paoh sfx
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, JIEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY, MAT 21, 1934.
.BY WALTER C. BROWN.
HYAufma: Avoarentlu the t0
liceman and the etranoer found
dead in Pierre Uufreene'e break'
taet room have ehot each ether,
and aovarentlu the etranoer te he
mho has been writing threatenino
tettere to Dutreene. But etranoe
etrande of eueoioion attach to moat
ot the vereone in the houee. and
Beroeant Homer cannot believe in
the obuloue eolution. He and Laf
Icrty begin eortlno out the etrande.
Chapter IT
TRACKS IN SNOW
CERQEANT HARPER spread out
a blank pleca ot paper and drew
hasty, but recognizable, plan of
the ground floor ot the Dufresoe
mansion, with the adjacent (rounds.
All windows and doors were desig
nated. "Now, beforo we look at those
reports, let's get this matter ot the
footprints In the snow tlrmljr In our
beads. I've made a complete circuit
of the house. I'll mark In the tracks
as 1 tell you about them, then you
can go out yourself and cbeok oyer
my work before the sun gets busy
and destroys them.
"First, here la the back ot the
house. There are two doors, both glT'
Ing onto a porch. There are two sets
ot heavily-marked tracks, leading
from the aide door of the garage
building to the back door of this
bouse.
"They were made by Mr. and Mrs.
Whltmore, coming over In reaponse
to Andrews' call. There are no other
footprints at the back of the house
and, naturally, there are none In
the snow to either the right or the
left side ot the house.
"Secondly, there Is a contusion ot
tracks from the pavement to the
front door. There la one set, filled In
and almost covered by the later
mow. Mixed In with these are two
sets ot fresher tracks, partly filled
tn. The first set Is the original trail
left by Hamill, the second tot were
made by Connelly and Hllleary aa
they followed.
"Then there la a second group.
fortunately to one side of the others,
They were made by Clymer, Smith,
Doyle and myself, the second group
to arrive on the, scene. After that 1
had Connally shove! a path and ev
ery one entering or leaving has bad
to use the path.
"Furthermore, It waa Connally
who actually (raced Hamlll's foot
steps from the call-box and he
swears that when he and Hllleary
arrived here there was one, and only
one. set of prints leading up to the
door.
"1'bls gives us an accounting for
every single person who entered this
house before the path was cleared,
except the unidentified man. He
muit have aome In before the snow
started, or before It was deep
enough to retain the Impression of
a footprint.
"We know the snow started fall
ing about half-past three yesterday
afternoon, but It didn't really begin
snowing heavily until an hour or so
later. It Is almost certain that this
man was In this house before half
past Ova. Otherwise shapeless, but
noticeable, ridges would have been
left In the snow. Officer Hamill must
have been killed as soon aa he en
tered this room, Miller puts the hour
of his death as between seven and
nine.
"As you see, that leaves the most
Important queatlons unanawared.
When and why did the murdered
man break InT What draw Hamlll's
attention to this house! We hate
the record ot all who entered this
house last bight between, say, halt
past five and halt-past ten, always
excepting ou- mysterious dead man.
As tar aa I can see It's an unassail
able record and It doesn't furnish
much ground for the suspicion-thai
all Is not aa It seems on the sur
face."
"Do you teel sure that these marks
In the snow - weren't tampered
wttht' asked Lafforty. "Can you rely
on them entirely?"
"I can aee no room for doubt,"
Harper replied. "You cannot walk
through anow of any depth without
leaving traces. Try It, and see for
yourself. The snow can go on tor
hours after a track has been made
and It will still be visible. That orig
inal, unbroken surface of a tall of
anow cannot be duplicated."
"TJOLD cn a minute," LaSerty In
1 terjeoted, "couldn't aome one
tread In previously made tracks and
get out thai wayT"
Harper shook his head. "One look
at Hamlll's marks will convince you
that that wasn't done. I know that
trick has been used, but I'll swear It
didn't happen In this Instance. I've
looked at those marks very care
fully and they are absolutely bona
Ode. Not even a cat walked across
those grounds last nlghL"
Latterly thought It over. "Well, we
went over every hole and corner ot
uight and there waa
no uut iu hiding, waiting for a
chance to sneak out. So, It no one
left the house after the shooting,
and no one wac In the house when
we ivarched It, there's an end ot the
mattei."
