Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, May 18, 1934, Image 18

Medford mail tribune., May 18, 1934, Page 18, Image 18

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Newspaper Page TextMEDFORD .MAIL TRIBWE, MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1934. MOCKING HOUSE 8YfiUfatu: it eeeme oovxoue that the two men found ehot to death in Pierre Putreene'e break fast room killed each other, and that one of them la the crank who hoe been writing threatening let ter to Dufreane. But Sergeant Harper hae a different hunch, ai thouah neither Dufreane. hta wife, nor anyone else can ehed anv light on the matter. Harper i about to nutation the household. .BY WALTER C. BROWN. Chapter 16 INQUISITION A FEW minutes later Mrs. Da- 1 fresne's sister arrived, with her husband, Richard Croyden. One had only to glance at Aline Croyden to recognize her as the sister of Sylvia Dufresne. Her hair approached an auburn shade rather than the golden blonde coloring of her sister. Her features, too, though of the am distinctive beauty, had less of (he fragile and ethereal quality. Her natural manner was more rigorous ud forthright, though not lacking llther In poise or graclousness, Mrs. Croyden excused herself at the first opportunity to go upstairs and see If she could be of any ser vice. Harper continued to talk with Richard Croyden. He. found tbli brother-in-law of Pierre Dufresne a nervous, Impulsive personality, but with an alert, Incisive turn of mind. He questioned the detective close ly along lines which showed that be bad a keen grasp of the essentials of the mystery and a bond of mutual . liking and respeot sprang up be tween him and the Sergeant of De tectives at their first contact. It waa not until later that the de tective found ont that Croyden was the famous concert pianist. Croyden was not the only one who exhibited strong Interest In the strange mystery of the breakfast- room. The chauffeur. Donaghy, lis tened Intently and said nothing. And Harper waa surprised to glance up ward and find Dr. Ulrlch standing . tear the head of the stairs, absorbed la the conversations below. He caught the detective's look and slow ly backed away, with a sardonic (learn of the eye. When Mrs. Croyden returned from Upstairs, Harper mustered them all into the breakfast-room. They formed Into two natural groups, fac ing the body In the chair. In one group were Pierre Dufresne. and Br. and Mrs. Croyden. In the other were the two Whltmores, Andrews, md Donaghy. The detective gave a brief sum nary of the situation, to which they listened in absolute silence. He dem onstrated how the features had been altered by the disguise. "Have any of you ever seen this nan before?" Pierre Dufresne looked on In stony lllence. "Have you, Mrs. Croyden r "1 am sure 1 have not," she an swered In a very email voice. "Mr. Croyden V "No, Sergeant Sorry I can't help sou." "Wbltmore?" The black-browed Mrs. Wbltmore spoke up before her slow-minded spouse could pull hta wits together. "No, we've never seen him," she an swered, aharply. "Perhaps your husband would prefer to answer for himself.1 Harper suggested, annoyed by her air. "Well, 1 ought to know. We've been married twenty-some years, and It I didn't see him, John didn't see him," she shot back, her black eyes snapping. "That's right, 1 don't know him," the alow-voiced John Wbltmore re plied, with a sheepish look. "Andrews?" The tight-lipped butler looked more glum than ever as lie silently snook his head. "Donaghy?" TpHE bandsome chauffeur had been 1 the most Interested member of the group. He looked long and care fully at the unidentified victim, "it seems to me