PAGE TEN
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 193.
QpTMOCKING HOUSE
BY WALTER C. BROWN.
HiXOPSlH: Heduced almuel lv
dejjeraffon &i hie Inability to jolve
myetery of the murderer who
hot a policeman and a etranger in
Pierre Dutreene'e house. Sergeant
Harper euddenly tlnde the trail of
Ellen Becker, the maid who left the
Dulresnee about the time the eeriee
ot mvetertoue evente began which
preceded the tragedy. Harper and
hie nentetant. LaOerty. are talking
to F'l'ti'e aunt.
Chapter 43
BECKER TALKS
"IVE'RE from Police Headg.uar-
tera," said Harper. "Are yon
Mra. Button? Well, Mr. Sutton, we
happen to know that Mlsa Becker
la at home. It would be much wiser
It the eaw ua. Much wlaer."
To assist Mra. Sutton make the
correct decision Lafferty casually
put a sturdy foot across the sill,
"Oh. all right, come In. She's
upstalra. I thought you were bill
collectors. There's some mistake,
though, Ellen baa been home tor
months, looking after me."
"If there has been a mistake, we
can soon put It straight Will you
ask her to come down, please?"
The detectives were ushered Into
a dark, stuffy parlor that probably
had Ha twilight atmosphere even
on the brightest days. They heard
the elderly woman's alow tread as
she mounted the atalrs,
"There's something In It," Laf-
ferty whispered. "Did you notice her
face when she found out who we
were?"'
Harper nodded. A lighter step
was coming down the staircase.
Then the curtains rustled and Miss
Ellen Becker faced them.
"Miss Becker?"
: "Yes. What do you want, please?"
"We are from Police Headquar
ters. I am Sergeant Harper ot the
Homicide Bureau. 1 am In charge
of the murder case at Mr. Pierre
Dufreane's house. You're heard
about that?"
'Yea," echoed Miss Becker. "I
read about It In the papers today."
"We came to ask you some ques
tions about your period of service
there. Why did you leave Mr. Du
fresne's employment last Novem
ber?"
"My aunt was very sick and need
ed constant looking after, so I gave
notice and came home. I haven't
been near Mr. Dufreane's house
since."
Harper looked at her. "Still tak
ing care of your aunt?"
Ellen's face darkened. "She's well
now, but Jobs are hard to get."
"If you left Mr. Dutresne'a of
your own accord, why don't you ap
ply for your old Job? They haven't
hired any one In your place."
"I'd rather get a Job where t can
live at home."
"Miss Becker," Harper continued,
"you deny, then, that you have been
advised to go Into hiding tor a
while?"
The detective's chance shot, based
on Harris' report of tha telephone
meseagea, certainly struck home.
"Why, er of course,", she stam
mered, with apparent effort.
"You were not, by any obance,
packing to go away when we ar
rived?" . . '
"Nol Where would I be going? I
live here." But her voice was atlll
unateady.
"In that case, you won't mind If
we Just take a quick look at your
room. Jack, see to It I '
T AFFERTY waa off like a shot.
In a moment there Issued loud
voices from upstairs and Latferty
came hurrying down again.
"She was packed to go, all right,"
he accused. "When I rushed up the
old lady was stuffing things back
In the hureaua and closets aa fast
as she could."
"Hal" exclaimed Harper, "now
the cat's out ot tha bag. I give you
your choice of two things. You can
talk to ua, or you can come along
to Headquarters. There's a car
waiting on the corner."
Ellen broke down, quick, fright
ened aoba shaking her body. "I
didn't do anythlrf wrong," she
walled.
Harper answered stonily, "but
you are holding back Information.
Why did you leave the Dufresnea?
Because some one found It worth
while to get you out of the house?"
Ellen Becker resigned herself to
the Inevitable and nodded.
Harper leaned forward, tense and
eager. "Who haa been paying you
the hush-money?"
"Mrs. Dutresnel"
Harper leaned back. "Tell us ex
actly what happened."
Ellen Becker clenched her An
gers. "It was right after the house
was opened last autumn," she be
gan. "The family were at the apart
ment while we got thlnga ready.
