PAGE TEN
MEDFOKD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1937
the dark ships
DIFFICULT DECISIONS
STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX
For further proof addrau the author, lnelosinf tutnpad raTatopa for reply. R. V. 8. Ps. Oft
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
BY HULBCRT
FOOTMC
7i rl
Chap-or il
Janet Under Arrest
TAKING oft his boots, Weill crept
up the ladder, letting his weight
down gradually on each step. At
the top he peeped over the edge ot
me aecK. wo ngnu; nooody stir
ring.
He made his way softly aft over
. ine promenade aecK and around
. the stern. As on the previous oc-
casion, he leaped across from one
. vessel to anotner.
As Neill climbed to the boat deck
of the Lincoln he saw the regular
watchman's light over on the
' Monticello, and moving the other
way. 110 aanger irom mm at the
present. Neill hastened to the lit
tle door in the port engine shaft
that he and Janet had so often
used. Here a new obstacle faced
him. Staples had been bolted
through the steel door and its
frame, and a padlock put on.
How could he get in? Useless
to lower himself over the side
when the window was closed. It
couldn't be opened from the out
side, and he couldn't break it be
cause it was made of plate glass
tnicK enough to withstand high
seas. He and Janet had already
satisfied themselves that there'was
no other way into the vessel ex
cept by this little door.
The huge ventilators that served
the engine room gave him an
idea. Ho had seen the outlets when
he had been below. Each was
greater than the girth of a man,
and there was plenty of rope about.
He picked up a strong light line
and, fastening the end to the wheel
that turned the ventilator, let it
fall down inside. Climbing up on
the wheel he entered the mouth
of the steel tube and lowered him
self hand under hand.
He came out in the engine room,
He had no flashlight with him
now and had to strike matches in
order to find the bottom of the
steei stairway, unce he was
through the door that served the
engineers' quarters on deck, he
knew his way. The interior of the
snip was as black as a mine. Grop
ing his way through the galley, the
pantries and across the great
saloon, he ran up the stairway
to D deck, to C deck with his
heart in his mouth.
Outside the door of the royal
suite, his courage failed him and
he hesitated. When he tried the
door, it opened in his hands.
"Janet! Janet!" he whispered
.urgently.
Only silence.
He struck a match. The candles
were still there and he lighted one.
Janet was gone. Steeling his
nerves, he looked around and tried
to deduce what had happened.
The rooms were in disorder.
Everything that he had brought
her at dillerent times the rope
ladder, the bucket, the remains of
food and water was still there.
The boy's clothes lay in a heap
on the floor of her bedroom; her
own clothes were eone.
It was clear that the worst had
not happened. If she had made
way with herself, the window
would be open. She had either
liven herself up, as she had
threatened to do, or she had been
taken. Anyhow, the bolls on the
doors of the suite were all intact
and there was no evidence that a
struggle had occurred.
Immediately Neill's whole Idea
was to get out again. It was too
alow to null himself ud thrnuah
the ventilator. He ran up to B
aecK ana, uniasiening a window,
let himself out on the nrnmnnnH
It would make no difference now
if he left evidences of his visit
behind him.
On deck Neill thought of rous
ing Captain Bickel and demanding
iiuuiiiiuiiun, oui aecictea against
it. It was clear from the darkness
and silence enveloping the four
hips, that Janet was not being
acpi. uuuhio. ne got DacK to his
skifT without any alarm being
raised. Putting his back to the
oars, he rowed on down the river.
Those Hi.il... j ,.cix yeiung, out
no man within reach ventured to
lay hands on him. The door opened
behind him. He backed in and
closed it Virgil dropped a bar in
place.
Virgil's leathery face glistened
with sweat and excitement and
the cigar in his mouth was com
pletely disintegrated. "So it was
you!" he gasped. "It was you all
the timer
Neill couldn't stop for Virgil
then. Further back in the store he
saw the tall figure of Mark Bon
nicer leaning back against the
counter with his head lowered in
gloomy way. He was alone. It
was extraordinary to see the self
contained Bonnieer in an attitude
of dejection.
"Markl" said Neill.
Bonniger was electrified bv the
voice. "You! . . , tou!" he exclaimed.
