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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 1938)
PAGE ETC ITT urEDFOTtp matl TRfBrrsrE, mepfok n, Oregon. Tuesday, September 6, 1938. X SALTMARSH The Characters But o Sum, handtomt author, living on the French Riviera. Archie Lamsden, myttlt, Hu go'! friend. Rent Geiss, singularly un pleasant cartoonist. reeterdsyi the American de tective, O'Oonnell, it found mur dered outside the casino Chapter Six The Street Of the Dragon TPHE black Hispano swung out on the sea-front The lights of Cannes were blacked out; only round the curve of the Crolsette an occasional window glowed. There's one thing I want to do before wc turn 'n. Arohiel" Hugo swung round on me and 1 reached out hurriedly to steady the steer ing-wheel. "Just now you were all worked up about that poor little devil's death, ana 1 told you, in effect, not to worry about things that didn't concern you, but now a friend of mine has been bumped off and I'm seeing carmine. I'm so angry I'm sfraid of myself of what I may do or say, and yet, come what may, I've got to see Geiss tonight" "Geiss?" I echoed, startled and slightly disturbed. "Geiss." said he. "You can tell me I'm mad and I'll agree with ou, but III swear to It that ueiss mows .lore 01 tnat dins aeam than the local Dolice will ever dis cover. She was scared of him; he was keeping a watchful eye on her, and it's ten to one that she had something on him something he didn t want to come out. "I'm with you so far," 1 said. -cut now aoes u uonnen come in to it?" He was silent for a moment "In this way," he said at last ' He was a private detective, and tnat was why I was guarded in my remarks about him to our fat friend. He mav have been here on a lob. and who am I to spoil his game? That girl was an American, too, or I'll cat my hat and poor Pat if our eyes don't deceive us, was shot down in pursuit of her murderer. I've a feeling it was to see her that Ae went to Palm Beach tonight. "You mean," I answered slowly, "that she had been up to some thing in the States something cad enougn to put ner outside in ternational law?" "I mean," he retorted, "that a snrl like that has the devil of lot of opportunities. Who were those men she was running wimr What's .heir 1ob? We've eot to find out As like as not I'm talking moonshine, he finished wearily, "but there 11 be no rest for me to- niRht until I've toK Mr. Geiss the news and observed his reactions." "Personally," said I, "I'd as soon expect a reaction from a boa constrictor when you offered it a taupoie. dui mere s no narm in trying." "Here we are." Hugo pulled to the euro Deslde a tall, iron-studded (ate. "The rue du Dragon. 57." He climbed from the driving teat and pulled at an ancient h-ll-pull hanging beside the gate. There was no answering tinkle, so that I judged the bell must rl- g well inside the house, but a mo ment later a small peep-hole in the gate slid back; what looked like a human eye surveyed us through it and next instant the door opened, revealing a dark, sleek-looking manservant eyeing us inquisitively. "Monsieur Geiss?" said Hugo. Tell him Monsieur Stern wishes to speak to him." "I will tell him," said the man with a bow, and disappeared up a long tiled path, roofed with glass. A Most Distinguished Goat THERE was an interval of per haps five minutes, and then down the pathway came Geiss himself, with a yellow-haired girl hanging on his arm. He was an even more exotic figure than he had been in the morning, for a Malay sarong, in a gorgeous gold and violet brocade, was wrapped about his thin middle, falling to his ankles, while above It he wore a soft silk shirt Byronically open at the throat, and a purple velvet smoking-Jacket And yet, in spite of it all he contrived to look dis tinguished. He might be like a goat but it was, one felt a goat of the most distinguished lineage. "My dear friends," he said, "how 1 depore that I cannot ask you into my poor abode, but I am, as I told you, entertaining a few friends." "Geiss," Hugo said, and 1 was startled to hear how harsh his voice sounded, "I called to tell you something that may perhaps" he hesitated on the word "In terest you. We went to Palm Beach tonight" He paused for a moment, and in that pause I could have sworn that I heard the other catch his breath. "You were there after all?" he said. "Our young friend here was eager to see his Eve and I am very sure she was happy to