PSGE FOURTEEN
1IEDFORD MAIL TRTBTTNE, MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1931
hCFMOCKING HOUSE
.BY WALTER C. BROWN.
Kl. .rgeant trarpor
has prut' t the stranger and
the polio ; ound dead in Pierre
Dufrcsne'e house vara murdered
end did not shoot each other. But
the motive of the crime, the lien
tltu of the stronger, and the meane
of 'escape wed by the murderer ettlt
ore a mastery, llarper has discov
ered, however, the print of flu
fresne'e butler's thumb on one of
a set of threatening letters received
hy Dufresne. Andrews, frightened,
, denies all knowledge of the letters.
Chapter 38
ANGER
ANDREWS, fingerprint! do not
"These must I tell yon, I knew
nothing ahout It Besides, I was at
the Auatorlltz last night. You know
that." '.
"Sure. I know it. You're got an
Ironclad alibi. Quite true, but there
-was more than one In this plot.
"When I got to the Austerlltz, Thy
were yon so nervous. Andrews? I
hadn't yet told my news, but you
were already upset, lumpy. Why
I were you so agitated when I Insisted
on rousing your master? Why all
this, It you knew nothing about what
had happened?"
Once again the man exhibited all
the signs of an Intense Inward strug
gle to repress an emotional strain.
iBy sheer force o( will Andrews
pulled himself together. "I bad strict
orders not to disturb Mr. Dufresne
on any account" He faltered on,
"You see, sir, I knew he was Intoxl-
eated and didn't want a stranger to
see him In that condition."
"You're lying, Andrews. There's
something else. Mr. Dufresne was
more than halt drunk when I left
him the drst time."
: Sergeant Harper spoke out of the
certitude of his conviction. The but
ler's words wore plausible, yes, but
there was that Indefinable some
thing In bis tone that convinced the
detective that Andrews was uneasy
t mention of the Austerlltz surprise
irislt
1 "Furthermore," Harper continued,
faome one spied on ns while we
were soarchlng Mrs cellar this morn
. tag. The result was the biding of
the gun that had been In Mr. Du
fresne's room. Those are overt acts
and some one Is going to answer for
them."
i Andrews' eyes glinted as ha
squared his shoulders and faced the
detective squarely. "It you think I
am guilty, I'd prefer that yon repeat
those charges before Mr. Dufresne,"
he challenged. ;
i "That's not a had Idea," Harper
napped, and strode over to the bell.
Ihilresne made a prompt appear
ance. The detective repeated the ac
count of his discovery and placed
both letter and goblet before the
dapper man, silent and attentive un
til Harper had finished.
Then Dufresne pushed the exhib
its aside without a glance. "I'm not
surprised that you've come to some
rich ldlotlo conclusion," he said.
f There Is no question as to Andrews'
loyalty. I would as soon accuse my
self." .He put his hand on the old
nan's shoulder with a gesture of at
lection. I Harper's anger mounted, too.
"This mutual loyalty Is very touch
ing but It still doesn't explain how
lAndrews thumb print came to he
in this letter. That certainly calls
'for an explanation."
t Dufresne turned to his servant.
'Have we any stationery like that
n the house?"
"No, sir. We've never used tinted
(papers of any kind."
"IT'S strange that every letter Is a
j different color," Dufresne com
mented thoughtfully. "Stationery la
;Bot sold that way. It suggests sam
Iple specimens."
I Andrews started up. "I remember
bow," he cried excitedly, "these are
ample sheets. They were sent here
by some printing concern soliciting
business. Mrs. Whltmore turned
them over to me a long time ago and
I stuck them away In a desk. Last
autumn I cleared out the desk and
threw them Into the waste-basket
That's how my finger mark got on
the sheet."
"There yon are, Harper," Du
fresne announced triumphantly.
This time Harper believed the but
ler's explanation, for his tone had
the spontaneity of simple truth.
"If we accept Andrews' explana
tion," he said, "then any one could
have taken them from the cellar.
But It establishes a strong point, Mr.
