PACT? TEN
MEDFOKD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OR EG ON,' THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1937.
the dark ships
BY HULBERT FOOTMIR
wigriri
SYNOPSIS: NeiU, a vouwj .
oral agent, findt hit beloved .'
locked in cabin on Pre:t
Tanning' yacht at Absalom
Harbor. With her are a gun an:
Fanning"! freshly shot body. NeiU
nidet her nearby in a disused
Uner, then joint Mark Bonniger,
Iceen local investigator, to keep
tab on developments. He thinks
Janet shot the fiathy swindler
until he learns a man wot hiding
on the yacht. Then he ruspects
Queer little Eyster, who hated
Fanning. Alto in the picture are
Kettering, a Baltimore lawyer
down to fith, and Ira Bucklea, a
.tough who trails NeiU. Bonniger
decides to search the darlc ships,
" asking Weill to help. Weill offers
. M excuse to breik away.
Chapter 29
We Are Trapped I
"yOU don't mind rowing your-
self ashore, do you?" Bon
niger asked. "I don't want to take
another man off the job."
"Sure, that's all right," NeiU as
anted. "Take one of the can and get
back as quick as you can."
Meanwhile Captain Bickel had
unlocked a cabin door and the
search party passed into the Mont
morenci. Nelll turned the other
way. The constable guarding the
' first gangway spoke to him as he
came over.
"Are you leaving us?"
1 "Got to go to the village," said
NeiU casually. "Back in an hour."
This man's beat was back and
forth across the forward deck of
the Montpelier so that he could
watch the gangway on one side
and the ladder on the other. He
leaned over the rail watching
, while NeiU ran down the ladder
and cast off a skiff.
Nelll headed for the shore. There
was fresh southerly breeze to.
night which capped the whole sur.
(ace of the water with a gentle
phosphorescence. This helped
neui in one way, ninaerea mm in
nofher. Amidst the general phos
phorescence the dip of his oars
could not be distinguished; but on
the other hand he realized that the
akirr itself must be silhouetted
against the faintly luminous water.
He went all the way to the land
big. Satisfied then that he was out
of sight, he rowed up river keep
ing close to the beach for a hun
dred yards or so, and headed back
for the stern of the Montpelier. If
the man on the after bridge caught
light of him it was all up.
He gained the shadow of the
averhanging stern without any
alarm being raised. Keeping as
close as possible to the vessel, he
rowed on around the bow of the
Montmorenci and into the narrow
ipace between the second and the
third ships. It was like a chasm be
tween the towering walls of steel,
with a narrow slit of the night sky
showing overhead.
He had chosen to board the
Montmorenci because the two out
r vessels were of a newer style
ef construction, built so high he
eould not hope to climb to the
deck. The Montmorenci had two
promenade decks and he thought
be could make the lower one.
Amidships only about four feet
separated the two vessels. He soft
ly took in his oars, and pushed
himself along with his hands. At
Intervals heavy square cribs of
Umber had been lowered between
the vessels to keen them from
chafing. NeiU tied his skiff to one
of these, and climbed upon it By
the aid of one of the ropes sus
pending It from above, he hauled
himself up to the promenade deck,
and crouched under the rail, lis
tening. The Alarm Goes Up
ALL was still. Alongside ran the
smooth steel hull of the Co
lumbia with a row of dark port
holes. Her promenade was some 10
feet higher. There were 11 men
itattoned about the decks of the
vessels but NeiU had the advan
tage of knowing where each was
placed. At the moment he was safe
under cover of the promenade, but
he would have to expose himself
when he leaped over to the Co
lumbia, and again from the Co
lumbia to the Abraham Lincoln.
Aft of where he crouched, he
eould see a faint radiance issuing
from the windows opening on
deck. It came and went. This
would be the searching party in
side the ship. He crept to a ladder
and ascended to the upper prom
enade. He was now on a level with
the Columbia's promenade. Be
tween four and Ave feet separated
rail from rail. He took off his boots
and hung them around his neck.
