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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 21, 1919)
iwt..yminy4i Ad Lo 4 "ft- r ories:' o venture ail ve Not a Case for Science By Abncr Anthony m mm r 1 ' IM CREADY laid down his book at I entered. "I'm glad yon dropped In." Im naJd. Tm full o dope on these new fangled way of cstchla' crooks- tinner prints, cigar ashes and all that aorta thing. Honest, I believe If I was to see you steal the cuckoo clock off the wall there, I'd run for a piece of paper and soma lamp black to take your finger prtnta. Instead of bumptn' yon on the head and draggin' yon off to the can." 'Science baa made wonderful strides In your profession, I began. "Science me eye!" ha Interrupted me. "It listens all right In a book, but for me. I'll take a chance alongside any of these magnlfyln' glass Investi gators. All I ask la a hunch from old man Human Nature, a good drag-nM system, a couple o stool pigeons where they're moat needed and soma lock. "Olre ma all that and then bring en your robbery or murder, or whatever else yon got a mind to, and TO oome pretty near to gettln' hold of some body that know something about tt. "After that. It's not the hardesl thing tn the world to get at the truth, tha whole troth and nothin' but the truth, slielp me. There's ways of dola tt that work out pretty good." "Ton mean the third degree?" I asked, knowing I would bring a storm about my ears. Third degree, h r" he shouted angrily. "Ton been goln to tha movies again, alnt yon. No, It dont take the third degree, and tt dont take one of tbeae new-fangled machines that tell when a guv's tellin' the truth, either." Ha poked the book on the table with a contemptuous forefinger. "Them machines may do all they aay (hey will, but I'd hate to depend on a lot of aig-sag Unas Instead of tha shif ty look In a liar's aya and the, kllp-up he always makes. The mora a man tries to alibi himself, the mora chance there Is -for him to give himself away. If they'd aay a thing . and no more, and just stick to It, they'd get by much better, but they're always try in' to strengthen their story by addln' this and addln' that until, finally, they Up up and crab tha whole works. Too many times the up-to-date meth ods add a lot of frills and make a mystery out of what ought to be noth in' but a plain pinch." , Now that Cready had gotten under a full head of steam. I carefully re frained from making any comments. Nor did I give him any visible signs of encouragement I know well the bast way to gat a story from this vet eran of tha polios department "Take that Lyons murder two years ago," he continued. To tha public that looked Ilka a dead open and shut proposition. Dick Lyons waa killed and Harris Andrews was arrested less than aa hour later. Of course, you remember tha outcome of the trial Guilty, first-degree murder. T made that pinch and there was lota of obanco to do soma scientific In vestigating that may or may not nave ended In tha same thing, but ril bet a week's pay that the, stories that flew around for a few minutes after I got there on the Job would have tied that truth machine np in a double knot. "I'm stallin' around headquarters the night it happened, with not much on my mind except a Stetson. Things are slow and I'm waltin' for four bells when it'a my time to hit the hay. "Along about twelve o'clock tha tele phone rings and a few minutes after the Chief yells tor me. "'Jimmie.' he saya; 'take a couple of men with you and get up to tha Everglade Apartments on Nlnty-flrat street. A Mr. Harris Andrews tele phones that his friend Lyons was shot by a burglar who made a get-away. Get tip there as fast as you can and keep your eye-peeled for bad actors In the neighborhood.' "Well, me and three cops start off and It dont take us no time to get to Ninety-first street. We're just going in the door of the Everglade when, I'm a sucker If there ain't a guy dodgln' behind steps and actln mighty auspi cious. "I got one of the cops to grab him and he makes a holler and swears he's waltin' for somebody. I give the sign to bring him along. It wont hurt him any and it might do us some good. Anyway, his actions looked bad. "We go up to apartment five, which Is the number the Chief gets over the 'phone. I goes In first with one of the cops and the other two stay outside with the guy we picked up. "Andrews meets ns, and he's excit ed as h . As soon as I looked at the man stretched out on the floor, I knew he was dead. The whole top of his head was blowed off, pretty near. "Andrew's story is as straight as a whip. He and Lyons bad been out on a theater party with a woman and they had come to the woman's apart