PAGE TEN
MEDFORD. MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD. OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER V,, mi.
By VICTOR BRIDCES
BYSOrnl8: Nichola Trench
ha been acquitted of the murder
of John Oeborne, hat almoet been
murdered hlmeeif, and hae fotned
foroee with a perfectly etranoe
girl named Molly O'Brien, alt within
IB houre. For It develop that Oe
borne had etolen a formula worth
mtlltone, and that it belonge to
Molly, and that the men who eet
upon Nicholas aleo want to find the
formula. Sow Nicholas' friend,
Jerry Mordnunt, has arrived and
ieen preeented to Molly,
Chapter 15
NICK'S STORY
WITH that delightful half grave,
half mlscblevoui smile of hers.
Molly roie from her chair. "I am
glad to meet you," the aald simply.
"I know you must be very nice or
Kick wouldn't be so fond of you."
Jerry achieved a highly creditable
bow, and then straightening him
self, looked at her admiringly.
"You'll forgive my being a bit
dated," he remarked, "but you see
I wasn't exactly expecting a party."
"Molly's not a party," 1 explained:
"she's more In the nature of an ac
cident" 1 pulled up a chair. "Sit
down, Jerry," 1 added. "You're go
ing to listen to tbe most amazing
yarn you've ever heard, but that's
bo reason why you shouldn't be com
fortable." "The difficulty," I added, looking
from one to the other of them, "Is
that I'm banged If I know where to
begin."
"I want to hear aa much as I can.'
Jerry thrust his hands Into bis
pockets and stretched out bis long
legs; "At present all 1 know Is what
1 saw In the papers last night and
tbls morning. I've read the Judge's
summing up, but outside of that I'm
absolutely In the dark about tbe
whola business. You start right at
the beginning and tell me everything."
1 reflected for a moment. "The
beginning," I said, "was when 1 ran
Into Osborne In VUllera Street, it
was lata one night, about a week
after you'd gone away, and I'd been
dining with a pal of mine at the
Savage Club. On my way to Char
ing Cross I saw a chap standing
under a lamp-post lighting a clgaret.
I thought bis face was familiar and
when I got up close 1 recognised
him at once. Except for looking a
little older he hadn't altered In the
least. You remember wbat he waa
like a tall thin bird with a tight
mouth and very black eyes."
Jerry nodded. "I remember him
perfectly. Bit ot a dab In the stinks
line, wasn't he always messing
bout with test-tubes and Runsen
burners?"
"That's the man," 1 said. "We
were never particular pals, but I
used to play him at golf sometimes,
and you know how It la when you
come across anyone you were In
school with. Ot course I atopped to
have a chat, and In tbe end we went
along together by the same train as
far as Tottenham Court Road.
"He didn't talk much about him
self. Said he'd been out In the
Slates for some years and was back
here on a holiday. He asked me If
I kept up with any ot tbe old crowd,
and 1 told him I saw a good deal of
you and that we did a bit ot sailing
together in the summer.
"HEN
''him n
we said good-bye, I gave
' him my address and invited
Jitm to look me up. I heard nothing
more of him tor three or tour days;
then one afternoon he sent me a note
trom some house in Holland Park
asking ma it I'd come round and see
blm that evening.
"1 wasn't keen about it, hut hav
ing nothing special to do I thought
I might as well go. Well, after I'd
bad some grub I walked across tbe
Park as far aa Portland Road. It
came on to rain then, so I took a taxi.
I must have got to his place Just
about nine o'clock. It waa a small
house with a front garden to It, and
when 1 rang the bell he opened tbe
door himself. I could see at once
that he waa aa Jumpy as a cat."
"How do you meant" asked Jerry.
"All on edge," 1 explained, "keep
ing himself In like a man who's
frightened and doesn't want to show
It. He took me along to his study
and gave me a drink, and tor some
time wa sat there talking about old
days, and tbe fellows we used to
know and all that kind ot thing.
"Then at last he came to the point.
He told me that be waa anxious to
buy a boat, and aa I knew a little
about sailing, he thought that per
haps I wouldn't mind giving blm my
help and advice. Ot course, tbe first
question 1 asked him waa wbat kind
of a boat be was looking tor.
"He said be wanted one in which
it would be aafe to cross the Channel,
and one which, at the same time, two
men could handle mora or less com
fortably. Something about twelve
or fourteen tons, with an auxiliary
engine. Now, as It happened, I
knew that there was a yawl ot ex
actly that type for sale at Bright
Ungues, The price was three
hundred and fifty, and tor a man
who could afford It she waa well
worth the money.
"I gave him the particulars, and
then he asked me as a great favor
whether I'd go down there myself.
Ox the thing up atralgbt away, and
And htm a paid hand who would sign
on tor a trip to tbe other side.