In EDite of all he had nn hia
mind, Neill had to grin. "Whom
were you expecting?" he said.
Bonniger g lace exDressed a
world of amazement. "But I
thought Mattingly said . . ."
Mattingly told vou that I had
flown the coop. He was wrong."
"Well, I'm right glad to see you.
Not that I would blame a man for
trying to save himself. But to
abandon the girl! . . ."
"Where is she?" demanded Neill.
"What's going on?"
Bonniger jerked his head to
wards the little office at the back.
The door was open and voices
could be heard from inside.
"Wilson is trying to break her
down," Bonniger said, scowling.
"I couldn't face it. Not with a
woman . . , and a woman like
(hat! ... I reckon she hid a good
right to shoot him. Such a one
couldn't do it for money."
Neill's heart warmed towards
him. "How did you find her?
"Wilson and I have been keen
ing after Buckless. He's a stupid
brute, and we finally tripped him
up. Everything came out then.
Buckless said we would And the
girl in room 212 on the Abraham
Lincoln."
"Was there . . . any trouble?"
"No. Wilson knocked on the
door and told her it was the police
and she onened immerhatfilv.
Asked for time to put on her own
clothes, that was all . . . By God!
i aon t line tnis jooi"
"You know now what mv nart
in it was?" ventured Neill.
Bonniger shrugged. "Burkina
tried to Drotect vou. but I rnnlrl
guess it."
"I suppose you blame me for It?"
Bonniger refused to commit
himself, nut his glance was not al
together unfriendly. "Well, any
how, you are not a quitter," he
said grimly.
"Thanks," said Neill.
"Who Is This Man?"
TJE STARTED back for the of-
x x
The Crowd Threatens
REACHING the village, he tied
his craft to a wharf on the
river side and ran across to Long
cope's store. There was plenty of
excitement here. Though it was
nearly two o'clock, there was a
crowd around the porch, and more
coming every moment. Men were
calling to each other
"The girl has been found!"
"The hell you say! Where?"
"She was hidden on the big ships
111 the time!"
Anyhow, it was a relief to know
the was there.
Neill was recognized as he came
under the porch lights. "Here's
the fellow! Here's the fellow!"
they cried. A mutter of rage swept
over the crowd. Curses were flung
t Neill from out of the dark.
Those behind pushed forward and
the circle around him narrowed
dangerously. He put his hack
against the door and held them
with his eves.
"Well, what about it?" he snld.
flee. For a moment ha Dauspri
outside the door listening. He
heard Wilson ask in the rasping
voice of the cross-examiner:
"What man helped you?"
Janet quietly replied: "No man
helped me."
"Come now, we know there wai
a man in this. Who is he?"
"No man helped me," she re
peated. "Was it Ford Wheatley?"
"I don't know anybody by thai
name.
Who broke In the door of voni
cabin on the yacht?"
Mr. ianning.
"Did you shoot him?"
"No, I fainted."
"That's not true!" rasped Wilson
Neill could stand no mnr He
pushed his way in. Kettering, Ser
geant Wilson and Captain Bickel
were seated in three chairs againsl
the far wall with the desk pulled
around in front of them. This
gave the place the look of a little
courtroom. Janet stood facing the
judges. Her head was up. The
sight of her, so alone, so fragile
looking In the pink evening dress,
soiled and rumpled now, hurl
Neill like a stab. She was not
aware of his entrance. Constable
Forsythe stood behind her.
Wilson was evidently at a loss.
He scowled at the prisoner and
rubbed his lio. Then he tiirnoH tn
Kettering: "Mr. Kettering, vou're
an experienced cross-examiner.
See if you can make her talk."
Kettering smiled. "I don't IMnlr
it would be proper for me to inter
vene, sergennt. It's possible I mav
be called upon to take part In this
case. I feel the profoundest svm-
nnthv for thla vmmtf U nJ T
should be happy to serve as her
counsel, should she so desire."
janei! saw Neill aoftlv.
She Whirled arnunri anA nnrA
at him as at an enemv. "Who Is
this man?" she demanded of Forsythe.
Neill was staggered.
"Mr. Wheatlev." answered Mia
constable.
What right hai ha In mAr...
me like that?"
Janet'" cried Neill nanrnaM..
fullv.