I have seen this man somewhere before," be stated, lowly. His deliberate words had the ef fect of a bombshell In that room. Harper caught the sudden tense ness, the sharp hiss of som one's breath, a catch that Just missed be ing a gasp. His eye swept the group. Andrews' look was positively veno mous. The detective scented some thing In the wind. "Thlni hard, Donaghy. This Is most ImportsnL" Joseph Donaghy held his pause to the limit, then he smiled and shock his bead. "For a moment 1 thought I had It something about tha face. I'll try to remember, Sergeant May be It will come back to me." Tnat was whst Donagby's words brought to Harper's ear, but It was as If Donagby's real voice had been saying, "I know this man. That knowledge la dangerous to one of you. Will It be made worth while for me to forget?" And more than one pair of ears was aware of the Importance of both messages! e The following day, Wednesday, January 11th, dawned clear and cold. Tha heavy tall of snow had tapered off about midnight and there had been very little wind to disturb it afterward. . Harper, arriving for duty at Du fresne's house shortly after eight o'clock, noted with satisfaction the undisturbed condition of-the white blanket surrounding the house, i caprice of Nature had contrived this smooth carpet lo record a portion ol the previous night's fantastlo story and the detective proposed to males good use of it Harper found Mrs. Richard Croy den in the ball, deep in consultation with the black-browed housekeeper, Mrs. Martha Whltmore. Despite the late hour at which she bad retired. Aline Croyden waa serene and clear eyed, and without trace of fatigue She wore a tailored morning dresi and its sheer simplicity of line en hanced her air of youthful charm. "Good morning, Mrs. Croyden, Harper greeted her, and nodded pleasantly to the housekeeper. Mrs. Whltmore returned a crude lng nod and retreated to her domali In the rear of the house. "Good morn lng, Mr. Harper," Aline responded, with a cordial smile. "Or should I say 'Sergeant' Harper?" The detective smiled with her 'Not unless you prefer It There Is I theory that the best way to addrest a Sergeant of Police ia to call bin Captain,'" be bantered, meetlni her pleasant mood. That's a. clever idea. I shall call you Mr. Harper and reserve thi 'Captain' In case 1 ahould need it later," she said, leaslngly. "Ton know, 1 have been quite surprised al your assistants. 1 bad the idea thai detectives were heavy-set men wltb clipped moustaches, that they al ways chewed on unllgbted nlgars and wore derby hats which they never removed, except possibly to sleep. Or do detectives ever sleep?" Bomtlmes for weeks at a stretoh," Harper assured her with mock so lemnity, "but when a blg case comes along we have to get our sleep when, and if, we can And It" MRS. CROYDEN dropped her tone of light raillery "But I am keep ing you from your work. 1 tear the others will not be down tor some time yet It was so late when we re tired. My sister asked me to take charge of the household arrange ments until she Is able to be around again." "She asked you?" Harper caught her up quickly. "Dr. Ulrlch told me that Mrs, Dufresne was not to talk tor several days." Aline nodded. "Of course, Mr. Harper. I used 'talk' In a figurative sense. My sister has already ar ranged a system of communication. Whenever she has a question or a message she writes It down on a pad. It works out quite easily." "By the way. how le Mrs, Dufresne this morning?" "Poor girl, she's naturally greatly worried over the possibility of a scar, and then these tragic happen ings are keeping her on edge." Sergeant Harper and Mrs. Croy den