1 was cleaning the hearth In the
breakfast-room. There wsa a brass
urn standing by the fireplace, filled
with white sand.
butt a bit ot papui s.a'klng up
and when 1 picked at It I saw that
It was part of a cigarette stub. I
pushed the sand around and found
a lot of them burled there. I thought
that was strange, because we'd only
opened the bouse a few days before
and hadn't used the breakfast-room
at all.
"I poked a little deeper In the
sand and found a slip of paper,
burled down one side. I read It."
"Was the writing that ot a man
or a woman?" Lafferty asked.
"I couldn't tell. All the words
were printed and there was no date
and no signature. It said: 'Will ex
pect you at the usual time.' That
was all. I took It upstairs and showed
It to Mrs. Dufresne. She turned
white when she read It. She kept
me there nearly an hour, while she
walked up and down the room. Fi
nally she suggested that If my aunt
waa In need of nursing I could go
home for a while and she would
continue to send me my wages. I did,
and she has," was Ellen Becker's
terse conclusion.
"Do you realize that waa prac
tically blackmail?"
T7LLEN shook her head, "It was
- Mrs. Dufresne's Idea. I didn't
ask her for anything. Why shouldn't
I accept It? It waa the first time
In my life I ever got aomethlng tor
nothing. Nobody'a going to die and
leave me a million," she said bit
terly. Harper stirred himself. "I tblnk
you'd better come along with us to
Dufresne's house. We'll have to get
to the bottom of this story."
"No no please I I can't go back
there!"
"So there's more to the story?
Out with It all of It this time!"
Ellen's next statement came only
after a visible struggle. "Two daya
later," she continued, "I found an .
other note In the same place. It was
printed, Just like the other. It said:
'The same place, and you'd better
come this time.' The last part waa
underlined. While I was looking at
this note, with the sand apread out
on a paper, Mr. Dufresne walked In,
"He wanted to know what I waa
doing there and I bad to show him
the note. He carried on worse than
Mrs. Dufresne. He asked me all
kinds of questions and talked so
wild I was afraid of him.
"I told him I was leaving to take
care of my aunt. Then he calmed
down all at once, but he made me
swear to say nothing about the note
to any one. He promised that I
wouldn't lose by It."
Harper leaped up. "Well, I'll be
damned," he cried, "you've got the
nerve to sit there and calmly admit
you've been taking money from both
ot them?"
Ellen turned sullen before bis an
ger. "But what could I do? Hand
back his money and tell him I was
already being paid to keep quiet?
What good would that bave done?
Besides, I was afraid of him. 1 was
afraid to tell him anything."
"Can't you see that you were
spreading dynamite around In that
house?" Harper burat out. "For a
few paltry dollars you wore willing
to see a whole household broken up.
No wonder you're afraid to go back
there and repeat your story. Who
warned you to run away Mr. Du
fresne or Mra. Dufresne?"
I won't tell, I'm not going to say
another word." Ellen's voice grew
shrill. "I want to bee a lawyer."
"Come on," said Lafferty, "let's
trot her down to Headquarters.
She'll talk there, whether she wants
to or not. By that time she'll need
a lawyer!"
The sinister tono pried the girl
loose from the last hold on her ret
icence. "Neither one," she admit
ted sullenly. "It waa Joe Donaghy
who called me."
Harper's eyes glittered with re
newed Interest. "So Joe was In on
this? He knows all about these
'deals?"
"Only about Mrs. Dufresne," Ellen
confessed.
I guess you call yourselves sweet-
hearts." Lafferty sneered. "A One
pair ot lovers you are." i
Never mind that now, Jack,"1
Harper Interrupted, then, turning
to the girl, "What did he tell you
over the 'phone?"
He aald It looked like things
might break wide open up there at
the house, and that It they did, It
would be a good idea for me to be
missing."
You're holding out on us again.
You two hare been working this
game together. We know Donaghy'a
been bleeding these people, too, be
cause he's sporting a big roll ot
bills."
(Copyright. 1111, by Walter 0. Brawn)
But where, atke Harper tomor
row, doeo ftllen'e ovldenoe lead.
BABY IS BORN WITH
FIFTY BROKEN BONES
IDIANAPOLTS, tod. (UP) Cro
lln Ruby Mercer, who wm born a
month ago with fifty broken bonee. brenki.
