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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 15, 1933)
PAGE SIX MEDFORD MAIL' TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON. MONDST, MAT 15, 1933. Si,, -,, w tt n ni $ a m m The White Cocfcaloo by.Mignon C. Eberhart' wywtl'SS; :EMj0rinl tftft eerie old French hotel that hae been the scene of tuto ghastly murdere, Jim Bundcan and Sue Tally discover a third body, crumpled under the lid of a huge old piano. Eundeon fears for Sue'a safety, elnce he and Da vid Lorn, the deteottve, believe the -iurdere are connected with an at tempt to secure a token, by means of which Rue must prove her right to her father's million. And there had been a ghostly sigh before Sun dean lifted the piano lid. Chapter Si FATHER BOBART'S END T WAS quits naturally the prlest' death that brought things to their climax, that was In Itself the Beginning ot that preordained de nouement. For It was, ol course, the body of the erstwhile priest that we found that morning, huddled and crowded In Us black robes in the depth ot the coffln-llke piano. It was the priest, aad he had been poisoned. and the poison, said the commis salre, wiser now, was again nlco tine. There was a small puncture In the skin ot bis right arm, and the nolson. It appeared, and Lorn agreed with the police when he told m of It had been administered quickly and deftly with a needle. It was, added Lorn more dryly tnan usual, a very quick-action poison The priest would hare had practical ly no time to call for help. It was to be expected, too, that the murder ot the priest would sharply deny my previous calcula tions. Everything, to my mind, bad pointed toward tho priest's guilt. But now be hlmsen was victim to the Insensate plan that reckoned murder, and murder by poison, only a counter. The first murder had been that of an unknown and, till very lately. unidentifiable man. The second mur der had been that of a waiter shocking enough as a crime. It's true, but still Marcel bad been In the eyes of the world a person of little Importance. And bis death bad boon considered, and rightly, I thought, to have been Induced by, and a result of, the first murder. But the murder of a priest that . was different even though he might prove to be only a mas queraded priest It was not only the fact ot a third murder In a few days that roused the town and the police to a higher pitch of excitement and energy. Thoro was also the fact that Jt proved that the murderer had es caped all efforts of the polloe to dls oovor his Identity, and that he felt so secure In his safety that he dared another brutal murder under their very noses. If there had been few olues about tho first murder and only my own evidence, which was little enough to go on In the case ot Marcel's death, there were no clues at all for the third. The priest was dead by poison and had been dead for from seven to eighteen hours, and that was all they knew. The polloe sent promptly to far away Paris for assistance; from something Lorn said, I believe there bad been In the town one ot those subterranean political wars brewing which had previously Intervened and determined the commissaire to settle the matter It It wa possible without help. BUT the third murder proved too much tor his faith In himself and his wish to Inspire his political opponents - with a sense ot his own ability. Or perhaps it was the pres sure of publto opinion that grew too great tor him. He also temporarily Increased his force, so that Instead ot our being simply clapped Into jail we were, to all practical purposes, held pris oners by the numerous guards which surrounded the hotel and overflowed Into the courtyard and rambled uneasily through the cor ridors and went to the kitchen. There Paul supplied them with such frequent drinks that there were several occasions, I'm suro, when, If the murderer had popped up under their noses like a rabbit and de olared his Identity, they might as readily have welcomed htm as a comrade as have given chase. It is perhaps not strange, under the circumstances, that while this guard might have been supposed to act as protectors as well as Jailers they were not wholly successful In either r61e, as you will see. And by the time the detectives from Paris arrived the thing had already marched to its