entered the breakfast-room. Al though tha victims had long since been removed, the room retained a traglo and depressing aura that not even the bright morning light could dissipate. There were those dark stalna on tha rug, tor Instance, and the un known dead man's olothlng piled on a chair, complete from the shoes to the berlbboned nose-glasses. But the most characteristic seal of tha po lice visitation ware the numerous patches of dusting powders that had been sprayed fiere and there In the search for fingerprints. You certainly leave nothing to chance," Mra. Croyden observed. This morning I saw there waa a po liceman guarding Mr. Dufreane's room. Isn't that a rather unusual procedure, Mr. Harper? Surely, last night's events put an end to the dan ger?" The detective shook bis head. "This Is an nnusuai ease, Mra. Croy den. We do not aotually know thai the man found In this room Is the man who threatened Mr. Dufreane and attempted to kill him." "But surely you have a theory? I thought the matter was quite clear." tOopyriot im, ev trotter 0. Brovni Tomorrow, tha maa Harper plunges Into RUSSIANS DENY FIRING ON MANCHUKUOAN BOAT MOSCOW, Mty IS. (Pr An official denial was made today of allegations that Russian frontier guards fired di rectly on a Manchurlan river steamer on which Japanese reports aald on Mancbukuoan tailor was killed and another wounded May 19. The Soviet government'a official version of the border Incident waa given in s dispatch from Khabarovsk, Siberia. IVRIGLEY'S. GUM 10 ACT IMMEDIATELY Official of Medford Irrigation dis trict ar Jubilant over the aucceu of the refinancing of the district. Olen Arosplger, aecretary and manager of the district, reports that the new municipal bankruptcy bill, the pass age of which by the present congress la sow assured, provides that when a settlement is approved by 75 per cent In amount of the bondholders It be comes binding on all. The district already has the signed approval of the holders of more than 75 per cent of the bonds snd It only remains to carry out the details to complete the settlement. The settlement provides for the payment of 40 per cent' of the face of the old bonds, construction Fi nance corporation has agreed to lend the district sufficient to pay this amount In cash to all bondholders who ilgn the proposed settlement. All others will receive their 40 per cent In the new 80-year bonds bear ing 4 per cent Interest. It la be lieved that most of the bondholders will prefer cash to the new four per cent bonds of the district, but those who want the bonds may have them. To secure the cash settlement It Is necessary for the bondholders to sign the settlement agreement at once, but those who prefer their 40 per cent In the bonds of the district do not need to take any further action. The dis trict la using every effort to contact all- of the old bondholders In order to give them the opportunity to set the money if they prefer to do so. The district officials are confident that when the new settlement is com pleted It will be possible to hold fu tirre assessments for water below 8 per acre per year, Including both op eration and maintenance and bond payments. PENDLETON POSTMASTER NAMED BY PRESIDENT WASHINGTON, May 18. (AP) President Roosevelt sent a number of postmaster nominations to the senate today, Including Oeorge A. Hartman, Pendleton, Ore. G. E WILL BUILD GIANT TRANSFORMERS FOR DAM PITTSFIELD, Mass., May 18. (AP) The General Electric company to day announced It had been awarded a 1,000,000 contract to build 11 giant transformers for the Boulder Dam power development. Seven of the transformers will each have a capacity of 287,000 