Harper smiled doggedly. "No,
that's not the end of the matter. I
already have bints of certain tblnga
that require explaining. We're going
to sit down In this room aod recon
struct this affair, movement by
movement. If It really was an un
foreseen and aimless business, then
every single bit of evidence we have
gathered wll. fit Into place It It
does not, then something haa been
tampered with I"
"But who could have tampered
with it? This room baa been nnder
guard every minute since Hllleary
first looked In and saw the bodies."
"Exactly. But what about the in
terval between the shooting and
Hilleary's arrival?" the detective
asked, drily.
"Certainly, but you've Just fin
ished proving to ma that no one
could have left here after the shoot
ing without leaving tracks In the
snow and I know that no one was
bidden in the house. What are you
driving at?"
"Simply this the visible evidence
tends to sbov, that these two men
were absolutely alone In this house
and that they killed each other. But
It the evidence leads us to Impossi
bilities, then the evidence must be
wrong."
Lafferty gave bis superior a know
ing look. "Then you have got some
thing up your sleeve," he accused.
"No, I haven't, except an Instinc
tive feeling that we're going to run
Into some mighty queer things.
Now, let's have a look at Jackson's
surprise package. Perhaps we'll get
some help from It,"
HARPER began to open the sealed
envelopes marked with hla
name. "While I get these sorted and
arranged," he suggested, "suppose
you step outside and check over my
work on the footprints. There was
only one mark anywhere In the snow
that I couldn't account for."
The detective put down a little X
on his sketch. "There It Is, a curved
gash In the snow about twenty feet
from the side of the house. Just the
one solitary mark and not more tban
an Inch below the top surface. It's
the sort of mark that would be made
by a bent twig, except that there Is
nothing burled there In the snow.
It Is about eight or ten Inches long.
I can't see any significance, but
you'd better take a look and aee if
you can explain It. We may aa well
be thorough."
Lafferty took the sketch drawn by
Harper and left, while the latter
spread out on the table all the ma
terial that had coma up from Head
quarters. But, before he had a
chance to delve Into this, there waa
a discreet tapping at the door and
Andrews' grave face appeared in re
sponse to the detective's Invitation
to enter.
There la a Mr. Howard Doyle to
aee you, sir," the butler announced,
"but the officer won't let him In un
less you say so."
"That's all right. Andrews, let him
come In."
The butler gave bis stiff. Jerky nod
and withdrew, ant. shortly alter
ward the Dally Ledger's crime re
porter entered. "How are tricks,
Sergeant?" he asked In bis usual
breezy way. "For a minute I thought
I was persona nnn grata around
here."
"Pull over a chali. Doyle. I've been
wanting to have a tew words with
yon and I may aa well get them off
my chest right now."
The reporter brought a chair over
to the table, and sat down, unbutton
ing hla overcoat. "Listen, Harper,
before you start talking, answer me
one question. Did you say anything
about what I did last night? Just an
swer yes or no, and no hard feelings
either way."
"I did not."
"How about Captain MackllnT
Harper shook his head. "I'm tn
full charge of thla case, Doyle.
Macklln wouldn't do anything like
that without consulting me Drat.
The chances are he doesn't even
know about It."
Doyle lit a cigarette and took sev.
era! puffs 1l alienee, hla eyes fixed
on a corner of le celling. "Get this,
Harper. I've been pulled off the case.
What does that sound like to you?"
"It sounds to ma as If Dufresna
has had something to say to your
front office," Harper replied prompt
ly, "and after mat bonehead play of
yours I'm not surprised,"
"Bonehesd play, you call It?"
Doyle grinned Impishly. "Listen,
Harper, you'U be plenty glad 1 made
It before I leave here."
rCocyrlgar. by Waller 0. Broun)
Doylt contributes lame Impor,
tant Information, tomorrow.
DAY FEATURE AT
Jackson County Day at Oregon j
Caves Chateau will ba observed with :
rllnnnr.rlnnfA ftntiiMitv Mv t ujj '
ty sixth, according to word, received
from Cteorge Sftbln, manager of Ore
gon Cave resort.
Through the Jackaon County Cham
ber of Commerce, It Is planned to
form a caravan, which will leave Med
ford Saturday evening, Journey to the
Caves, and participate In the com
plet opening program.