Dufresne those letters originated
In this housel And now, It you'll ex
cuss me, I have other matters to go
over with Andrews."
Dufresne accepted the Invitation
to withdraw but went away wltb a
slow step and a puckered frown be
tween his brows, as If absorbed by
lorae wolkbty problem. When be had
tone and the door was closed again,
'I have a tost to propose, Andrews,"
me aeiecuve amieu, .j uuieiuim.
who did write the letters."
The butler made a free gesture
with bis hand. "I have no objection,
sir."
Harper handed him a blank piece
of paper and a pencil with a soft
lead. "Hease print, not write, what
I dictate."
Andrews nodded, whereupon Har
per began to read the letter which
bore the butler's Imprint He read
leisurely, giving the man ample time
to draw the letters. When It was
over he placed a fresh piece of
paper before Andrews. "Now," he
said, "this time go as fast as you
can." His dictation doubled in speed
snd his repeated admonitions of
"Faster! Faster!" sent the butler's
pencil scampering.
Harper compared the two papers.
"Please do not mention this test to
any one In the house," the detective
ordered. "Only the guilty person
need fear the result"
A long look passed between the
two men, a profound and searching
look on both sides. "Yon may rely
on my discretion, sir," said An
drews gravely as he turned to leave.
As soon as the butler had gone
Harpor brought out the test papers
aaln and compared them, not only
with the original letter, but wltli
each other. Andrews' speclmenr
seemed to be quite genuine and to
substantiate his denial of author ,
ship.
THE sight of Mrs. Dufresno'i)
ruined slippers, rescued from
the rubbish by Lafferty's zeal, sug
gested an easy way of checking that
lady's writing, with no one the wiser.
Harper locked the door to the breakfast-room
and betook himself to the
cellar. Two square rubbish boxes
stood under the stairs.
One contained crumpled paper
bags, discarded advertising matter
and waste paper of various sorts.
Scattered here and there among
these were slips from the pad Mrs..
Dufresne used for writing out ques
tions and answers since her surgical
wrappings had enforced muteness.
There were about a dozen In all
and Harper quickly gathered them,
not stopping to read them there. He
had snapped oft his light and was
ahout to ascend when he heard toot
steps on the stairs and placid-faced
John Whltmore appeared, carrying
an armload of empty boxes.
"Whltmore," Harper began, "have
you the time to do a little job for
me?" ;
The handy man nodded eagerly,
delighted to have a finger In this
most superlative of thrillers.
.The detective lowered his voice'
to the proper conspiratorial pitch. "I
want yon to go to all the rooms up
stairs, empty the waste-baskets, and
bring direct to me what you find In
them." ,;
"But I emptied them all first thing
this morning," Whltmore whispered.
Harper nodded. "I know you did,
but do It again. That Includes Mrs.
Dufresne's room. Act very casual
about It, so no one will suspect any
thing. Understand"
'Oh, yes, air, Whltmore respond
ed with alacrity. "I'll go right away."
Harper followed blm upstairs and
was walking through the dark-paneled
hall when he saw that familiar
figure In the huge fur coat making
toward the front door. "May I hare
a word with you, Doctor 1" he called,
and Dr. Ulrlch swung around.
"How Is Mrs. Dufresne today?"
Harper askod.
'Doing well, enough," Ulrlch re
sponded rather curtly.
"When will she be able to talk? I
have some questions to ask her."
"She Is not to talk for several
days, at least. That Is final, It your
quostlons can't wait I'll arrange an
Interview. She can write out the an.
swers for you, but I Insist on being
present"
"TbaBkj, hut I prefer to hear the
answers from her own lips."
"Well, then, you'll have to wait."
Ulrlch snapped, his waxed mous
taches bristling and his black eyea
glaring behind the gold-rlmmed
glasses.
Harper watched his brusque de
parture irom the vestibule, curious
to know the reason for the big doc
tor's animosity. He returned to the
breakfast-room and sat down to
study the salvaged slips that bore
Sylvia Dufresne s writing. Then
was absolutely nothing to be gleaned
from the contents themselves, and
the detective could see no points ot
similarity between Mrs. Dufresne's
swiftly paced and essentially femi
nine style and the broad Incisive
strokes of the anonymous penman.,
The longer he pored over the let
ters the firmer became his convic
tion that a man had written them.
