Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 8, 1933)
irETTCTOHB flXTC TRTBTTiTE, SrEDFOTiT), TUESDTT, XTJGTJST 8, 1933. fa ok srs llt MIDDEN DOOR BY FRANK L. PACKARD SYNOPS1B: Colin Hewitt, writer of detective stories, find himself plunged into a far better thriller than any he ever imagined. Reddy Turner, boyhood friend who went wrong, is killed in Colln'e apart ment by the Mask, whom Reddy Was trailing because that master criminal was responsible for the death of Reddy's sister. Colin ha promised to deliver a letter for Reddy; he goes to Reddy's old room, found the letter, and turn to face one of the Mask's killers. He smashes the face of the mnn with a curtain pole, and now walks down Sixth avenue knowing that if he goes home he it as good as com mitting suicide. Chapter Tea REDDY'8 LETTER COLIN quickened hli iters, uncon sciously keeping pace with bis thoughts. There waa Roddy's letter. He couldn't come to any final decision anyhow until he had read that, and meanwhile the obvious thing to do was to keep his tracks covered. But In any case he couldn't stay out on the street all night. Obvious ly again then, a hotel. The Cross more, for Instance. It was only a few blocks away and sot far from the Grand Central. Whether or not he eventually spent the rest of the night at the Cross more did not mat . ter; be could at least digest Reddy's letter there undisturbed and at bis tenure. "We'll try to make you He Uaveroed the Intervening blocks rapidly and entered the hotel. The looby was desorted. Only a ileepy bellboy and the night clerk appeared to he on duty, Colin crossed to the desk. "This commuter stuff Isn't all It's cracked up to be," he grumbled, as he registered, "Second time this month I've missed the last train 1" He took out his pockotbook. "I haven't any baggage, of course, so I'll pay you now." The clerk nodded pleasantly. "Well, It's an 111 wind, you know!" lie said sentectlously, "We'll try to make you comfortable, Mr." he glanced at the register "Routh. With bath?" "Ploase," said Colin and a few minutes later was In his room with the door locked behind him. And suddenly he felt very tired. What was it the doctors had said about early hours and no excite ment? Oh, well he flung an approv ing glance around the room there was solid comfort here for the time being anyhowl And a bed by and by perhaps. But Reddy's letter first! TTBJ threw himself Into an easy chair, took the envelope from his pocket, and tore It open. It con tained, as Reddy had said, a plain, sealed envelope of ordinary com mercial site and two sheets of paper folded together. He laid the envelope down on the arm of his chair, and unfolded the sheets of paper, Reddy's penmanship was clear and legible. He road the closely writ ten sheets through to the end read them In a sort of tense haste, as though at a single glance he strove to master their entire contents. Then, with a grim smile, he searched In his pocket for a cigarette, lighted It, and reread the lottor slowly, as though almost he were committing it now word for word to memory. As Reddy had said, it began wlthct preface: , The man to whom the enclosed letter 1. to b. delivered Ii some where on the north shore of the !?weI 0ulr ' Lawrence, or on the Canadian Ijibrertor roast. He was last hrard ot at a place called r.',S i 1 r!W: hut 1m ur. he Is "'111 oown there somewhere, and I think has been there for about a ST. LOUIS. Aug. 8. UFi Homer B. Prouty, Portland, On, broke his ytxr. His real name doein't mat ter. H ii known there as Jne La carre. He la dark, has black eyes and hair, is thlckeet, clean-shaven, and is about forty years old; If you - have any doubt about him, ask htm to