I don t know wm M aM
looking him snuarely In the eye.
Neill anrovari M murderer, to
morrow.
CANADIAN APPLES
TO
Apple (trovers or British Columbia
who for the past few wara htve Iwn
making a conwrttxl etfort to errata
ft demand for their product In the
prairie provinces, and Mpoolally tn
Manitoba, have perfected plana for
conducting an advertising campaign,
accord Ins to a report to the depart
ment of commerce by H. M Dink
head, American commercial Attache,
Ottawa.
Expenaea of the campaign, which
will extend for a period of three
months, will be shared by the British
Columbia tree fruits board", tha Oka
nogan ahlppera, and the Jobbers, It
waa reported. The amount contrib
uted will be 110.000 which will in
elude funds for newspaper advertis
ing. Radio and poMera will also be
Utilized.
In addition to the ft 1 0,00 J furnish -d
by th growers, aiiipper and Job
hers, an additional 19.600 has been
appropriated by two large retail chain
grocery atorea In western Cinada, ac
cording to the report-
DEMOCRATS CALLED
10
PORTLAND, Oct. 31. (Spl.) A
call haa brn Isaiifd (or a meeting
01 orrgon Democrat at Portland.
October SO. to ontanlr a statewide
Democratic society or federation. The
session will conveno In weal aide W.
O. W. hall at 8 p. m.
Dr. R. M. Erwln. chairman of the
organlratlon commute, says the
movement, launched several months
alio, already has over 100 leaning
Democrata of the atate on the mem
berahlp roll. He announces that It
la proposed to form an organisation
statewide In membership, control and
lta activities.
Democrata of erry county ars in
vited to attend tha meeting.
33 To 33 ire
1rW It OfteN JAOliKfeP
lE'!- e-T
ftK fyooo auesfc. muoeo
1050 WWTeR, 175 coote,
Mm, &,ooo Botnes ofwmc.
or peer ttrtvtpiore
Of ICE HI
fcM Mo PACE WAS RUN
from New yorkTo phRfr . in m
ife wiKMef?(petowhV aveR" crossed trs ha,
to JbPfcH.CtfOSSED ASlb BMP EUROPE'
fiNP ftRRlVCP IM rftKw IN 170 VW.
New York to Parl By Auto
Imagine driving a mile In an auto
mobile of 1808 through anow up to
your wheel tops, across streams, along
railroad traoks and over rock-strewn,
bumpy stretches hardly worthy of
being called a road multiply that by
13,341 miles and you will have a mild
Idea of the trlD mada hv Thoma
'Speedway Flyer" In winning a New
York to Paris auto race more than
29 years ago.
Sponsored Jointly by an American
and a French newspaper, tha race
started on February 13. 1908 from
Times Square, New York City Six
cars roared off on the Journey, loaded
down with oxtra, gas and oil tanks,
spare parts, camping and cooking out
fits, picks, axes, shovels and guns.
Three of the entries were French, one
German, one Italian and one. the
'Speedway Flyer." American. Across
the country, beading for San Francis
co, the cars went with plana for the
route including a trip through Alaska,
across 8u miles or the Ice-covered
Bering Strait to Siberia, on through
Siberia to Europe and then Paris,
France.
One day out a French car was
forced to withdraw from the race
with a broken differential. A few
more days and another car was forced
to withdraw, well in the lead, the
American entry arrived In San Fran
cisco after 42 days, setting a new
cross-country record for winter driv
ing. On up to Alaska tbe "Speedway
Flyer" went, got as far as Fairbanks.
and turned back to Seattle, the route
for the race being changed with the
realization that tbe Bering Strait
route was Impassable.
Aboard a steamer, tbe car was
transported to Japan, then to Vladi
vostok, Siberia. Across tbe wastes ol
Siberia tbey battled, taking as .much
as a full day to get 10 miles. Or
July 31, 170 days after the start, tbe
"Speedway Flyer" rolled Into Paris,
winner of the race by a . margin of
28 days over the only other car to
complete the Journey, tbe German
car. During the trip, several chsnges
were made in the crew of the Amer
ican car. The only member who made
the full Journey was George Schuster,
mechanic and driver.
Tomorrow: The Civil War Submarine!