swift and violent ending. The Intervening time seems long In retrospect but was very swift in experience, tor we were so caught In the rapid, dangerous swirl ot events that everything beyond our imme diate peril was crowded out ot our consciousness. Alter toe nrst dazed moment fol lowing my, grisly, discovery in the White Salon, I realized that It Sue had been in danger before, that dan ger must now be Immeasurably greater. . So in the end Sue and I both went to call the police and tell them of what was there In the White Salon. We went together, for I could not bear to let her out ot my sight In that menacing place. I don't remember that I told her what lay in that black cofdn, but somehow she knew. I do remember our calling from the very landing where I had stumbled upon the dead man whose murder had ushered In the dreadful business, to the po liceman In the court below. And I remember how he sprang to bis feet and stared up at us, and how bis jaw dropped, and the blank astonishment In his face when he comprehended Sue's rapid French. And that he had visibly to try several times before be could pucker his open mouth to give the shrill whistle that brought two other policemen tumbling Into the court and eventually up the little winding stairway to bring in their wake turmoil and search and In quiry again. The whole thing couldn't have taken more than four minutes, but It seemed at least ten. BUT the thing tbat stands out sharply In my memory Is the thing that happened on the very second preceding their entrance Into the White Salon. I had left Sue under their eyes on the landing and had inyaelt turned back Into the corridor and then Into the room. I suppose I had ap proached the groat piano merely In order to show them where the body lay, for I could hear their hurried feet on the stairway. It was only chance that I stood In such a position near the piano tbat a wisp of white on the carpet caught my eyes. I bent involuntarily and took In my hand a small hand kerchief. It had been concealed from my eyes until then by a massive carved leg of the piano. It was a woman's handkerchief, but It was the faint scent clinging to It that brought It upward nearer my face. I was afamlllar scent; a faint delicate whiff of a fragrance that swiftly brought Sue to my mind. Then I recognized It: It was faintly like gardenias. There was no time to think, for the steps were at the open door of the White Salon. But I knew that during our moment together In the ghostly room Sue had not been near that end of the piano. And I slipped the thing Into my pockot as three blue-caped figures burst Into the room, and the air began to crackle with excitement and furious questions and sputter ing exclamations. The whole thing was like a re peated nightmare with the results tbat I have mentioned. It was noon before I had a quiet word In the lounge with Lorn and Sue. Lorn had, ot course, turned np hot-toot at the first news of the new tragody. And he felt as did L that the thing of supreme Importance was to remove Sue at once from that death-ridden place. And Sue at last afreod. "I can't stand It any longer," said Sue. She was white and frightened and taut-lipped. "It the murders are. as you believe, actually the result ot a scheme to rob me ot my In heritance, let's make an end to It. Heaven knows, I'd rather lose every cent ot the money than he even re motely the cause of suoh such " She shuddered and said In a breath less way: "It's as It I caused It all." "Nonsense." I said brusquely, not liking the look In her face nr tii way her little hands twisted them selves together. "You aren't the cause ot this. The cause Is the scoutiirel who's back ot It Don't look like that" "We can't even know with cer tainty," interposed Lorn dryly? "that this last murder has anything to do with your inheritance." "Don't put me oft like that" flashed Sue. "You know what yon think, no matter what you ean prove," "Yes," agreed Lorn, Imperturb able. "I know what I think. There Is a plot against .you. The peculiarity ot the terms ot your Identifying yourself and receiving your money practically Invites such a thing. And I'm willing to admit that this er priest's surreptitious visit to your room links him with you and your five millions." "Why do you think the priest was killed?" asked Sue. (Copyright, ttts, ktlgnon