ments. They're sluing and talking when the door opens and In cornea a fellow with a gun. . "Lyons makes a jump to get tha gun and the crook lets him have it Then, frightened; ha covers Andrews and makes his get-away, "When he had finished, I mentioned tha guy we picked up 'and had tha oops bring him In. Andrews gets one look at hlra and says 'That's the man." "'Are you sure? I sake him. The other fellow, who was not much more than a kid. looked puszled and wanted to know what was coming off. . "'Positive,' answers Andrews. "Walt," and he calls out: 'Blanche! Coma here!' . "Out of the next room there oomes a woman who looks about thirty-five, although I guess she might be more. She's all dolled up In evening clothes and she's been cryln'. " 'Come here.' said Andrews. 'Here's the police and they've caught the man that killed Dick. Take a look at him.' ' "The woman comes over and takes one look at the kid. " 'Walter!' she orles, holdln' out her arms. " 'Mother,' says the kid and makes aa though to go to ber, but the cops yank him back. 'What does this mean? he asks her. "The woman turns to me. "Let him go,' she says, and her voice is awful weary and tired. 'Let him go. He didn't do it. He did tt,' and she point ed to Andrews. " 'If s a lie,"- hollers Andrews. 'She's tryin' to save her boy. Take him away. "I don't know what gave ma tha Idea, but I had a hunch that Andrews waa aa much surprised at tha kid be ing her son as he was although he don't say anything about it. 1 "The woman la cryln' now and wrlngln' her handa, Here's tw dif ferent stories and It's up to'n lo "hd out which la nearest to tha truth. I guess one of them machines woulda had to go some,, eh ? ' "'How did It happen? I asked the woman. - "She looks at thekld for a minute and then moves her shoulders In a funny way. Just ss If sheSraa throwln' off a heavy weight "I live here in this flat. Tonight I had gone to bed. I did not expect Andrews After I had retired Dick Lyons came to the door and I got up. He waa In love with me and wanted me to break away from Andrews.' "'It's a lie!' shouts Andrews. "'You shut up!' I tells him and mo tions tor the woman to go on. , " 'Dick begged ma to go with him. and then Andrews came In. He la very jealous and without saying a word he shot Dick. "'After he shot him, he called up the police department and made ma change to these clothes. Then ha lnT vented the story he told you and made ma promise to back Mm up in it ' " 'I guess I would have done It, too,' she went on, 'only ' and her look at the kid finished what she meant to say. "Of course, by this time Andrews was wild. One of the cops had grabbed him by the arm while the woman was talkin' or I guess'' he'd 'a made a spring at her. " "Wall," I said to him when she fin ished; 'what about ltr " "All this time the kid stood lookln' from one to another without aayln' a word. "It's a lie, Captain," said Andrews. I guess ha thought that "Captain" stuff would help some with me. "I'm a fool to have let myself tn tor this, but it's my own fault I didn't give It to you quite strsight before, but I will now," and ha shot a glance of hate at tha woman. . "Dick Lyons was my best friend, and It waa to save bis reputation that I lied. I figured that as long as you got tha right man, a little lie wouldn't do any harm, particularly If It saved others from pain and suffering. " 'Lyons waa In love with this wom an. Ha was making a fool of himself over her and neglecting hia family. I knew he waa here tonight and that he was going to try to get this womsn to run away with him. I came to prevent tt She pretended that aha loved Ly ons, but she wanted only what money she could get out of. him, and when she saw that Lyons was listening to reason and was beginning to get a lit tle sense and see her In her true light, she signalled to her confederate and tried to pull off the old badger game. "'Tha badger gamer I asked him. "Yea; this fellow came In and pre tended he was her husband. He swore he was going to shoot Lyons for load ing his wife astray. You know how they work it, I guess. They had It framed up well. Their game was to have Lyons come across with a lot of money to keep tt quiet and get out of trouble.' " 'I guess It might have worked, ex cept for one thing. Lyons waant the aort to aland tor that kind of a hold up, and suddenly he made a diva for tbla fellow, who waa covering him with a gun. "'As soon as Lyons Jumped, I Jumped slso, but he,' pointing to the kid, 'grabbed me by lbs throat and held me off at arm's length while he shot Lyons. "'Then he covered me with the gun and got away. After he had gone, I made the woman dress and we re hearsed the story I told