"It struck me aa an odd sort of re
quest to make and 1 began to wonder
whether he'd been doing something
Ashy, and wanted to sneak off out
of tbe country. However, that wasn't
exactly my business. After all
Here's nothing Illegal In buying a
y,icnt for a man, and, he seemed to
be in sucb a atate ot nerves and so
desperately anxious for me to say
yes, that In the end, like a tool, I
agreed to act for him.
"He lugged out Ave hundred
pounds there and then. Of course,
I didn't want the responsibility ot
carting about all that money, but bs
absolutely Insisted on my taking It.
He said that 1 should be able to put
the deal through much quicker If I
paid In cash, and that after I'd de
ducted my own expense I could send
him back the rest.
"ITELL, that waa that, so to
' ' apeak. 1 came back here,
and next morning I took tbe first
train down to Brlghtllngsea. The
owner of the yawl was a very decent
fellow; be let me examine ber thor
oughly and I could see that she was
in Brut-class condition. I made blm
an offer of three hundred, and after
a bit of arguing we closed the deal at
three twenty-live.
"I'd Just got out tbe money to pay
him we were in the local pub at tbe
time splitting; a half-bottle when
the door opened and the police
walked in and arrested me. I was
so staggered I never even drank my
fliz."
"It must have been a bit of a
shock," said Jerry. "Still there'a
no excuse for such carolessness aa
that." He began rummaging In his
side pocket tor a pipe.
"How had they got on to you so
quick!"
"It all came out at the trial," I ex
plained. "They'd found my name
and address on Osborne's blotting
pad; that note he'd sent me must
have been the last thing he'd writ
ten, and then the tail man who'd
picked me up came forward at once
and Identified me by my photograph.
"Ot course, they'd no real evi
dence against me up till then; what
did the trick were tbose infernal
notes. Osborne bad drawn tbem out
ot tbe bank that morning, and there
I waa wltb the whole packet actually
In my hand."
"But bang It all, you'd a perfectly
good explanation!"
"It didn't seem to cut any Ice with
the magistrate or the coroner's
Jury," I observed bitterly. "Old
Cresswell did bis best but be couldn't
even get me out on ball. I was flung
Into a dungeon cell for three weeks,
and then hauled out last Monday
and charged with being a bloody
minded assassin."
Jerry began to laugh.' "Sorry to
appear unsympathetic, but aomehow
or other the whole thing seems so
deucedly tunny. Why, one's only got
to look at you to see tbat you're the
most good-natured chump in Eur
ope." ,
"Thank you, Jerry," I laid. "Un
fortunately tbe British law Isn't
run on those sound psychological
lines. As a matter ot fact, they put
up quite a good case against me.
Suggested that my story was all
bunk that I'd had a row wltb
Osborne, bashed him on the head
and then pinched the money out of
his safe. I tell you, It was touch and
go at one time. If Barrett hadn't
made such a corking fine speech I
believe the Idiots would have
banged me."
(Copyright, IflJJ, Venn Publishing Co.)
Tomorrow, the "ByndlcaU" otti
another mimbir, t
Y PROBES BY
NEXTJGONGRESS
'Smelling Committees' Ga
lore On Capitol Hill These
Days Munitions Query
"Tops Present Interest
Br HKRBKKT PLl'MMKR .
WASHINGTON. fp) "Smelling
committees" the term applied to
congressional Investigations In th-5
post-world war years are being out
done In numbers on capltol hill the.se
days.
Probably at no time In the nation's
history has the government shown
such curiosity about so many differ
ent things aa It Is showing at present
No fewer than 11 separate Investi
gations are either now being con
ducted or authorized by the senate
nlone. And the house has Its share
as well.
Topping the list at the moment In
point of Interest Is the Investigation
of the munitions Industry being con
ducted by a committee headed bj
Senator Nye of North Dakota. Tils
Inquiry may be prolonged indefinite
ly. Nye Is prepared to go before tne
senate In the coming congress and
request more money to continue the
Investigation.
Mall Contracts Scanned.
Airmail and ocean mall contracts
have been scanned thoroughly by the
senate, and further probing of tlw
latter Is to be held. In addition the
postofflce department is looking Into
Its own mall contracts, which may
result In liner cancellations or modi
fications, and the Interstate com
merce commission U endeavoring to
find out whether existing airmail
contract rates are fair and reasonable.
The senate's investigation of crime
and criminal practices Is to be re
sumed shortly.
Bankruptcy and receivership prac
tice axe due for an airing.
Senator Byrnes of South Carolina
shortly will lead the members of hla
special committee Into an Investiga
tion of senatorial campaign expendi
tures in Tennesee, New Mexico and
possibly Pennsylvania.
