PAGE EIGHT
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, 1IEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1934.
gsrrri
CVLwuUa. of"
MOCKING HOUSE
BY WALTER C. BROWN
at.ursis: At fail lieia la u
rllt in the wall ot eilenco that hat
enrrounded Sergeant Barper'a in
teatigation ot the murder ot the
atranger and the policeman in
Pierre Dufreane'a nouae. Ellen
Becker, formerly a houaemaid.for
tlie Dutrcance. haa admitted receiv
ing money from both Ur. and Ura.
Dutreane to keen quiet about eomt
notea demanding a rendeevoue aha
had found aonoealed in the houee.
Harper accueea her of working fith
Donaghy. the chauffeur.
Chapter 43
THE AU8TERLITZ
"II7E HAVE not Pt told you
' ' everything I know about It. Joe
and I have been going around to
gether and he wormed tho truth out
ol me about why 1 left But.lf he'a
been getting any money out of It, t
don't know anything about It. Don't
take me back to that house," she
pleaded. "Honestly, I'ra told you all
I know."
"You'll have to face the music,"
Harper declared, "but for the pres
ent I'm going to hold you In reserve
as a surprise witness. You'll have to
atay In this house, though, until I'm
ready, and there will be a detective
right here to see that you don't run
away. You will not be allowed to
(end any messages betori morning."
"I'll stay here and the longer the
better."
So It was settled. Detective Har
ris was riven his Instructions and
over tiie details ot the top door, tha
twenty-eighth.
"Perhaps you would be Interested
In seeing this. Sergeant," Mr. Corn
stock suggested. He brought out a
leather-bound box-case. "These are
Mr. Dufresne's original sketches for
the building," he explained.
Harper closed Folio B-3 and looked
at these original plana, sketched
with clean. Incisive strokes. Was
the artist who could do these things
the same man who could be jerked
back by primitive emotions to mur
derous savagery, a puppet to dance
so Ignobly to the string-pulling of
such as Ellen Becker? The artist de
nied, but tbe man had lettered and
signed each sheet, and there were
A'a, and G"s, and M's, and S's that
cried aloud to the detective's trained
vision, that recalled those printed
crank letters.
SERGEANT HARPER put the pa
pers back In the case, quietly,
almost reluctantly. "Mr. Comstock,
I'll have to ask you to let me have
these papers."
The manager's expression re
vealed his astonlsLment.
"This Is for official purposes,
that's all I can tell you," Harper
continued. "You will have our re
ceipt against their safe return."
Mr. Comstock nodded, repressing
his curiosity.
"Don't take me back to that house," aha pleaded.
Installed In a chair In the hallway,
while Harper and Lafferty resumed
their Interrupted journey to the
'Austerliti. , .
f ': They rode In silence for a while,
'' both absorbed In turning over to
tartllng atory Ellen Becker had
Just unfolded. "Imagine that girl get
ting away with that," the tall detec
tive said, "playing both ends against
tbe middle. Our usual luck la still
running true here we have two
persons trying to shut her up."
They pulled up at the canvaa
marquee of the palatial Austerllti
and the military-looking attendant
opened the door of their car. As the
two detectives walked toward the
entrance Harper said, "We're going
In here and I'll try to break down
one of the neatest alibis that was
ever put over,",
"Saying so Is easier than doing
io," was Latferty'a retort
"THEY stepped up to the elaborate-'"-
ly grilled desk In the Austerllta,
where Harper asked for tha man
ager. The affable manager looked
Inquiringly at Harper. "What can I
do tor you, Sergeant?"
"I would like to see a floor plan ef
the Austerllta, Mr. Comstock."
"Certainly." The manager pressed
a button, and a silent efficient sec
retary appeared In tha doorway.
"Miss Summers, bring me Polio
B-3, please." When she had gone he
turned to the detective. "I suppose
this has some connection with laat
night's affair!"
"In a email way," Harper con
ceded. "How long baa Mr. Dutreane
occupied that suite?" he asked In
turn.