you. I want ed to save his family. I told her If she didn't back me up I would tell the truth and that, aha would be held as an accomplice, so she agreed. " There's the man that killed Dk-k Lyons, and now you know tha truth.' "'Yep,' I said to htm, 'I know the truth,' and I motioned to the cops to put the bracelets on Andrews. "The woman stood with bar head banging down, and when the oops let the kid go, be went over to her and looked into her eyes. The next min ute she waa cryln' and Bobbin' all over him. "You see," said Cready, "there was a plain pinch that came near being a mystery. And from the lies that was flyln' around that room, I'll bet one of them machines would have busted a aprlng." "But." ssld I, "I don't see" "Certainly you don't see. But If you had listened to Andrews tell how the kid held him off with one hand while he shot Lyons with the other, you'd see. Especially." he mused, "If you knew, aa I did. that one of the kid's srma was paralysed so that ha couldnt move It an Inch." When Realization Came to Her By Phil Moore 8 soon as she stepped Into the room Mo nica, felt the keen eyes of her aunt M u dying her. "Changed your drees, eh T" Inquired the old woman, "Yes, auntie." "Put on your best white one, too. Come here and let me straighten the skirt It'B all crooked." Monica approached and stood pa tiently while Aunt Betsy twitched the folds of the -dainty white voile into place, "Expecting Jason 7" Monica had known tt was coming. She flushed and jerked away. "No, I'm not expecting Jason." T see. Then it's that Dairy Kent" Monloa bit her Up. "Oh, dear. Aunt Betsy, I just wish you wouldn't gins me aa," ahs cried. The old woman, who had kept and loved Monica alnee her babyhood. sighed as she resumed her knitting. "It's for your good, child. " she said, quietly. "Dont loas your head over Dairy Kent He la every girl's beau. ' And besides " She paused aa It she eonld have said more if aha chose. "Jason Is worth a roadful of Darry Kenta," aha ended. "Not to me," Monica muttered as she escaped to the porch. There she sat down apparently to read in reality to wait for the b'g black ear that ao frequently now of an evening came bounding down the humpy street,to Annt Betsy's door. It was Drrrry Kent's car, and Darry Kent himself always sat behind the wheel. Monica had gone to school with Darry, and she had a foolish notion- that he had been in love with her. It flatter ed her to have the best car in town pause at her door and to be seen rid ing in tt All the other girls envied her and tt made Jason jealous. She enjoyed making Jason jealous. Jason' lived In the next honse, and even If be did not always see her with Darry. bis mother would tell him. There was a sort of pact between Jason's mother and Aunt Betsy that their young peo ple should marry. And Jason waa willing too willing, Monica thought when she was not willing enough. 8he liked htm, but she had no Intention of marrying him for he did not suit her. Ha was common. As she sat waiting she saw Jason swing out of his own bouse and start down toe street Although she was there In p'ain sight, he did not look toward her. He walked quickly, with his head down. There waa something so boyish and so sulky In his appear ance that Monica giggled softly In' amusement. Jason knew that Darry was coming, and he was hawing an extra attack of Jealousy. "Jason!" It was his mother's voles. She had run out after him and was calling. "Jason!" He turned obediently, Jason wss du tiful to his mother, and Aunt Betsy persisted In holding tbla fact up as an earnest of the kind of husband be would make. "It you are going over to Mary's, Jason, will you ask her mother to send over her recipe for pineapple con serve?" Monica's mouth opened In a gasp. Msry! Mary who? Why, Mary Arm strong, of course. There was only one Mary whom Jason would be go ing to see. What did it mean? Could It be possible that he was actually paying attention to her? Monica's heart sank. He was whistling as be turned the corner. Perhaps he waa not Jealous after all just absorbed In the thought of Mary whom he was going to see. Monica had never dreamed of such a thing, but she hsd every reason to believe it now. She began to feel very sober. For a whole year she hsd grown used to the Idea that Jason be longed to her. She bad rested assured of his devotion. And now It was per haps snatched away by some ona else by Mary Armstrong. Monica waited until 9, but Darry Kent did not appear. She aat biting her lip and tapping her foot between nervousness and anger. He had promised and be had broken bla word. Or perhaps something had happened to klm an accident or "Monica!" Aunt Betsy waa calling