The Philippine Islands are also due
for a periodic scrutiny by the senate.
There May Be More.
A senate Investigation of PER A, as
a result of charges by Senator Borah
of Idaho, appears certain.
The house Is as busy with Its In
vestigations as the senate.
A committee Is busy at work In
quiring Into un-American practices
In this country. Profiteering In war
department contracts are being In
vestigated as well as veterans' guard
ianship practices, the tin Industry,
civil service and alleged abuses In
real estate and bondholders' reorgs
nlzatlons. A sub-committee of the house ways
and means committee has been at
work for months In an attempt to
find a way to get more money for the
treasury without slowing up recoveiy.
These are only a few. The presi
dent has hla own agencies at work
Investigating end seeking Informa
tion for him. Various department
of the government are doing the same
thing.
Hundreds of thousands of dollar
have been spent. Prospects are that
the coming congress will Increase the
number of Investigations. - -
MONTANA, YIELDS
f FOR PAINT
BETWEEN MEALS
SIDNEY, Mont (UP) From the
steaming, tepid fields of the tropics
has come Montana's newest crop
saf flower.
Because the saf flower yields an
oil valued highly in manufacture of
paints and varnishes, and because
It appears to thrive In soil and
climatic conditions of the northwest
wheat belt, agricultural experts pre- 1
diet a bright future for It.
Alfred R eh be in. a painstaking
farmer near Lambert, pioneered de
velopment of safflower growing In
the United States and this yesr ship
ped four carloads of the seeds to a
Milwaukee paint company.
Safflower oil has proved unusu
ally satisfactory In drying oils, has
many characteristics of linseed oil,
and Is superior to the latter In many
respects.
The U. S. bureau of plant Industry
has been studying Rehbein's experi
ment with Interest and now proposes
to encourage safflower growing wher
ever feasible in this country. It Is
reported.
Cash value of the crop depends
upon prices paid for paints and var
nishes, and for safflower cake, which.
It Is believed, will make a satisfac
tory cattle feed.
Substantial production of safflower
may fill the gap between present
production and consumption of lin
seed oil and would not compete with
U. 8. flax production. Inasmuch as
about half of the latter cil used
in this country . Is Imported.
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
(SMYAS
is Told ft$ Nt use twite
FOR SoMffUlKfi 16 EAT;
HE!S BEEN UrTOER THE
WEKfrlER AND HE CMSfNf
W BFtWEEN MEAL'S
SlMkS 6100MI1V 76WW
o)J BACK S-foDP, WON
KHWb HOW MUCH L6KR
if 15 UrtflL SUPPER
MOVES OFT, F1NDIK6 1H
AROMA OF BAWK6 ?)$
MORETftAN HECArJ
BEAR.
MEEfS frZ Wff CHILD
MUNCH1N6 COOKIES.
WATCHES HER WITH PAIrJfW
LOOK, THEN HURRIES Off
60ES OVER To EDDIE SO:
ZER'S Blrf FINDS HIM
HELPIK6 HIS MOTHER. "
LEAVE'S ABRliPflV
RUriS INfo THE LITTLE
BEMIS BOV, NOISILY
EATlrJ6 A LAR&E REP
APPLE
1
Turns for home, re-
RECliNS HE'S NEVER-'
SHELLED 50 MAtWTlMP1iN6
ODORS STEALW6 FROM
KICHEK W1WD0WS
FUH65 HIMSELF ON BED
AKO HA5 A FAIRLY GOOD
Time mNRiN what he
WILL PD 10 SUPPER WHEr)
The time toes come
2-J3.
(Copyright, 1934. by Tie BtH Syndicate, Inc.)
S MATTER PO,P
Bv C H Payna
E
NEW YORK. Dec. IS. (T, TH
deaths of Dr, Harmon Smith, 8i
throat specialist, and Ms wlf. weru
Investigated today to determine a mo
tive for what police called murder
and suicide.
The bodies were found in the lib
rary of their 62nd street home where
Dr. Smith had a collection of hunt
Ing knives end other weannn. m,r
Smith's throat had been slashed oy
an eight-Inch hunting knife. Her
husband was found with a dagger n
his bared breast. No note wer
found, but the police said It
evident Dr Smith had killed his wifr
snd then himself
Dr. Smith waa surgeon-director t
me ni:tnuaiian eye ana ear nospii4t.
And was a former president of tn
American LaryngoloKical sssoclatl -u
Mrs Smith was the doctor's second
wife She was the former Janet Wfi
lUms ot 8a il Diego, Csl.
Captain William Sidney Fltchett
70-year-old tugboat master of Nor
folk Va . has rtorked more than
000 ships of all nationalities during
his loutf a j vice, hla tmplojcra say.