O. Eberhartf But dstormlnei, tomorrow, upon j a courM or action. . ARRESTS AND SEIZURES WASHINGTON, May 18. P) Ap pointment of John S. Hurley, of New Hampshire, m assistant director of prohibition, effective Tuwlfty, fai announced today by Attorney General dimming'). Meanwhile, the prohibition bureau made public 1U first' statlitlct on ac tivities alnce the legalisation of beer, reve&llng a sharp decline In both ar reota and aetrurea. Butte Falls BUTTE FALLS, May 15. (8pl.) At the last smoker held at Prospect, Butte Palls won all events but three, and of these, two were draws. Ira Tungate la still in the hospital but la reported to be improving rap idly. He la feeling better now. Mrs. "Mose" Drlskell's mother, Mrs. Denham of Talent, spent several 'Jays with Mrs. DrlskeU. Pollyanna Glrla and their .mothers enjoyed a social time at the church May 0. Because of unfavorable weather they could not have a picnic as was planned. i Hustlers club met at the church j May 11 for sewing. At the last reg-l ular meeting of the club, four new members Joined the club. They were Mrs. Ted Jones, Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Oliver Hllkey and Mrs. Winn. Wilms Ellis Is visiting relatives In Medford. Mrs. Ernest Smith received a photo graph of her mother and father, taken on their 60th wedding anniversary. They now live in Cottage Grove, but lived in Butte Falls for several years. There will be a big dance at the Woodman hall May 18. Mr. and Mrs. John Reed returned to Long Beach after a visit to their homestead. Boy Maxwell la visiting Art Ai quirt and Keith McCauley. Mr. and Mrs. W. E. McDowell re turned from Kansas City, Mo., where they have been for several months. Delegates to the home economics extension meeting in Medford report ed an Interesting time. Mrs. Joe Hlbbard gave the report for the Butte Falls unit of the home extension work. At their party, the Pollyanna Girls presented the mothers with a lovely orchid corsage and gave a splendid program and refreshments. There will be special Mother's day music at the church Sunday morn ing. Baccalaureate services of the Butte Falls high school will be in the church Sunday evening. Mrs. Ira Tungate was up from Med ford to see her children Tuesday. Mrs. Tungate 's aunt from Portland is visiting relatives In 'Medford and vicinity, and spent Tuesday in Butte Falls with relatives. S'MATTER POP By C. M. PAYNE ' Alllf A S'aL MayV I ( JVff.Tec,c4 To TSE.J 1 I1" Tti-L. V I 1.1iti3'. Sat-1? . """V- ' ? yu ixsn'tt TEfii) i. W 'Jl C- (Copyright, 1933, by The Bell Syndicate, Ino.) ' PICKING UP By GLUYAS WILLIAMS MOlVtER ail's lb PICK. PROPS SWOVtL AND SETS ' AFffP. OKSIDERABLE REMEMBERS HIS 1TUCK 15 HP HIS -frillteS AMD ' OP? TO LOOK FOR HAT SEARCH FlWDS HAT ArlP StiLl IK BUD COME IN FOR SOPPEK. ' COMES BACK fOR 5H0VTL VARD, AND 60E6 OVER 16! 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HIDDEN LOOT?---' rX TVE VOLS V 25L Si (YEi-BUT THE BXPUOftlo'M MIGHT ") TUS BRING US SOME UNWELCOME S. &W S2LVISITOR.S--UER.E PRACTICALLY ) WTTuiL ?ME2-2 UR6 NOOS THAT THER.E ARE $ P UtfSFi MPstZftrvA OTHERS ONTHE ISLAND LLWb YaLjilp-i .SteWER, START L0OKIN& Jffl jj ijfm "THERE MUST BE ONE , EsW WpSilVl AROUND SOMCtjOHEREjJp iEp STTOREADERS BOUND TO WIN Suspicion Aroused By EDWIN ALGER ttRfiSLMilFWA,T A M,NUT,ET:fc MR. ABELLNoW YOU MEAN TO WELL THAT'S A NCE fLJ f VI FflS f fDID VOU SET RD ICLflF nnnR mrrSSJ WHERE IS HE? SSgs SAY NHEN , If SAY VOU DON'T ) WAY TO TREAT A iBa H KC oT HIM TILO ? WboY Sr5wSjrT aS00D-BYE--J VVE JUST SOT Jp HE HERE 'JS KNOVM WHERE feiL. PERSON 1 1 ALLTH AT B i COMENOW, floOTSmEOmRUMK -- ,79E.E UiT Wl GOOD-BVE-HE I4 0RWHEN SERVANT WANTED I if B liffl HUrWAND & THEyItIU1?THERE J THE NEBBS His Responsibility By SOL HESS OLVCS, WOULD VOL) like to see EMMA MARRY PEMWV ? OR, DO YOU TWIKIK SHE'S MAKIKJSr- A mistake . 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WON A CAME OK SOLITAIRE WITHOUT CHEAT-IN'- WHAT GONNA HAPPEN? 1 SOLITAIRE WITHOUT J N CHEATIM'-NaHAt'4 I GNNA HAPPEN? j T Look, daddy- mother and i j t kmewthe day couldntoo 1 I HAVE BOUGHT OURSELVES - I BY WITHOUT SOME BAD NEWS- 1 SOME ROLLER SKATES-ITS I . .. . - J L THE LATEST FAD- r .1' rfltZQ YOUR MOTHER 1 ' SliSff AIN'T TVIIMKIN' l , tflffV.tei3 OF G'T"nN OM " There's No Guesswork in Tribune A. B. C. Circulation 4