There was something about the
sequence ot events that baffled pen
etration. (Copyright, if JJ, By Walter 0. Broton)
Tomorrow. Harp.r unearths an
Important faot about Donaahv
l.innttrrninn MrnntlPd Cougar
tONCIVIEW, Wash. (UP) Clyde A.
Cornman. assistant logging superin
tendent of the Weyerhaeuser Tlmbor
company here, grappled with a
wounded cougar and strangled it to
death. Two years ago he bulldogged
a book deer and killed It.
NORTH BEND LISTS
HEAVIEST LOSS BY
FIRE DURING YEAR
SALEM, 'Ore. (UP) North Bend
suffered the heaviest per capita fire
loss during 1033, I1B.80, of any Ore
gon municipality, State Fire Marshal
A. H. Averlll announced today.
The Coos county city also suffered
the second heaviest lire loss of the
year, $70,014. Portland damages, to
taling 1082,340, wen Highest. The
North Bend total was high princi
pally because of a fire last summer
which destroyed several large build
ings along the waterfront.
HUlsboro per capita fire losses were
second blgheat, $13.31. Albany third,
$11.54. Many smaller towns reported
no loases for the year. In moat caaea
the 1033 fire damage was less than
that for 1033.
Per capita losses 1n various cities
for 1033 and 1033 were:
1033 1033
Albany . $11.48 tllM
Ashland . . .78 ,11
Astoria 0.17
Bandon ................. 3.48 3.17
Bend 1.02 .60
Burns 6.42 0.30
Canby .............. ...... .31
Coqullle . 3.78 .OS
Corvallla 4.07 .80
Cottage Orove -.Hw.m 1.00
Creawell 11.07 .07
Eugene - HW-.HW.. . .08 1.17
Klamath Falls ....... . 4.37 4.47
Marshfleld . 3.00 3.03
Maupln 3.41 .....
Metlford 8.24 1.48
Myrtle Point
North Bend .
Oregon City
Oswego
Philomath
Phoenix
Portland .
Redmond
Reedsport
Roseburg
Salem
Springfield ,
Stayton ......
The Dalles ,
West Linn .
Yoncalla .....
.04
1.49 16.85
.47 34
M .05
4.33
1.80 .47
3.23 3.10
1.30
10.08 .11
0.12
8.1S
7.23 .53
5.70
1.37 2b
.00 .18
3.08
-Unreported.
ALL-DAY SUCKER IS
CAUSE CHILD'S DEATH
KANSAS CITY. Mo., June 14. (UP)
Ward Hasdall, 19 month old. per
suaded hi mother to give him an
alNdny sucker, went out on the sldo
walk to piny. He stumbled and feU,
the ball of hard canay lodged in tsia
throat. He died before It could be removed.
Fifty-two per cent of the gradu
ates of the University of California
arc eiigoRed In profewlonal or semi
professional pursuits, a survey disclosed.
MIM
y Do you know of) S AimdMw'f,
ANYTHING MORE. (. S . f .
BREATH TAKING- JTM XlArSL )'
k- MORE SILENT li if r?nnuw?A '
THAN THIS JSI
DIFFICULT DECISIONS
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
YoU SUDDENLY VSmtt THAT V00 HWEH'T
THE FAINTEST IDEA WHERE TO CALL FOR YOUR.
WIFE, AS YOU 5AID VOO WOULD DO. BECAUSE
VOUR MIND MS ON THE NEWSPAPER, while SHE
Was telling mdo Where her committee meet ikg
WAS To BE WELD T Sma
(OopTrfrht. 193? br The Bell Syndicate, foe.) VVIU-lftn?
