MEDFORD .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
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MAKJOKIf DECKER.
FOO UAN6 CHEQ,
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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
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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'
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B'iWi'S JitIP
THE NEBB8 His Daughter Minnie
By Sol Hesi
mimmie's
father ,wjho
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TO THE Bl3
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AUOrjE. SHE WAS HAPPY
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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
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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 '
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