MEAL WORM DIET
MIGHT HELP MAN
WARHtNOTON. Dec. IS i,V) A I
diet of mewl worms might help cure
human sllmenta. At least they ought
to be givd for human, for they've
restored many a slcWy animal in the
National Zoological park here to
health, says Ernest P. Walker, assist
ant director.
He suggests dtetictani might levn
a goM defll about whats gov) tor
humans by studvtn the diets fouivl
ood for boo animals. Although the
meal worms aren't found on human
menu cards, they seem to cont itn '
something of considerable aiue a
nourishment, for animals thrive on
them. i
Meal worms are the larvae of a
beetle that sometimes infest meal
and flour. They don't look any .mere
repulsive than many other foM
which many human eat with rellaY
Walker says. ,
4
Traffic Judge c. B Pox fined U-
torney Frederick Uubovsky t) M.n
on six parking notation tags and
pave him a suspended sentence on
21 others In Oakland. Cal. One ir
was for double parking and the other
16 lor overtime paijuuf.
-
c4er )( 4.. ) ( n f TSo-rtf J ,!
liif-H WiftP S BiSr '-JkS ! jc Sflgi5l) ' (CPy"gfrt, by T Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
TAILSPIN TOMMY The Persistent Pilot 1 By Ha Forrest
3 E kl4i
- . ' i 1 irga----"wffr, r,j r iisva
BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER All About Willie .. r, snwm m.GER
' wiu-ie puttv vw ivte . f ' pon my honor., I'm not, EiiS Y AfJD swR"r to rub A , ( peocv screwed and looked at ) I
Cine-iT W8Y VOO EVER LfllO ..A ( ONHV OU HEmR ME OUT 5 15 HlMt WITH WHffT AWE THOUGHT WW J THE BOTTLB-SHE'D GOT THE WRONG 1 I
eve? ON, MM.' BUTHewA I 'I OH THW-PEOGV PUTTY WA4 lS2T3 11 MEDICATEP OIL-HE W A LITTLE ONE-5HE1D GOT PETER PUTTY' BALD t I
-iHAVIN' RECULORLY BVTHeTWl I A OOTIN MOTHER, IF EVER Hf I ' OFTmkEETHEN-WELL.THE I I HEADcP MECTCINE, AND THE OEED WBS
H6 WA-i N YeAR OLO- Mty TWERE WA4 ONE BUT ONE W I NEiCT MORNIN TWERE WAS I I DONE-BCN I'M 71riUN' I
Q-j NlWre l!
THE NEBBS Cawn t Be Bothered - 1 :s,
i, 1 1 hi ,. -
SOU MvetO'T CALLEoXi kk10x) I HELLO, MRS. ME1X, . OK, wELLO IT'S WICE. v AsxE CA.UJSJT BE BUSHED-
MBS. MEIT VET. DOM'T X-OULO BUT IT5 THIS,' IS FAWMV ME58. OP VDU TO --AU BUT SME5 30IKJ3 TO BE ISJ MER ROOM
VOU UliMK VOU OUSHT AW ORDEAL 1 VD LIKE TO SEE YOU.. ) ( CONJT RUSH ME -TM WOT fOR, A, FEW CAVS AluO THESE
V. TO?. SHE'S VISITIKJ& DRe&D YLL GIVE VUOMT VOU OOINJ FEELIM& tOELL V 3HA.VAJAJTJ 1 WAg FROST NJ THE RECEIVER, IVHEK I
mere y "ER R.ja . us for dikjjerJL leave mv room for a , uu-ia up vnjd i hadto put J
-rjr n Vri.ut A.UJA.V . Vew dw.wmjw V aw ice bas om mv ear. to
I W--l 1 -1AJ ,V y. I VW l -r"!1'--' I' 'gifeA V-V-l, J Mmii.v,
I BRIN0IN0 DP FATHER By Oenme Mnajnnl
I FROM MAC<,c T 1 1 WILL VOU STOO f ALL RlGHT! BUT Ju' If VELL- HE DlDNT ( " ' '' M HE ADMITS HE'S GOT ' EM 1
Uv BROTHER'." WELL. THE- M HOLLERING ? GOT A LETTER FROM STEALTHEH- I I , t W HE HA, THE NERVE
in THIS "i ABOUT THE LIMIT' C3 ' TO FRIGHTEN 1 HE TOOK MV EST ADMITS HE HA VI J I vSC. . HiM Tur vMTl J
& A " BEL'EVE IT OR NOT" FER LITTLE J COAT AN' PANT'S J THEMHE PROPALV I I. 1 - lrtvi , ,
lit NERVE!'.! , r ' -OAPHNfc'V WHEN HE WiNT V TOOK THEM BVJV f K IC
r-U(UI ffF: ,P il