sharply. "Somebody wants you on the phone." It was Darry to explain. It was. however, not Darry's voice that came but another's a girl's voice- "Ohrthat you, Helen?" Monica said, with a too apparent note of disap pointment In ber voice. "What do you want? To tell me something? What? No. I shan't ears. Go on. About some body getting engaged? Oh, I know! It's Jason Worth! To Mary Arm strong. ' No news at all. I know all about it It Isn't? Be Isn't Who, then? Darry Kent! To Louise Baker. Announced. Ob, wait Helen, I'm sor ry somebody's come." She bung up the receiver. Pallid and limp, she leaned against the wait Darry Kent engaged to Louise Baker, the rich manufacturer's daughter, whom Mrs. Kent occasional ly entertained as bar guest! Monlra had been there to parties given in Louise's honor, but It had never oc curred to her that Darry favored Louise. Once he had said, "Oh, Louise Is a nice girl, a sort of sister. And mother's fond of ber." It wss In no way an excuse, rather an explana tion of his fueling toward Louise. And here they were engaged. It was Aunt Betsy who cams to her snd Monica wilted on Aunt Betsy s shoulder. "Oh, Is It true?" "I'm afraid it Is. I heard it this afternoon, and I wanted to tell you, hut I guess I was cowardly. Mrs. Kent alwaya baa wanted Darry to marry money, and Louise la a fine girl. It's a pity Darry Isnt more de serving of her. He probably knows you must have heard It by this time snd that's why There, there, don't cry, lovle. You don't care. You've got too much sense tor that Why, you knew all the- time that Darry didn't mean anything, and you can tell them so. It was fun to go riding In his csr Just as the other girls did. but thst'a sll It amounted to. Darry lnn't the sort of man who could win my girlie." "But, Aunt Betsy," csme In a flood of tears, "Jason I've lost Mary Armstrong. Oh. Aunt lletsy!" Aunt betsy lifted her head. Her eyes were full of gratitude, her sensi ble old mouth touched w ith an expres sion of deep Joy. She stroked Monica's hsir. "Don't you worry about Jason." she said. "Jason's true blue. I bad a man like Jason snd I know! No, don't you see a mite of trouble about Jason, lovle. There, wipe your face and I'll tell you something. Jaaon'a out there on the veranda watting for you now!" She Accepts His Proposition By Elsie Undkott pwa ii' i u.J 1, - I ' - v. H1LE they sat oat the steps that early aprlng morning Bobby Moreland devotedly stared at Dorothy Preston. She, however, did not return bis case. She was very much more interested in bar thoughts than In his presence, that much was cer tain, and tor tha hundredth time Bob by sighed heavily. Bobby waa des perately In love, in fact he had been desperately In love aver since he had known Dorothy and that had been av er since he could remember. But Dor othy waa such a very disconcerting little person that Bobby bad never been able to tell her anything about bow mnch be loved her, and this morning sitting there in the sunshine be wsa being cruelly convinced that he never would be able to do so. He sighed again. Dorothy seemed suddenly to remem ber he was there. "I am going to buy a house.", she announced thoughtfully, her pointed little chin In the pink cupa of both hands. "A bouse?" echoed Bobby punled- iy "Exactly," agreed Dorothy cheer fully, "I am going to buy a dear little gray house, way out on the West road, a house all covered with red and brown woodbine and with wide, tiny paned windows snd a little flower gar den In back. It has four, rooms and a dove of a fireplace in the living room. There Is no one living In it now, and I am going down to see the owner this morning." "And you said this house was out on the West road and covered with woodbine, and untenanted?" inquired Bobby Interestedly. "Yes, aad the caretaker gave me the address of the owner, and I am to see him this morning," finished Dorothy cheerfully. Bobby rose lazily and looked at his watch. "Well, I must be getting on down to the office. Dad and I expect to put over a big deal with a Montana man this morning." Dorothy flashed him a smile. "How fast we are growing up, Bobby," she laughed. "I'm buying real houses and you're one of the Arm. It doesn't stem possible, does It?" "I've been thinking a lot about It lately," admitted Bobby,- and then, with a confused "Good-by," he was oh down the walk to bis car. "Now what In the world Is the mat ter with him?" puzxled Dorothy, watching the car disappear down the road. ' "But I didn't have the slightest idea it was you!" gasped Dorothy, sitting down suddenly in a big chair. "If you called on me more often at the office you would have recognized the address!" he retorted cheerfully. "But you'll