A dinner-dance )n the dining room
of the beautiful new Oregon Caves
Chateau has been arranged for the
event, and special rates have been
announced so that visitors might stay
overnight and take breakfast Sunday
morning, before returning to Med ford.
These rates are on file at the Jack
son County Chamber of Commerce.
Oregon Caves Chateau, one of the
beauty spots of the entire Pacific
coast was completed less than a month
ago and has been used lor opening
parties by the Grants Pass Cavemen,
and a group of prominent Portland
hotel men. 60 many people have an
Interest In the new resort that the
management decided to conduct a
series of opening days, Jackson Coun
ty being assigned the week-end of
May twenty-sixth.
Definite time for departure of the
caravan from Medford will be an
nounced later In the week.
WWASHINGTON. May 31. (AP)
More than a million of those on fed
eral relief rolls are one-time work
ers In the building trades.
Harry L. Hopkins, the federal re
lief administrator, so told the senate
banking committee today In rallying
with Secretary Perkins, and Charles
Edison, son of the Inventor, to the
support of the housing program
recommended by President Roosevelt.
Poised and self assured, the secre
tary of labor called the proposal "one
of the most essential features of the
recovery program."
.
Collects Fee Arter 20 Vfart.
NEBRASKA CITY. Neb. (UP)
Time waits for no man, but John C.
Miller, cleric of the district court
here, took his time In collecting
witness fee for which he served 20
years ago. He received the customary
fee recently.
For Garden Kuwng Tel- 0 11-J.
Phone 642. We'll haul away your
refuse. City Sanitary Service.
THERE
GOES
1 ETHYL
fOKJ TIME
AGAIN'.
YOU MEAN TETR AETHy L"
WHY WITH THAT QUICK
. getaway she reminds
ME OF STANDARD
.UNSURPASSED!
E
THE PASSER-BY
By GLUYA5 WILLIAMS
(MUjjr?5
15 PlflVIKG HAPPILY 1
WrfH MUD
in
1
tBRSE im ws$m6 bv look6 mix iady"
ASKS IK SIRUPS' VOICE 15 OVER
HE Hh,V)H& A DEAR OOUY
TIME WW HIS WHET
MUD PIES
tflDY" ASKS WHAT IS HIS
HUME, LITTLE BOY ?
COHflNUES "CO STARE ,
LADV BE6IMKIK61D6E1'
A LrrtlE riD6Ef UNDER
The scrutiny
KM V
btfi A LITTLE BORED
WlfW HER GtUSTiOWS A
BOUf HOW OLD HE 16
AND WHERE HE LIVES.
RETURNS TO MOD PIES
FEELS THAT MAYBE HE
HAS SI" BEEN FRIENDLY -EK0U6H
AND YHRUS1S MUD
PIE ftf HER AS 6000 WILL
OFFERING)
LBR6E LADV FLEES HAST
ILY 60E6 BACK 1b HIS
. pies re plecHns thai"
SR0WN-UR& AC vERV
QUEER
.5-21
(Copyright, 1934, by The Bell yndieaU, lac)
S MATTER POP
By 0. M. Payne
et us a " v. . - oMETiuwMisiw' J Just Sav
, To T2 IDE. w ra V? T ' T3(JY IT' Aw" ioU kjfN n "siL ) 13EA-
V S SYTrfk I ? TAK'E.S SOME-Tfjiw T(J1?kII544 T-HE. I iWHTOl ' !
lrj i il La (Copyright, 18!l e
TAILSPIN TOMMY An Emergency Flood Light Needed!
Famtd A House nfmmlrlril.
JUPON, Wis. (UP) The "Long
Rouk," built 81 years ago as part
st an experiment In community liv
ing, has been completely remodeled
by CWA workmen and will house sis
local xamllles.
YW
gVRYOAE
tOITH TH
PICTURE,
V-li HMGAR
YO CWef CAMS
IOUO TUKWED
OUT THE USHTS
OR SLUG6GD
TM.OR ItSHO
ATO
HANGAR J-
EANHHL-
8 7B
WAS MUST HAVE. PLANNED
HIS MOVEMENTS CAREFULLY
THE, MAIN FEED LINE. OF
OUR FIELD USHTS WERE
CUT BEFORE Tin WAS
3LUG6ED-;
By Hal Forrest :
THERE'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT!