He made the first leap in safety
and ran noiselessly aft along the
promenade of the Columbia and
around her stern. A roof overhead
shielded him from the observa
tion of the watcher on the after
bridge. The promenade deck of the
Abraham Lincoln alongside was
on the same level.
At NeiU made his second leap
a surprised voice from above rang
out: '"Heyl What's that? Haiti" and
the light of a flash struck down
between the vessels.
The flash didn't pick him up. He
ran forward on the promenade
you
a deer. (The Uncu,n ai
nting upstream). To get around
e bow, he had to expose himsell
.j the watcher above, out this man
.-.ad been drawn aft by the cry ol
alarm and NeiU was not seen.
The men on the different ship.'
were shouting back and forth to
each other, and NeiU could heai
running feet converging on the
Lincoln. He worked with feverish
haste. First to count windows on
the promenade; 12 from the bow
There was plenty of rope. He un
rolled a coil and tied it in a slip
knot to a stanchion opposite the
twelfth window, letting both ends
hang overboard.
He lowered himself over the
rail. His calculations were right:
he came down opposite the open
window of the veranda outside
Janet's suite. Swinging his legs In
side, he caught hold of the top ol
the frame and dropped to the deck
The suite was dark, but he was
aware of Janet's presence. He
heard her catch her breath in mor
tal fear, and snatch up the gun.
"Jen!" he whispered. 'It's me.
NeiU!"
A shuddering breath escaped hei
and the gun dropped to the floor.
NeiU jerked the rope, bringing it
free above, and let the whole thing
fall in the river. The tide would
carry it away. He caught Janet in
his arms and held her close.
'There's Always A Way'
OH, N-NEILLI" she stuttered,
trying to laugh. "I thought
they had mel ... I thought they
had mel"
"It's all right, Honey."
"Why did you come that way?"
"I had no choice. Thev are
searching the ships."
searching the ships!"
He laughed to reassure her. "I'm
one of the searching party!"
un, new!"
"It's all right! We'll fool them
yet!"
She clung to him silently. Aftei
a moment she murmured, speak
ing with difficulty: "No! . . . You
must go back to them, NeiU!"
"What!"
"When I am found you must
make out that you never saw me
before."
He laughed, rubbing his cheek
In her hair. "Don't be foolish!"
"I mean it, NeiU I There is nc
need for you to be drawn into it
You can help me more if you are
free and unsuspected."
"I m not going to leave
We're in this togetherl"
UU, 4, Oil . . .1
"Listen! Let's see If we can't
dope out what they're up to."
ne arew ner out on me veranda
and they stood listenine at the
open window. In the intense still
ness, voices came drifting down
from the boat deck. They distin
guished Bonniger's voice.
"You say you saw somebody
aboard this vessel?"
"I saw something, Mr. Bonniger
A shadow, like, flitting across from
rail to rail. When I turned my light
that way, it was gone."
Somebody else said: "I heard n
splash."
"We'll search this vpmpI " xaiH
Bonniger.
"If he was On deck he couldn't
get down below," put in Bickel.
"There is always a way, captain.
I have already found one unlocked
door, yonder. It leads into the en
gine room."
I here was a silence while Bickel
presumably examined the door.
''Well, I'll be darned!" he said. "I'll
rope this uo riant now. If he wen:
down here he can't get out again.'
"Forsythe," said Bonniger, "g.
back to the Montmorenci anci
bring over tru- rest of the searcl
party. You men who are posted on
deck, go back to your stations and
keep a sharp lookout."
The voices moved away out ol
hearing.
"We are trapped!" murmured
Janet.
"As Bonniger says, "there is al
ways a way, said NeiU with more
confidence than he felt.
"Let us go down the rope ladder
and swim for it."
"Useless, Honey. The ladder
would be found and we wouldn't
get far."
"Then let us give ourselves up
and be done with it. What's the
use of prolonging the agony?"
"Nor
"Have you any plan?"
"Wait! I'm not going to give up
until I am forced to. . . . Quick!
We've got to clean up this cabin.
We must leave It looking exactly
as we found it."
He snapped on the flashlight and
laid it on the floor. He closed the
windows on the veranda and the
French windows, and they set
about gathering up everything
they had brought into the suite:
ropes, bucket, spare clothes. The
remains of the food and water
were put in the bread box. It made
a considerable load to divide be
tween them.