see him?" "No," said Hugo quietly. "She had no time to be glad or sorry I don't think she had even time to Sea us. She was shot dead during the fashion show." The cartoonist drew in hit breath with a shocked sound. "Is It possible?" he cried. "That poor child what tragedy! What a despicable crimel I trust they have caught the miscreant who did It?" "As to that" Hugo answered slowly, "1 can't say. A man's body was discovered in the shrubbery outside, just as we were leaving, but the police don't know yt'. if his death was connected with the first crime." The other looked at him, raising his eyebrows. "The police!" said he with a delicate irony. "What a hopel What do they ever discover but the clues that the criminal leaves for them to find! I fear very much that the death of our poor little Eve will be added to the long list of unsolved tragedies What a subject for the pencil of a genius poor victim of an unknown slayer!" At that my gorge rose. There was something so repulsive in his gloating interest that I could keep silence no longer. "He won't remain unknown If 1 can help it. I'll find you a better subject than a dying girl, Mon sieur Geiss: a murderer, waiting for the knife to drop!" He turned slowly towards me, and for the second time that day. I had the impression that I had sharply aroused his interest "So?" he said gently, "you feel It so deeply, then? But 1 forgot you were already acquainted with the little Eve." For an instant he stared at me, with his pebble-like, expressionless eyes; then he laid a hand on my arm. "Believe me, my young friend, it is best to forget her. There are other women In the world." "If saw a dumb beast mal treated, I'd go gunning for the man who did it and that's the way I feel about this business," I told him. "A noble sentiment" said he softly, "but one that may lead you into strange paths, my young friend." "Ttie stranger the better," I re torted, but at this point Hugo broke in. "There's another thing, Geiss," he said quietly, "that struc, me as curious in view of your remarks this morning. Did you know that Eve was not a blonde? Her hair was dyed." The Dark Girl Death' AS FAR as 1 could see, the car toonist never moved a muscle: but suddenly the yellow haired girl, who had been leaning, half asleep, against his shoulder, leaped away, clutching at her arm. I looked at her in amazement and saw that on the white skin above the elbow showed four an gry red fingerprints. I'm sorry if I startled you," said Hugo mildly, but his eye was hard. The other gave his shrill, mirth less cackle. You think, because I give Fin a little pinch, that you have frightened me? On thn con trary. You must not imagine, be cause I said some foolish things this morning, that I am supersti tious. I talked -nly to amuse you. Dark girls or fair what differ ence. And besides," he added thoughtfully, "the girl is dead." "I wouldn't bank on that," I an swered gravely. The dead can stretch out a devilish long arm." He frowned. "I think, , he re torted acidly, "that you try to frighten me, and I do not And 11 funny." But at that Hugo spoke. "My friend wasn't joking, Geiss," he said, and added, softly and under his breath, "we must nil keep the old tryst with the Dark Girl, Death." The cartoonist turned on him like a tiger unchained. A moment k fltap-J. than ii.itV. a ,,ifl oln id Kiaicu, inch, niui a aw.,, a.c backward, he had slammed the gate in our faces. We were both of us fairly silent for the rest of the drive home. The general feeling was, I think, that we had hardly shone as private detectives, for, as Hugo remarked, all we had succeeded in discover ing was that Geiss actually had been, as he said, throwing a party at his house, and had, therefore, presumably, an unimpeachable alibi for that evening. Ada was waitinff uo. and as we disposed of a last night-cap, Hugo told her briefly and grimly what had happened. She listened to him in silence. her plump, happy face growing paler, the corners of her mouth drooping, and when he had fin ished, she turned scared eyes from one to the other of us. "That poor lovely little thing!" she said. "And the man, Hugo your friend! Oh, what's at the back of it all? I feel as if we were at the beginning of something ter rible; I feel as if the dreadful things that have happened were nothing to wha, are yet to come!" "Ada," said Hugo solemnly, "the cocktails that we have been drink ing have undoubtedly gone to your