show you his shoulder he has a bullet-wound scar alone his rlg-nt shoulder blade. So much lor that, If you decide to go. If you ever read this, which will only be if 1 have been taken for a ride, you will remember I told you that 1 waen't letting; you In for any thins; exqept the time and trouble It would take to And Lazarre (though I didn't mention his name then) provided you followed the di rections I am writing here, and. a fur handing over the letter. Just let It go at that. And that la all true; but, before you finally make & decision. It to only fair to add something here, which Is part of what 1 meant by "following; directions," that I did not tell you about when I was talk Ins to you. And my reason for not having; done so then was that It wasn't anything you needed to know until the time came for you to sit in and take a hand. If you then felt that way about Itwhich time would mean, of course, that I'd been put on the spot by the Mask. Listen! I've found out that the Mask hna got some "Interest" down that way, though what they are I don't know. Ho if you went, you'd have to watch your step otherwise there would be danger. It's a cinch that If he ever gate on to me at all, he'll know nil there Is to know about me before, he's . through, and he'll know that you're a friend of mine Hind, If he found out you were down thnre, he'd get curious, whlrh wouldn't be o good. If you decide to go, I'd be Tom, Tom, the Piper's son. or Little Boy Blue, or something like that while you're there, if 1 were you. Under stand? You know how much I want the letter delivered, but I'm telling you eomfot - Ublo, Mr. Routh." straight now play safe or stay at home. That's Hat. lso, It's only fair to tell you that Latarre Is working for the Mask; but you wilt be In no daneor from him on ac count of any letter you hand over from me. and you can bank on that to the limit only he wouldn't live Ions If It were known he ever got It. See? That's why It Isn't to he mailed to Cap & I'Orag-o whore he may not be. If you go, Rood luck, and a dead man's thnnks: If you don't go, re member the bargain the letter Is to be destroyed unopened, and your mouth Is ahuU That's all. COLIN stared unseolngly In front of him. Mechanically he tore the two sheets Into bits, and mechani cally he thrust the sealed envelope Into an inner recess ot his pocket book. Thoy spoke' mostly French down there, of courBe. That was all right. So did he. A lonoly, dosolate stretch ot coastline. He kniw something about it by hearsay, Hoaton Boyce had been down there on a salmon trip last yoar, and had described It one night at the club, The North Shore, Boyce said they always called It. A pulp mill, or so; timber-cutting; fishing. And, sep arated by Infinite miles, a tow settle ments that consisted ot no mora than a cluster ot houses. No railroad Coastal boats from Montreal and Quebec the only source ot supplies and transportation in summer dog teama In the winter. What the devil lnteroat could the Mask have In a lo cality such as that? He'd have to write a note to Mul voy. Toll Mulvey he'd taken his ad vice and was off for a trip not sure himself where he was going. Also s note to Mrs. Hldgln to keep bis dig glngs In order while he was away. Ha could write them both In the morning. - Tom, Tom, the Piper's son, eh? Queerl He was already Mr. Routh in the hotol register downstairs. Colin Hewitt had already dropped out ot sight But to underrate the Mask would be fatal. The railway stations would be watched. Suppose he went via Boston? Got a car in the morn ing, drove as far as Stamford, say, and took the train there? Yes, that would do, (OopyrigM, JSjl, rnnk L. facYari) Colin begins bis trip, tomorrow. national archery record tor distance In the national archery tournament here today by sending an arrow 478 yards from regular (standing) stance. Prouty used a 68 -pound how. Bis old mark, made In 1981, was 438 yards. 