volts. They are the largest commercial type man ufactured and will take a year to build. A The Muskogee club in the Western Association, a Detroit farm, will bo known as the "Bluebirds." BnssaTCPaBtj w -afcf MUST HAVE PUT this L MMSrl ii Boy WISE TO that v jkS-rZ2 (--, STANDARD GASOLINE E E'teVr-! fljf WITH TeTRAETHYL Jni Unsurpassed! J In SUBURBAN HEIGHTS By GLUYAS WILLIAMS l 1 ' " ' FRED PERlTt fllSSEP AN IMPORTANT PIRECfORS MEEflNG AT 1HE (50LF CLUB BECAUSE ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS' CHILDREN ; WAS PLAVIK6 ON THE SIDEWALK ACROSS HIS DRIVE, AND EOERV TINE FRED TRIED TO MOVE WSTHW6S SO HE COULD SET THE CAR OUT, THE CHILD'S SHRIEKS THREATENED TO ROUSE THE neighborhood 5Wg (Copyright, 1934, by The BtU Syndicate, lag) AlllVM. LwlWAns S 'MATTER POP By 0. M. Payne I luisiw! J Just A ( s1 4- 4, J . ) I vWi ) ' f V (Copyright, 1934, by The Bell Syndicate. Ins.) ' VeI ' loJfU fal TAILSPIN TOMMY Marie Acts Mysterious! SEETEI? STARTED OUT TO FAJ 1 mO TIBNED OFF WE LtSfS AT THEEe-POAJT, SLU6SEO 7I1.THE BROKE Al TO THY RAN NTO- Mue.ivfiue, MCA? sv4ce GU MONTAGUE , MAKJOKIf DECKER. FOO UAN6 CHEQ, SETTY IOU 8AMCS LOWE &100M&ILT i DKk DOUGLAS- AND AOti- By Hal Forrest MARIE) NOUJ lf5SC M'SieilR SK-EE-TAIRJ A FRIEND? UVOTfc BUT-HE 1.S NOI gSi-TONIGHT I SACO- T AILIN' VOU, & -- PLEEie ' DON'T TELL ME A'Mm VO' FRISHTNCO ME HIS NAME ? LONGER.---MY ME IS WHAT YOU SAY MARIS.? MXJTe FOR6T OJHAT YOU UOST . WtiXl I"' CAME HERE. TO anjsgES PRieNO I- I:- TUiO-FACeD MAN- TALKIN' IN AfSt, WAVE SAID" BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER The "Slappin" Down" Season! By Edwin Alger MrWTrlsVlDP WA5TIN LANGUASEY8VGE0RSE' JEPPARDOH,HE JL1STMADE A -AN', CAP'N IKE, 1 TOLdWTt WILL BE BAol f DON'T LIKE THATBIDE YOUR TIMeX BOV, BRIAR 1 BEN A POOCH fto SMART HE'S A MUST HAVE j A NATURAL THENOUMG SWAB IT K LUCK, SHIFTY. YOUNG EEL.CAP'N W SHIFTY WE'LL SHAKE AS OLD BRIAR DON'T HAVEltREMARKABLE GONE OFF V MISTAKE WAS BAD LUCK TO TURN fl FOR HIM ' IKEHEWAS jf HAVE A BIT O' YOURSELFBETOLPNCrrHlN7xWC)0S,BEN ) HIS NOODLE j tW THE SHIP ABOUT, BUT Mi. V IMPUDENT ABOUT fsk SLAPPIN' DOWN TO V fr rfl HVh fLW-i 'I WHEN HE TOOK I XWELL,WEVI EVEN SO HE KEPT mWhiT THAT WORTHLESS DO OFF ANCHOR. I , WA INTCT ' B'iWi'S JitIP THE NEBB8 His Daughter Minnie By Sol Hesi mimmie's father ,wjho joobkjeyeo TO THE Bl3 TCAWrJ TO TALK TO WER ABOUT WES SEPARATION! FCOM WER. WUSftANJO j ves.vou seioT her &. ' 31 L DRESS -UJHA.T IS ' 4UE SOM' TO DO VAJVTM IT r VWUENJ AMD WHERE IS SHE GOINJS TO WEW? IT fSOt (ET MOTH Eta. AUOrjE. SHE WAS HAPPY DOIM TKINSS OrOTIC VOO TRIED TO COJVIKJCE filllll iff NES AND NOU A.LLUS XI I" I VWa-StOT SO STOCK UP VAJWEKJ SffilOTiP'i MADE DO r-rV NES.VOU SEUT HER ""NM jjj WAS A STUCK-UOTHIWG,.' WEMT TO WORK IKJ THEMOTEL 1 ! fMNO TOW IB f SI L DRESS UJHA,T .S gSESsg IllUJAJOTEO TO BE SOMEBODY WArrR6SS WAS 1 ?- OC COURSE , ! f rjevER. BE AM Nf &0' TO DO VAJ1TM ..TTr-r-,Sw:---.. I eETTER.Vj THE BUEST OP THE , rnt ,, r, uiAvE l.mctm nc )T osJ TUP II i . STr4jte. 'T ? WUEM AMD WHERE U IIP" jW' I'J FOLKS IKJ KJORTHVILLE CfiRM UELBlMS MOTHFB COT KJO h 1 1 ll . . . r- in Xmmtn " ""4. V iMuX?MCMT I I , Itwinjqjs TO V HER. SHE WASMT jlj VY" "" ' ssp'Gef XppYDoisj' BRINOINQ UP FATHER ' By Oeorge McManus VELL-n"5 A ClMCw SOI'LL A"bKHER MAGCIE YOU CERTAINLY MR. PERCY O-iTlON I I ( TELLThE ' THAT MAOClE WONT , IF 1 KIM CO OUT OARLIN! CANNOT- NO ONE IS. CALLINC-MUM- lO'OT TO WANT TO CO ANV. 7 f FE AWHILE- KIN GO BUT AM IDIOT HE'S IN THE HALL- COME RIGHT WHERE TO-MICHT . (01 V ) OUT WOULD CO OUT MUM- sl- IN THIS RAIM- J ' XJ U .. I II T TO-NIGHT? ON A NICHT LIKE l 1 ' L i ' C shs lSH lifc Om ihak m mm a lll