When they were ready, Nelll
unbolted all the doors giving on
the corridor as they had been
when they came. They stole out,
carrying their belongings.
(CmiH, Hit, h Hmltwrt SaM
Janet and Nelll play hide and seek
with the searchers, tomorrow.
1
WASHINGTON. Oct. 7. (API
Army engineer! said today they will
aak the budget Bureau to Include
1130.000 in the nest war department
civil functions appropriations bill for
the conttructlnn of Mwe.il at
Crescent City, Calif.
The project. Involving construction
of a rubble mound sand barrier from
Whaler rock to the easterly shore of
the harbor, has congressional ap
proval. However, It must wait Its turn,
and army engineer eeld "budget
limitations" might force II out of
lb aWtoprauoM UU next Jou.
VETERINARY EXAMINER
GIVEN REAPPOINTMENT
SALEM. Oct. 7. (AP, John T.
Rankin, Astoria, tortpv was imp
pointtxj by Oovrrnor CharlfB H. Mar
tin member of tn stAt veterinary
medic examiner board. He will
serv until July 33. 1941.
Dr. A. O. Paddock, la Grande, m-a
appointed a member of the board to
succeed Dr. W. H. Lytle. now at the
hrad of the enlniaj hunbawtry ritvi
Blon of the state agricultural depart
ment. Dr. B. T. Blmt, Oregon But col
ten, aucceeda Dr. C. H. 9ft grave of
Oregon City.
Indict (iarr Itrnlhera.
SHELBYV1IXE.' Ky.. Oct. 7. (AP)
The Oarr Brother, Roy, Jack and
Dr. B. 8.. were charjtM with wilful
murder ol Brls. Oen. Ilrnry H. On
hard t in an Indictment here late
today by the Shelby county arena
STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX
For farther proof addreae the author, taeloalnf a stamped envelop for reply. Bee. TJ. 8. Pat Off.
THE WORLD AT ITS WORST
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
Lucky eisveN
tlTrt month or
i.e4 K n i I A K rv.
trwteiue tun &mt
cjtWSWlRc3 fVSMN UHTU.1i
21 ioiAiMM
i in sn't ar r r irtii-' fi f
, I I I - -
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LWQ.
9 .."'.vr
Strange Nohnra.
A land of strange contrasts U the
"Mighty Sahara" of northern Africa.
Covering an area of some 3,300.000
square miles, nearly equal In size to
Europe, It la not. as popularly sup
posed, a vast "sea of sand."
Actually, more than half the sur
face of the Sahara la composed of
Jutting rocky plateaus, reaching from
above the 1,000-foot line to an alti
tude of 8.800 feot In tho volcanic cone
of Tusldde. Mnny of the hlghsr des
ert peaks ore crested with snow dur
ing the winter months.
The lower reaches of the desert are
covered by vast stretches of sand that
piles Into shifting dunos higher than
the Washington monument. The 8a-
MORS fwCn vURrnCc ilihn SfiND,,
WDDie Of"fle f3REPT tTTiESr
ZNOW-COVBREP MOUNTHNS
hara Is crossed by the Great Rift val
ley, the longest valley In the world,
which stretches nearly 5.000 mile
from one end of Africa to the other.
One section In the Sahara dips to
100 feet below eea levell
The sands of Sahara, once thought
to be on marine origin, are now
known to be otherwise. Scientists
have learned that the sands were de
posited In the Quartenary geological
period, long after the last recorded
marine transgression of pre-tortlary
time. It Is believed that they are
the product of changing meteorolog
ical conditions which accompanied
the retreat of Europe's great tee-cap
toward the end of the Ice age. Tho
Sahara changed from a moist, trop
ical region to one of dry winds and
Intense heat that left its soil to the
elements.
Mystery will.
"To my wife. If she be living with
me at the time of my death, I be
queath all my monies, stock and
Jewelry, my automobile and house
hold effects."