TriE CAPTAIH OF THE MlD6Efs OKI HIS WAV "tO A SAME ,
MEEtN6 UP WITH AM AUNt Wltri A lOLUPOP, IS "TORN
BPtWEEN HIS NAYURAL YEARNINGS AND MrS DESIRE TQ
LOOK LIKE A REAL 6RIDIR0N WARRIOR
10-15 (Copyright, 1987, "by Tha Bel Syndicate, too.)
WRUAMS
S 'MATTER POF
AMERICANS SAIL FOR
NINE-POWER PARLEY
NEW YORK, Oct. 21. (AP)
Stressing that the United States nas
"no commitments." Norman H. Da
vis, head of the American delegation
to the nine-power conference on the
Slno-Japanese conflict, sailed wltn
his delegation today on the United
States liner Wsshlngton.
The conference, called at tbe in
vitation of the Belgian government,
will begin October 30 at Brussels.
Toot and Be Darned
ORAZ. Austria. ( A P ) Special yel
low plates bearing the word "Taub-
stumm." meaning deaf and dumb,
have been put on bicycles of deaf
mutes by police here. The plates
show motorists It Is useless to sound
their horns. The regulation became
necessary because it is a Graz custom
to employ deaf persons to distribute
newspapers. I
By 0 M PAYNE
p"" (Leo-pa-edA -ALL ""V
rlk W lrTs Bell gyadlcaU. too )
TAHSPIN TOMMY Bentty Is Alarmed!
By HAL FORREST
T'OMMY AND BETTY
ARE TOW CONVINCED
THAT BENTLY MURDERED
HIS WIFE AN OLD
SCRAP BOOK, HIDDEN
IN THE ATTIC OF THE
DUDE RANCH, DILVULGED
THAT BENTLY HAD
IMPERSONATED WOMEN
ON THE STAGE SIX
years ago this
information, coupled
with the Clue 8
tommy discover sd
in bently'3, auto,
very definitely
ascertains the
man's guilt
917
THIS SCRAP
IS OUR MOST
IMPORTANT
EVIDENCE WE'VE
SOT TO HIDE ITl
""'"' W&fjafcS&Blll F"V IB WE PULLED AW1V TOr
T AREM'TWFl I QUICKLY IT waiLD ASfUlSF At
jSOIMG i HI3 SUSPICIONS AND HE'D 11
RIGHT TO K VjlAKE HIS GETAWAY. 'J
f IN A COUPLE
OF DAYS WELL
WORK UP AN
EXCUSE TO
LEAVE .
V
I FOLLOW "S
1WU, II IT I
WE MIGHT
PRETEND
WE'RE MOT
MAKING
ENOUGH MOM ET
ON THESE
PASSENGER
HOPS.'
BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Jason's Decision
' V i , i TV, ir-
AVIATOR SNOOPIN' IN MWHATf J
s. your AUToJ JtTyBplllllmHffflBgB
ri iair-Jt -1 1? ay
By EDWTN AT.QEH
7 f r k V) i NOW 1 OMOeR ,p 1 r5 Hty ve eoT " AU- waeato out ; mavcc i could play a lw -v.
AC pNHAT (6 HCAB.0- HOUL0 TCLL TH6 f IT'LL BE CASY FOR. 1H6 OOUTIUEUTAL 1 QAAAE -uTw SHOULOM'I ?lTO.yV
-t NsfS OH i WHAT A PACK OF d?f LAO, WIU ALL TO SOWlt THE NU6UET UWE.BUT J yL n? bTsOH7 WILL T!
-1" rcjEReup, S JrA ftftuieeo from J oaa6ThiJ i e'L 7---. " gTTj!'! Lijjy
TTTW vpnna im.....j n nn, laaaaaaa
By 80L
OUST TURKJEO TWEtSkSs lIIH 4 a SO "f&i OR. l W WIU ' 5VU.V APPLEBV GET OEALCXJslfl
IM QOVESM- BEAUTI FTJL -. LET'S SEX A. N-v DRESS TOR TUZL IcrDD, AMD W uun EDDlC5B7
"TDHERnAMCE TTMlS CZr AUJWILE - LETO MAKE IT ' Afifa
SE J WBs $wJ irytxrA,
RESB