Mr. Comstock smiled broadly. "I
tee you're not acquainted with the
Austerllts's history. Mr. Dutresne
has had his suite here ever since It
waa built In fact he designed the
building, helped finance kk super
vised Its erection, and still haa the
controlling stock Interest"
"That was quite an Individual
feat then," Harper answered.
"He Is a truly remarkable man,"
Comstock asserted warmly, "and a
genuine artist"
Mlsa Summers returned with a
wide, flat folio. Harper looked at
each diagram, from that of the base
ment up to tha roof. He lingered
one or nis assistanta rode up
with them In tbe elevator and
opened the Dutresne suite. It was
very quiet up there. The assistant
detached a key from his ring, hand
ed it to Harper, and retired to tbe
baokground from whence he
watched the detectives with discreet
curiosity.
Harper atood long In Dufresne's
bedroom, recalling the sight ot Du
fresne's body sprawled Inertly, the
reek ot brandy, the gaunt Andrews'
panic-stricken eyes from the door
way.
The detective opened a closet door
and looked Inside, He bent down to
examine the double row of shoes on
their racks. He borrowed Latferty'a
flashlight and went on hands and
knees to ican the floor ot the closet
under the bright circle ot light
Harper atood up and olosed the
door. "I'm ready for the test," he
announced. "I'll lock myself In these
room a and you stand out there and
wait by the elevators, where Markl
son and the others kept watch."
Lafferty, grinning, etepped out In
to the corridor. He saw Harper close
the door from the inside and heard
tha lock anap. "Yell when you're
ready to give up." he called through
tha door, then went over and sat
down beside Mr. ' Comstock's as
sistant "What's going onT" asked the lat
ter, with pardonable mystification.
"The Sergeant has a Houdlnl com
plex," Lafferty ansv ered. "Say, Is
there an emergency atatrcase In
this place?"
"Right beside the elevators. Tha
door with the red bulb over It"
Lafferty settled back, sctlsfled.
Sitting In silence, the lanky de
tective finally pulled out his watch.
Leas than five minutes had passed.
He kept a wary eye on the corridor
and the door to the Dutresne suite.
Tbree more minute ticked away.
Then, with the faintest swishing
noise, an elevator shot up to tbe
floor level, the grilled doora slid
open, and Sergeant Harper, smiling
blandly, stepped outl
Copyright, ttn. by Walter G. Brown)
Who wit thtt mint" Harp.r
asks Mrs. Dufmns, tomorrow.
T,
CALLED E
10
Y
CHICAGO, June 21. (AP) The
"planned eoonomy" Col. Frank Knox
told the Chicago Association of Com
merce today, can be maintained only
at the "sacrifice of popular freedom
and free democratic Institutions." He !
said that In Europe it has stood 1
"squarely across the path of econom-1
lc recovery." j
"In free government and In tree',
competition In business, sanely reg
ulated to protect' the weak against
the strong, Ilea the hope of the
world," the publisher of the Chicago
Dally News said.
Col. Knox's talk was a summary
of observations made during a two
month tour of Italy, Austria, Russia
and Germany.
In Italy, Col. Knox said, the plan
ned economy under Mussolini has re
sulted In "the utter and complete
destruction of every vestige of popu
Isr government" with democracy
"scorned and laughed at as a huge
mistake."
Austria, he continued, "Is the most
absolute dictatorship Europe has yet
seen In the person of Chancellor
Dollfuss, who professes and, I think,
sincerely believes that he Is appoint
ed by God."
Russia, he said, presents the pic
ture of one man, who Is merely sec
retary of the communist party, rul
ing 16S.000.000 people through this
3,000,000 communists and an army,
he said which Is one of the most ef
ficient in the world today.
CLOSED FOR SEASON
PORTLAND, June 21. fAP) Be
cause of fire hazard, about 13,000
acres of land In the Ashland creek
watershed of the Rogue river nation
al forest has been blocked off In the
first forest closing of the year In this
region. O. J. Buck, federal forester,
made the announcement last night.