BROCONIE IS DUE. HERE. RIGHT
UD1TH A LOAD OF PASSENGERS -THERE'S
A LOW CEILINS AMD MO RADIO BEAM
TO DVRSCT Hlri--- tOE.LL HAVE. TO
SIGNAL HVMj FROrl
THE . FIELD --
THI& BARREL OF FUEL OIL.
UilLL DO THE TRICK- U3E'
ISN1TE IT AT THE EAST SID
OF THE AIRPORT--HE CAN T
FAIL TO SEE. IT-
BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER First Instructions
vr..-..
WCLL.UMVC, I 1 I
BE LONG NOVU- WE
OUGHT TO REACH
ANCHOR ISLAND
TOMORROW NIGHT-
US!
THATS RIGHT. BEM,
PiHV I'M MIGHTY
GLADVOUVE PUT
IN OME TIME
READING THAT
eOQK OF DIVING
N5TRUCTIONS
STILL FEEL
THAT YOU
WANT TO GO
DOWN UNDER
WHEN VUE
GET THERE?
rYOL) BET I O0IVeJ
THAT EVER SINCE
WE STARTED 5AY,
WONT OLD LUKE BE
SHOCKED WHEN
HE HEARS IT ?
BEN, YOU'VE TOLD ME ENOUGH ABOUT LUKE
O'BRIEN SO THAT 1 KNOW HE'S TRUE
BLUE, BUT HE SURE DOES GET HOT AMD
BOTHERED ABOUT THINGS YOU MIGHT
MEET UNDER WATER, DOESN'T HE? HE
HASNT YET GOTTEN OVER BE&NG MR.
jcPPAKDs PICTURE Or
THAT
WiOCTOPUS-
IFokaySI
By Edwin AlgeB-
AHAUSIN'ME NAME IN VAIN,
EH? ALL RIGHT. ME LADS. I'LL
TORSIVE YOU-BUT BEN, WHILE
DAVE IS POL1SHIN' UP THEM
HELMETS AN' GUNBOATS O'
H!S,I'DUKE A WORD WITH
YOU IN PRIVATE-
OKAY,
LUKE, I'LL
BE RIGHT
WITH tOU-jI
Bv Sol FTess
lluse Spruce Tree Felled.
ABERDEEN, Wash. (UP) One of
the largest spruce trees cut recently I BRINGING UP FATHER
near here measured 13 feet, 3 Inches
at the butt and scaled 47,838 board
feet of lumber, enough to build many
airplanes.
WffW (INSTRUCTIONS-J h-TTiTTl B HEARS IT ? J a ' iEPPARDS PICTURE oA Zdg? YOU IN PRIVATE- WTO
ffiiffifissw ocv M T-TTMfiiiiwfflii m w.m m ruw.rfcrri ir.rrtt .that . . k.i-rn i , , i-rfei
THE NEBB3 Mama's Boy
f W6LLO.I WAS f I I A.RSUEO VWITM MER BACK AMD FORTV-f s
( OUST DblNIKJ1 UP I ( ..fi , .V?) E K'-FALUTIMG, IDEAS OUTTA MY I to Come: AMO LNE WITM YOU BUT5HE N.
V TO iES W. I WHAT IS YTi) (OAUSMTER. MlrJKJie? MIWD OUT YOL) " vwoULDKlT AKJO THAT AltslV TOS WORST, SHE'S
T CWW5N!MALKlaRS f1 T,N' WER MOUIW TeLUKJ' HER. THAT SMEsA
' ' ' . oiri-c. as ' - tL; tL J VWORK WAS PUKl UMT1L SUE SOT MlrJMlES LETTERS
j ; AO
17RIGLGVS
GUM
In
I TOLD YOU I
DOnY WANT VOL!
TO BOTHER MEy '
I DCMY WAMT
TO SEE VOUJ
BUT- Ml3
OICGiYOU
NEVER
MAVE AMY
TIME FOR
ME?
N ism
r.n.--- u r 1 , wax ;s
i'll go md
CALL. ON HER
FATHER
By George McManus
( I CALLED TO TELL. VOU THAT
your daughter was very
rude. she keeps tell
IK1G ME SHE can't SE-E me
A - - II I I
SHE TAKES AFTER!
HER FATHER- I
CAKJT SEE VOU
EITHER
7