3S feet. Shooters from all parts ot the country were here today (or the tourney. APOSHIAN DEATH I BAN DIEGO, Cal Aug. 8. (Ac cidental drowning wu the theory S'MATTER POP TAILSPIN TOMMY TMb. K4eE3UB.AM-D H. Ill TBe ALL TlXtVD M fB i VLorf 1 Syndicate. Inc ) , -Jk jjj 1 BOUND TO WIN-The Captive Ben I mever his DAwat TURN ON MB THAT WAV,3liOTj WvvJSU-.WB DONrT HAVE M PLEMTr 7 FUST OFF,LOTTA'S TSfflffl I.TeFF PIKE SENT Ms UERS BH V -d i .1 f7i 1 w-n.i 1 oaw tyjfau.vl u..)k'l f TO WORRY ABOUT H m? PAPP & BACK AN' HE AFT6R-VHE WD-He HAD ft' "WffiilSi LOTTft fM SOIN- TO THB SMlSSTHSFUrV - .1 1. , ; ' ii 1 1 m 1 n.i ,j 1 i. 1 SK,TQ VslHAT SOME Q' THE y-1-' WITH ME fr-SX -M ItMllMl H -raatDeui Vtc Sue 1 J THE NEBBS Look ut, Fish! By SOL HESS MOVJ WMAT IS HE GOlMG Effi I Z' MOVAJ WHAT DO " At-A KJlCfTv AVOU SWOULOA N f WE BEEN! F1SWIW FORH a , ' T BACK POB ?-1 SOT UP AT MOD TWINJK OF KV2vo6t- COft A V- SEEKJ TIVa LOT OP VEARS BUT IM -WE L FNE OCLOCTO GETAMEARLVX THIS LAVCOT, TTALOferiRft sTH'0 Ith5 WtUD WAS AULUAVS MeAWTrMtX ' If STAR.T.HADTD WAIT UMTIU FWeKlO?TMS OMC J two, WDOU RUT r.?o. , ASAIMST ME.OR A pAKJMV WAS 'L THQJ 1 GETASUIDETHAT I . WETTC TO AM V T?'J. MU 7 J) "SH UJERe EATIMG. ARRIVED AT M ASNIA.IU JOULO DIE OFo, i l&zD DVSPEncM 55 r'SS , JZ APPV.E5 OUT OF TWE TREES CACKIMAC BRINGING UP FATHER Twe NEIGHBORS VIUU TMIMK WRE MOVlM CNftTO OF JUVT COlf C03Wtew IT p There's No Guesswork in Tribune A. B. C. Circulation advanced today for the death of Dal bert Aposhlao, the child whose mu tilated body was taken from San Diego bay, In a new surprising turn of Investigation of the caae conduct ed by the sheriff office. A playmate of the child, whose supposed slayer has been sought for weeks, yesterday 4old Sheriff Ed Cooper that Dalbert had fallen Into They're Well Warned! OH. HUT UP". fOU AR& CROWUNO" THA.SK GOOOME"!! THAT OVER ViTH- the ocean from catwalk under a pier. - 1 A group of medical experts who re examined the body, said they belle Ted the story Dalbert's companion. Jackie Ccnfar, nine years old, told. Three of the medical experts added that It was logical to believe crabs ate portions of the child's body, lead ing to the theory that Dalbert had By C. M. PAYNE VE.4- eOT iVl JUT VJOM0ER1M' .ir WASiB PORCOTTEM ANYTHING ? i been slain and the body mutilated by a person of fiendish designs. Two took, exception. Reld, Murdock Co.. canners . of the Monarch brand Bartlett pears, will be represented at Medford this season by Myron Boot. , Broken windows glazed by Trow bridge Cabinet Works. THE WORLD AT ITS WORST M? JsL-o WEN VOUfte $tfR)lN6 C-- HUN6RY AND HAVE TO CARfcV A BASKET LADEN WITH "THE MOST DELECTABLE PICNIC PROVISION'S AKD THE (VNEMBtRS OF YOUR FAM ILY SIMPLY CAN'T MAKE UP THEIR - MNDS WHERE THEY, WAMT TO EAT WU-IAitS ' (Copyright, imV The Ban Syndicate, Inc.) ?-g. VEl-U-t DOMT KMOW- t'Ul LOOK AROVJMO- FATAL Ft YOUTH ALBANY, On., Aug. . (ff) Law rence Frank, Id, died in a Hospital at THIb 1 TW& I I jfH. I I OMl THiKlC i 1 1 !-:. i '! 0 lij j j frtnm Won l. C'm fr. rfn jL-i.' ' Lebanon today from Injuries received in the accidental discharge of a shot- r gun. The charge mangled his arm and be died from loss of Hood and shock- Be and a companion were hunting grouse, state police said. Young Prank tripped over a log. There will be no Inquest. Real estate or Insurance leave It; to Jones. Phone 698. ; By GLUYAS WILLIAMS 1 t By GLENN CUAJT1N aad UAL rOBKESX By EDWIN ALGER" By George McManua..