Three weeks before he died. June
7, 1037. Monroe Owsley, Hollywood
screen actor, drew a will that In
cluded this paragraph. Yet, strange
as It seems, his "wife" did not claim
his effects, because Owsley never had
married 1 If tho "phintom bride"
was a real person In Owsley's mind,
her Identity remains a mystery.
lo-l
AFTER 1YTH6 UNCOMFORTABLY OH VOUR
STOMACH UNDER fHC F6R HALF AN'
HOUR V01) DISCOVER TftPfTTME REST" OF
The hide-ant- seek plavers have sot
tired of the 6am e and have 60ne
off somewhere
(OopTrlght, 1937, by The Bell Byadlcata, Ine.)
VuiUlrXfTS
3 MATTER POf
By 0 M PAYNE
Tomorrow: Kurope's "Mass .thill-cntlon."
Girl Shoots Suitor,
Suicides In Quarrel
EMMETT. Ida. Oct. 7. (API With
a bullet In her suitors' back and an
other through her own heart. 15-year-od
Anna Jean Phlpps ended a
romance that blo.ssomed for a year,
authorities mild today.
Mlae Phlppe, preety daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. William J. Phlpps of Em
met I died with a bullet through her
heart. Audle RObrett, 31, of Kansas
City. Mo., was taken to a Boise hos
pital where physicians termed hla
condition favorable.
Coroner Merle Bucknum said the
shooting occurred late last night near
Ola, In western Idaho.
"Prom all we can gather." he said,
"the two went for a ride. Apparently
they quarrelled.
SINGAPORE, Strait Settlement.
Oct. 7. (API Three members of the
crew of a K. L. M. Royal Dutch Air
ways plane and one passenger were
killed today when the craft crashed
near Pnlembang, Sumatra,
TAILSPIN TOMMY Tommy Concerned About Betty-Lou!
ff b i VSjr'a3! Bsj. (Copyright, 1W7, by The Bell Syndicate, Inc.) A
it is night at the
bemtly dude
ranch... and the
re6ular week- end
dance is being
meld. .tommy and
betty-lou have
managed to get
into the good gmces
of bentiy especially
the pretty girl
pilot, much to the
obvious jealousy
op rita duval .
as the scene now
opens , we see
tommy and his
sweetheart dancima
' 2935
Bv HAL FORRJ,0
AThV-N ;HNmTE0H,M l f .TLL 1 ' Jl ito'HAPs' E'LL-Iirl 17 BEmT
j
BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Great Expectations?
By ED WIN ALGER
THE NEBBS
H m, MP., y RAV.6. I'VE. r-ff 4 1 HOW PIP TO BE PERFECTLY "SI II I JASOM JOH6. TMfc -SI U 0H, BUT.MI&TtB. U WHaVre YOU- fc
6Eer,E!k YWE r M- l T y THEV OOUTfiJ aMOUWT 0F FREIGHT WE T YJt&WER, YOU'LL OOIVJG, W00IVJ6 P
MU&GET HUE- J MISTER. 1 n 1 LOOK VERY 6OO0 - L CARRY IS HARDLY EW0U6H R "500U CHAKi6E THIUflS.' I 7 ME? JL-J
V4E65TER- j T0 EPENESW '
Stranger to Me
?AV BOUCE DO VOU - ?'V7'; ' iF 1X5 PUMMV. WE W&D OTHEK 'i.'jT vMT MDENOU "tf WO,l MELVEIR
f" E.VE1R. MEET A FELLER ffitf'Jy?-- W PEOPLE ASK ME TUE SAME ? f ASK TWAT OUEStlONJ, MET HIM. 1 NrlYEQ
BV TUE NAME OP JOMM J ' ''i' , QUESTlONsI TMEV SAV ME LOOkT5 Zlr'Z SWEET HEART- DlO VOU SEED UlM KJElTHER
IlKJIBROC TUEV CALLEO I r-:':: U MV TW1M AMD 1 S MEET HIM AMD WAS ..M5. ME65 ASKED
HIM DAtOCrV MIBROC J lW I UMOEQSTAN4D HE'S A 1 HE BRAG&'NJe 4 ME TO ASK YOU
By SOt HESS