8 'MATTER POP
By 0 M. Paynq
vw -p Ti i- f . ""v! rtp tt: . s
I S t n . ' 1 ' ' ' . V 111 I ' ' ' 1 l I - IW AHftft ITTC " I I 7 . . -1 WW . w . V
f( WrtAT 1 6 J ' ISA CIZOW AWAV 'FPoM ' -iSjd Mlft IT LOOK" Utrfc j
TAILSPIN TOMMY Confessions To Save Betty!
I Oiirttij GSTEE', N, i-s4SgSsa ) OOVr AT.VO tO -rA A WOW TWVWr TO ) gg W rtt AeTVtT9
Xr MJBBS NCLUDEO, I SiS- ssT" Z THATi- UHIT &D OVt-zV' HACTL'-- MmV THfS CXVWCS, s?9 51 BUEVE GETTY
TOO YOU KVOOO ) -S55iESf M fe S SrtT 3 U7 SOME - Ofif 967TY fit, J 0AO T- 9iT ?
S Ve BOTH THR A TEMlOf-- M K I . 5 '0r S THNG LIKE- COAttsS TWAT JZZily pi "1LL- lOCA'T
lVOf- OUT ONLY A jiW B f? S?W 54fesi "SOUS DAY-YOU OO T AVG ) S LET YOU TAAr6
rSV V " 'W-? T&k -WMr T spot-, youio-y-rrzr-
By Hal Forresf
BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER What Oap'n Ike Sawl
By Edwin Alger
WHATRE THEY DOIN'? N!Hi
I 5HIFTIN PLACES AT THE H ,
OARST SUPPOSE TO I (
SUITING HIS WORDS TO ACTION. CAPN
IKE HURRIED TO HIS CABIN THERE,
V7ITH THE WINDOW AS A SUPPORT-
PIIIIHIIMIM
VEIS, THAT WAS 1T
NOW WHY WERE
THOSE THREE SO
SET ON HEADIN
FOR THE RUINS O'
FISHTOWNPSZP
MB DOWN, WHAT'S
THAT? J
Olrl Wlm Marhls ronlnt
CLm'ELAND ' (UP) In district
msrbls DrcllmlnarlM of e, Qtvatr
Clsrelsnd tournsmcnt, a girl was BRINGING DP FATHER
winner among all suburban entries.
The "mlbstress" Is Ruth White, a
real "strelghtahooter" of East Cleveland.
(e&M$&ki. I W HP SKIPPED AS SOON AS iHl
TOWffirV I H THEY LANDED HE DIDNT
yrSwS I I WANT TO BE 6EEN SO I. I
i?&m I'lllllll I X I!" I i THERE'S SOMEONE ON
THE NEBBS Oh Happy Day
B f twat ooeswr look uxe X t-sTlll f w uuill pikjoN ' Z' come om, " "i set tmccxisw hereX
Q f A. BAO PLACE . 1VE Serf AS J.-fcW TME POT ROAST SET VOU COAT ,f TESJ rUL, MEET
r, I-" WWC" APPETITE AS A SICK L,1t VEW SOOQ SIR. ) CM AMD LETS SO 4 . 7- I Aur, l )
NN
By So) Hess
QUAUTV'
CvVt
By George McManni
MAGGIE! I-M GLAO VOJ EET MY
WAV AM' THAT VOUVE GIVEN UP IKE
IDEA OF LOOKIM' FtM AN
APARTMENT- WE'D BE
CRAMPED AN' BE BOTHERED
WITH THE ELEVATORS
k il.. C TTIN '
r vT OUT OF
L ....... - riv.cjl..,irrr.)!!iii!,,;
POl ONCE
TOO ARE
ABSOL.UTELV
WELL.- 1 GUESS PUT A
-OTOO TO THAT ALL
RIGHT- I THINK I'D
MAKE A VEW GOOD
if
MR. JIGCo-1 AM THE
REAL. ESTATE AGENT
WHO WAb TRYING To
GET AN APARTMENT
FOR, VOUF? WlKE-
AN". OF
COURSE.
vou heard!
SHE HA
Changed
HER MIND
ABOUT a ?
T r -
VE5- SrlEWANT
TO BUY A MOUSE
SO I'VE BROUGHT
"YOU A U?T-