Only settlers or persons who ob
tain permits will beta llo wed to enter
the restricted area. Buck said. i
THE FAMILY ALBUM NOT THERE
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
THE DALLES, June 21. (AP) The
first grain field fire of the season In
this district was limited to 40 acres 1
of wheat as fire fighters battled a
blaze here Tuesday. The fire was b-'
Heved to have started from a cigarette
tossed from a passing automobile
Milwaukee department of health
records for. 1933 show that only
rhnaa hplH Ast da -ita V a 1 atrpA e m
twsen 05 and 75 against 24 biide
I grooms in this age group.
"WHAT I Vni) YeH- BUT DONTCHrV WORRV LADV"
TV nni iuy s-tm mc ut?i dcd xiii i c?c basis im a
FORGOT VOUR W . tTlFFV VA SEE WE GOT '
5 ! ivf) A-TAMDAPn rt-AtiOLIMP WITH (
I TPTgAgmVL UNSURPASSED
I
fcv TOOL?
CALLS WHERE 15 HIS
OLD 6RM SWEATER ?
wife sws rf5 in The
copt closet, she saw
it There This morjin&
WALK6 WTO COffCU&H
WALKS OOT A6R1H, fALLr
IN6 IT ISN'T 1HER
NOW, HE JUST 100KEP
Wirt maintains IT'S
iHERE IF HE'LL JUSTUS
HIS EVES. 60K IN
AND 100K& VA6DELY
ARoUNP
WIFE CALL If MIGHT BE
UNPER S0HETrllK6.
RUMS ONE HAND UNDER
HER RAIN COW
GIUVAS 1
cans rfposntony
isn't -There, he has
LOOKED HI6H AND LMl
WIFE Wlfri A S16H SPfrS
she'ii find tr. -reus
HER IT'S NO USE LD0WK6
MYvECClTftoy-f -
WIFE IMMEDISTELV
Finds sweater, wfcrf
ON MUTTERING. WELL. IT
WASNVf THERE WHO HE
WAS LD0WK6 R)R tT.
(Copyright, 1884, By Tha Ball Byndieata, W)
S MATTER POP
ES55
By 0. M. Payn
By Hal Forrest
GIRL SCOUTS LEAVE
10 COOK HOT CAKES
AT EUROPEAN MEET
' NEW YORK, Juna 81. (AP) With
a reclpa for buckwheat cakes, Amer
lean style, four girl scouts sailed to
day on the liner Manhattan for tha
annual International girl scout en
csmpment at Adelboden, Bwltterland.
They wore wooda green scout
dresses and hats. A troop of Nev
York girl ecouta saw them off.
Ahead of them are two weeks In
Switzerland, three days In Psrls and
threa In London beor tha return to
the United States.
"We want to see everything." eald
Margaret Davis, IT, a vivid, bron-
(ally Wettmlnlster Abbey and tha
Old Curiosity Shop."
Marguerite Minion of Firth, Idaho, I
small deeplte her 19 years, eald ehe I
new had been In a big city until j
aha saw New York on Monday. ' She '
looks forward to meeting girl scouts
In Switzerland. "
None of the girls had been on an
ocean liner before. j
They will cook buckwheat cakea'
aa their contribution to an Interna
tional girl scout dinner. They took
maple ayrup and popcorn with them.
PRESBfFlmrNSTSK
CLEAN FILMS, PEACE
WOOBTER. Ohio. June 31. (AP)
Resolution supporting the move
menta tor better and cleaner motion
pictures and for world peace were
adopted by tha Ohio Preebyterlan
eynod today.
Tha movie resolution commended
the stand taken by the Roman Cath-
olio church and It "Legion ot De-leancy
x "mwrf v,.ow mA,..A,,Ai -nKw
' -ou '-Particular A V'Tt icul-a-r! . ' soVooTRets., I 'Jf(FfLyy &f&i&A-r lei! Tl-irrl
I oPT-rfH.C-HlCiTE.kj y (See.- we. wamt TbS X, JL- ( 15 1 4 T J L4T 7 '
II TAILSPIN TOMMY The Fingerprint Theory Fails !