WASHINGTON, June 20. (AP)
An advance of five -tenths of one per
cent In wholesale commodity prices
during May was reported today by
the bureau of labor statistics.
The bureau reported prices were
73.7 per cent of the 1026 average.
The preseit Index Is at the level
of March, 1034, the highest point
reached since 1031 when the Index
figure waa 74.8. The bureau's list
showed 211 advances, 300 showing no
change. Declines were reported on
183 Items.
The largest Increase was recorded
In metals and metal products, which
advanced l'j per cent. In this group
agricultural Implements were 7 per
cent higher.
Foodstuffs rose about l'i per cent,
bringing the present level of the
group to 67.1 per cent of the- 1026
average which Is an Increase of near
ly 13 per cent over May of last year.
can element which la seeking to re
store the Republican party to pres
tige and power In this state, OdUn
Is embarking on his first campaign
for public office, although he has
been Identified with the state O. O.
P. organization work for several
years.
the number, "When You Were a J
LONGEST SONG TITLE
GOING IN NEW MOVIE
HOLLYWOOD. (UP) A wordy con
test among movie song writers over
the longest tune title ended abruptly
today when Warners announced It
would Include In a new production
Smile on Your Mother's Lips and a
Twinkle In Your Daddy's Eye."
FISH WRESTLING NETS'
THIRTY-FIVE LB. CARP
.viND HELPING
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
KASAS CITY, Kan. (UP) Fish i
wrestling was inaugurated at Big j
Eleven lake near here today. Bennle
Hughes, lifeguard, saw a large fish
near shore, Jumped In and applied ;
a strangle hold. After a rough and '
tumble wrestling match Hughes trl-1
umphantly waded ashore. He had ,
a firm headlock on a 35-pound carp.
LEGION LEADER SEEKS
GOP SENATE BACKING
OLYMPIA, June 20. (AP) Reno
Odlln, 37-year-old Olympla banker,
native Washlngtonlan and former
state commander of the American
Legion, formally announced his can
didacy today for the Republican
nomination for United States sena
tor. ' Representing the younger Republl-
I iSsNirfiSt a ' Mtfou KNOW
mN Surprising how J
i A A far you can do m
1 tfk on a tankful m
i 5 K W . OP STANDARD fj
ZL imV v(cJA30LINE WITH M
HOSTSS UR6ES HIM TO HAVE
AHOTHfR HELPING OF ICE cream.
ACCEPTS
RECFlVES H&PIH6. NOTICES
JUNIOR STARIK6 AT HIM Wrfrl
EXPRESSION OF MlN&LED WlSf
FJLWKS AND HATE
REALIZES NO ONE ELSE IS HAVW6
WJVMORE AND THAT HE TOOK
THE LAST HELPIH6
TAKES A BrfE OR TWO, REALIZlHe
UNEA5ILV THAT JUNIOR IS
WAfcHINS EiERV MDUfHFJL.
TAKES ANOTHER BtTE, AND SEES
TEARS BE6INNW6 To WELL UP
IN OUHIOR'S EVES
THIS UNSETTLES HIM 50, HE
' SPILLS ON HtS NECkTlE
REALIZES OTHERS HAVE ALL TRIES To INDICATE HE'5 THR0U6H.
FiNlSHEP AND TRIES TO HURRY, BUT HOSTESS THINKS HE'S JUST
SETTING A PAIN IN HIS TEMPLE REINS POLITE AND INSIM5 ON
' HA TlWlAHIWrt
(Copyright, 1834, fry The Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
Forces rest of ice cream
DOWN, Y0WIN6 lb HIMSELF
HE'LL NEVER TAKE A SECOND
HELPIHS OF ANYTHING)
8 'MATTER POP
By 0. M. Payna
Uy Hal Forrest
By Edwin AlgeB
wm reported Monday night to bs!
getting slong HI right. The baby
suffered 48 broken bones before
birth, st which time both thighs
were fractured. She Is kept strapped I
to a board to prevent additions! '
i I aa-kit J V ) ( M, soup as J WvVuV7y
Ist lt,.- (L L- (Copyright, 1934, by The Bell gyndicste, TjC.)
