimately the pop
lighting his rather serious face.
ularity of a breed w ill largely de
(TO BE CONTINUED,
pend on its u tility value.
T H U R S D A Y , J A N . 13, 1944
THE CHEERFUL CHERUB
I Find I cannot r e s t
content;
A n tK s y life, is
a lv K y a I l u t
I’m tftad I biAVe. to
Fight for tK inqj—
C o n te n tm e n t m t- h e ,
m y m in d feel
fv t
IW " !
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WNU—13
2—44
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