H SORRY, TOrHV. BUT jBi SOCIEHOtO I OUST CAN'T 1 1 RUT THEV FOUND BULLETS INUiHQE-VEft. BROKE IHTO t-l SEE., MP. OU68V
YOUR FINS6R.-' J! ,A a lv SEUEV DOCIS SUILTYi D(XISLA&' MACHINE SUN CUP-", THE HANSAR SWITCHEO T rr ' " uuu?: iiiaiHANK YOU
PRINT THEOR.Y mm&y Vm MR. OUSBY THAT I5- AFTER KE HMi AN AERIAL TME. CUPS-O0U6LA& .j-T- I Aj "OA TIME-
oinisi'T ri erio JrT i I v. JJ" -7 Kjrtr AcTtD ..-iuft-r cmci i.mtu i. mi wrM. ANr xc i.-ojnriNT uavp: u A.P 1 waaajBBKaaBi . U 1: I wrr
VOUR FRIEND, 1 il:TL HAPPENED IM DOUSLA& AMD U31LKIN& HADg,TO OO THAT-IF HET J HlhTllfril 11 I s ilKrMi
w&mi -s&3 "s" ir4iaafii wmsmwmih.mw i 'm-aRaa' rm that--to smtesssa. 1 " u- 1 : :
BEN WEBSTER S CAREER A Real Discovery .
M IM DE DAHKNESS, 1,11 HERE'S THE! Mat. TO SEE 'IM. CAP'N I nEEPQUIET ( DONE MAH FULL
MJSTAH BEN -VO SHO" K IMMMllM LADDER, SAM- fc'JMftf IKE HE WAS IN MOT! ABOUT wHAT ) DUTY IN CALLIN
BL 6W1NE SEE SUMP'N JIMMk i - 1 YOU'RE VJHm? THE DARKNESS-HE 1 NWEVE SEEN, DE INCIDENT TO
THE NEBB8 Not for Emma '
i ms. SLioea toud Me me?'1 kjfsver liwed A I anjo IP hecs comim' bc to L J f 1 GET A. SOOO SA.LA.R.V amo VOL) S
SOU MtXD SEPARATED FROM ) M.siraiTx l7f iS I MMftSE THIS PLACE, MERES OWE I kMOVJ WOLO 1 MATE TO SEE A 5ATUROAV
MIKJSJIE AMD WE DECIDED L a jm ?umpiot ' ( ME AlloV SOiM' TO MAMASE - MOT L-gg t-JISWT COftE AROUMD WITHOOT MO PAV
WE WAS COMIMG SftCK TO I TUAT bvfm !uf I THAT FELLER - WE COULD DIE ANJOA-tBS V BUT 6EPORE I'D UJORK FER MIM I'D RATWEI?!
-V MASJAG.B TME WCrTEL.VV DOSJ.T DESERVE V GO TO HEAVEM AkJO FIIOD ' ''elaiS 5TAV AT HOME AtoO L1STEAJ TO MV PAPBV I
afX. ucocx . FAULT WITH THE AkJGELS V TELL WMAT A. RICH MANJ HE'D BE IFng
V'
By Edwin Alger
By Sol Heu
BRINGING UP FATHER
LISTEN- 50NMV', I M
GONNA CilVE' vou
FIVE DOLLARS TO
CUT THE CRAW-
COTO IT
THAMKS, oao
VOUf?E FEELIMG
ALL RIGHT
AREN'T TOO?
1 ' . , n
5 - .J(l
4 if 'i 1,1
I ' '
THAT'LL. KEEP HIM
BUJSV ANI OUT OF
MI6CHIEF PER
AVHILE- T'A
worth p-ive
DOLLARS -
kt '
I'LL JUST CO AKJ
SEE HOW HE'S
GlTTIM' ALONG
WITH HIS WORK
AIN'T YOU
GONNA CL
THE GRAS?
By George McManiu
DONT BESILLV- I GOT
A GUV TO DO IT FOR
ONE DOLLAR oO I MACS.
FOUR DOLLARS FOR
MYSELF- CLEVER
DON'T YOU THINK?
('" ll
4 I9M. Kift fu ns $)fei(Mt. in. Ctm In
lilies