TAILSPIN TOMMY "Thumbs Down I"
C'APi: BJPlOti), ORRY TO HAVE TOV S SSft?3oRRY--fIY EYE! 'U. BET 1 ftoELL.TOrWY, WE uWTtHAT'S GREAT, frTHeY'RC'vou-- U36 CUEOCED XeRR---
FINGER.- DO THIS, FOLKS"GUT SSkW&&v(,HS& SETTING A KICK OUT ABLE TO SET PERFECT 2? MR 8ARIO0- ENTIRELY NEU-A HAVEN'T HS FIRST C OA-NOT
PfiWfXPtWt. IT'S 'ORDERS FROM S TjL:f rrSr HOLDING TUOSE FINGERPRINTS ON -riJ DID THEY DON'T MATCH MATCHED U5HAT I MEAKT r AT ALL--
ACTIN6 OA THE DS,TR.ICT J if)lIVii4'fe, GIRL&' HANOS- THE WINDOiO SILL -C MATCH UP- (0TH A WONE'S, J C THEM 031TH TO SAY"lOA5 - "60
THE TIP ATTORNE.Y--rfJ,rV IN HANGAR ffr WITH ANY IN. FINS6RSON C DOUGLAS' ? THAT I'Vfi S R.ISHT
FROMTOMMV, fe J SllSJW D&AlJltSj A TMR.TE.EN--J fAYOUR ROGUES' THIS FIELD" fi -trTtlsk PRINTED L AHEAD-
IS PUTTING Hra &ViKoiMVim T&stSV' &WKV( Wrfffn WL GALLERY? J OH" "THAT SJ fcfU EVERYONE'S
EVERYONE ON pJ tT
BEN WEBSTER'S OAEEER Alonzo'a Promise
THERE'S CAP'N IKE-ISKEtS! . 7TMUSH,MSTAH BEN jSTVO' COME BACK TO T I DID YOU DEED SO AN' WE
W RECKON HE HEARD ilMMH fir .xfWN I M IT'S JES ME DON' , DE KITCHEN WITH OLD 1 HEAR ? GWINE SHO'NLIFr
If THE SHOTS, TOO MSsSW Mk LET DAT CAP'N R ALON20 HE GOT 1 THOSE fl INDUCTION DE lAYSTERV
THE NEBBS Good Nows?
S -LEMHW?. OH, HELLO NE GOT SOME J d S MO, HE'S MOT COMIhJ3 BACK -
I WHAT? ITS ALL OFF ) i , 11 1 I SVAEUL. NEVWS... . . HE'S GOING TO STW UP THERE
I BeTUJE-CKj VOU A.1 ID I ( (.EMMY'S COMISJ&BACK J I WITM MIS VJIFE. AkJD I'M SURPRISED
iMIMVJIE.. AMD YOU'RE I I 1 V WE OlOM'T MAKE T S WmOT VOO, HIS FATHER, SHOULD R6JOCE )
. BACK? y uP VMITM MINJ KJIE . ' S SZZ. , AT THIS IDEA . VOU, WHO HAVE
' flCTr - yr EMOOVED MATRIMOWY TO J
"
i l ill ii ti -X . i ji , I n ii -I 11 (i r i r .
BRING IN 0 UP FATHER By George McManuj
By So Hess
HUH! jO THAT'4
THE KIMCl OF PALI
ME "bOM HAb?
WHAT GOOD 1 A
COLLEGE EDUCATION
IF HE GOE. WITH Z
OUYJ LllR THAI f -JC1;
(w&mtul
V LL TALK TO I rVl,
MAGGIE ABOUT yArCZ-
THIS SOMETHIN1 Lr-f
WAb TO BE DONE
WITH THAT BOY-
-hf-T-
'
AM' FER OUR SON TO GO
WITH A AO LIKE. THAT
GUV INJ THE OAR LOR V
BEYOND ME- I'M GOIN'
IM THERE
THROW HIM u j 1
Li, l 1 THAT
ft. y Lgj
V . CI t . TJ AT Ctwl-ri rl. Aal . a
PARUOR ISM'T CALLING OM OJR
OM- WE l LORD HELOUS.
IC-Xo