sell me the house, .won't' you, Bobby?" she smiled. Bobby picked up a paper-weight and considered It gravely. "On conditions.'' "But what are they?" questioned Dorothy, a surprised frown wrinkling her pretty forehead. "Well, there Is really only one. You see I've always wanted to fix that lit tle house up and run out there week ends. Now this could be arranged very nicely. All you will have to do is marry me and" "Ob!" Bobby looked at her sudden-' ly. She was sitting very still with her hands on the arms of the big chair. Her eyes were very big snd dark and her cheeks were flushed a deep rose. The next instant Bobby was kneeling beside ber, quite oblivious to the pos sible appearance of the office boy or the man from Montana. "Won t you, dearest?" he pleaded. Dorothy met bis eyes slowly. Her own were softly shining. "I want the house so badly, dear, that I think I'll take It conditions and all." She breathed ever so low snd the next Inslant well, the office-boy did ap pear, but being an exceptionally con siderate young fellow with a sweet hesrt of his own he withdrew noise lessly and told the man from Montana that, "Mr. Moreland Will see you in a few minutes. He has some business on hand Just now that can not be de The Little Peacemaker , By Joclla Johnson i ,', 1 1,,, p- , , ili. i VERYTHING had run so smoothly be tween them that Iris wss very much surprised and hurt when the village gossip dropped In one sfternooa and remarked: "Ttat's a pretty girl John was with last night snd Mrs Brown said they staved tbe whole evening In his office. Hop you're not losing your beau." Iris' face went red. then white, for U waa last night that John had tele phoned her he could not call as ha had some business to attend to and so thst was tbe business! She must not let Mrs. Jones know she eared. "Oh. yea. she is pretty, and isn't that Mary calling me?" When John called that evening It was a very -determined young lady who met him at tbe door, and. drawing the ring from ber finger, said: "If you wish to spend your evenings with oth er ladies you can not expect me to keep this." "But Iris, let me ex " Two day a went by and a very sad- faced Iris dragged herself up the stairs to her room, for she had not realized she could miss John so much, and now sbe wished she had waited for his explanation. She would write him a letter telling him how sorry she was. Little Mary, Iris' fsvonte niece, looked In the door several times, won dering why auntie did not come and play, and saw ber tear the letter and throw it In the basket, and then cry as though ber heart would break. Mary went away, her childish mind troubled, wondering why Auntie Iris looked so cross whenever she ssked her why John didn't come any more and why she should cry over the let ter she threw away. She wanted someone to play -with ber, so soon she trudged upstairs sgsin snd finding no auntie, saw the torn let ter. 'She picked up a amall piece and saw the word "John," the name he hsd taught her to read and write. "Why. it can't be auntie's and she torn it." Downstairs sbe went with the psper in her band, and seeing no one around ran down the street to John's office. John waa a lawyer and waa busy with several men, hut when he saw Mary ha left them and picking ber up In his arms ssked her why she had run away. Mary slipped the paper in his hand. "I brought you your paper. Auntie tore It up and then waa sorry, for she cried. John was very much surprised and put Mary down. She ran borne as fsst as her little legs could carry her, glad she had given John what belonged to him. In the meantime John looked at the slip of pspcr and read. "Dear John: I am ao sorry" That was all, but- quite enough tor John, who with. all haste disposed of his clients and hurried to Iris. When he reached the house, not finding anyone around, he went Intd the garden, where he found Iris and Mary. When Iris saw him with out stretched arms, she ran to hlra quick ly, hiding her face on his shoulder, so glad he had come to her without her sending for him. Mary looked on In wonder snd In a wee little voice said: "You didn't care 'cause Iris" John shook his head, but sbe went on "lore your lettej up. did you, John?" Iris looked up, bewildered. "What does she mean, John?" , "I'm sure I do not knowrun ana play, Mary." . But Mary stood still. '.'I picked up John't letter you tore and gave It to him," she said, half crying. ' John quickly produced the paper. "It is time for explanations, 4ear. That lady was sent to mo by a friend to get my advice about securing her divorce snd 1 was going to t3ll you all about it tho next night. Caa you for give mc?" "Let's have that iapt, ,'tamutL" whiupcicd Iris.