head." "I don't care," she Insisted ob stinately. "Geiss Is at the back of it all, and one of these days he'll be hanged." After that there seemed nothing more to be said, and I was glad enough to follow Hugo's advice and turn in. For the first couple of hours I tossed restlessly, and when at length 1 dropped off, 1 fel. right away into a sea of unquie. dreams, through which a voice as Insistent as a midge's hum kept whispering. They were names that It breathed: Eve the mannequinn, O'Oonnell the detective, Geiss the cartoonist Venner the banker, Vladlmii Ra kovsky, Baron Stahl. Names, names, rising and falling In an uneasy cadence names that I had never heard of twelve hours back, but that I knew were linked bv a devilish chain that I must some how untanr'e. Copyright JSJJ, if a Baltmarth) Monday: 1 arqnlre an assistant Sprague Sees Turn Against New Deal PORTLAND, Sept, 6. (API Disap pointment over firm prtwa and ap position to the administration's ag ricultural program has turned mant eastern Oregon Democrats ".gainst the new deal. Cberlee A. fipragne RepuD llcaa nominee for governor, laid upon hie return from a state tour. New Torn etatee aour cherry Top Is estimated at li per cent lr than last year'e crop. The apple crop, compared with 1037, I expected to be it per cent leee. Weather Northern California: Pair tonight and Wednesday, slightly warmer In Interior Vdnlay; moderate to fresh northerly wind off the roast Oregon: Flair tonight and Wednes day, but cloudy northwest peril ut. somewhat warmer In east and Inter ior of southwest portion Wednesday, gentle changeable wind off the coast becoming northwesterly. A special phonograph record, which It la claimed will enable student of foreign languages to tudy simultan eously by eye and ear, baa been In rented in Japan. STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX Tot farther proof address the author, Inclosing a stamped envelope for reply. Reg. TJ. 8. Pat Off. American astronomer. UeF-T h FUND IN HIS WILU f? MAINTAIN A MATCH OVER 29 MINOR PLANETS HE HAD DISCOVERED THAT7HEY MIGHT NEVER BE LOST AGAIN. 3?0 op b HiarivJWV AT VIRGINIA 3EACH, Wr&nit. Wfe BROUGHT f RofA PETERS BURG. tOO MILES INLANP -Trie pooDttBUG--. pt6S ft PlT&Y USING (fc ASPOMEN MbSHOVEt AND ToSSlNGTrtf OIRT OUT WlTrt IT'S HEbP In t- e5i3 Ik"" SyndlrtU. Leg Rowing. Nowhere else In tho world will be found the odd custom of lag rowing at practiced by Burrreae natives of Lakelnle. Standing rect, they pro pel their long, narrow craft along the lake with powerful kicks of the ltg. On special occasions, huge teak wood dugouts, resembling exagger ated racing shells, are raced a gains', each other with crewa numbering as high as 46 men. The trick of mastering this style of rowing seems to belong solely to the Lake Inle boatsmen, who take- IEQ Rowers ofzijrma RoWTHElR BOATS standing up using THEIR LlGS.FoR PROPULSION advantage of the fact that the leg musclea are among the strongest of the body. Planet Watch. One of the strongest wills ever filed was that of James Cra!g Watson, Am j erlcan astronomer, who left a fund of money to maintain a close watch over 29 minor planet he had dlscov I ered so that they mlht never again be lost. Formerly a University of Michlnan ' professor, Watson received the Lan- dale medal for the discovery of six 'asteroids In a single year 1870. Doodlebug; Digger. Doodlebugs also known as ant lions dig a pit about two Inches deep and three Inches wide to tiap unwary Insects. For a shovel it uses i Its abdomen; It tosses the dirt from i the pit with Its head. The doolebug lies In wait at the i bottom and when another Insect slips lover the rim, It digs fast and furl j ously so that the sides of the pit ! fall In, carrying the victim with it. SHOE REMOVER By GlUYAS WILLIAMS ' SEtffodHAK6JHISWE'f SHOES, JUNIOR REP0R1S THAT HE CAtff 6Ef YrtEM OFF RrfHER MOVERS NONSENSE, HE'U. 6E1 1MEM OFF FAST ErJ0U6H , ArJP DISAOVER6 TriEV AHE 1iEt 1M HARD KHCrft frfARfS lb WORK OrJ XH013 , BEIW6 A lliHE HAMPERED OUMIOR'S SfROKlHe H 15 HEAD A5K1N6 WHftf MAKES KSO SMOOtrt ? WORK COMES To STANDSTILL AS JUNIOR BE&IHSI'O fWlSY AND WRlfefelE IVj CriAIR,"TRV IH6 Yo SEE OUf OF WINDOW 61VE6 UP ON KN01S AMD "fRjR YO PULl SHOES OFF, SUCCEEDING OWLV Iri DRA661N6 JUNIOR OFF OiPJR t CopyrigM, 1938, by The Bell Syndicate, Inc.) YEILS JUNIOR YO 60 SEY HIS MoYriER YO YAKE HIS SHOES OFF, AND BUSIES HIMSELF iM WIPING rtUD OrT HIS SUIT 9-3 S MATTER POF Bv C M PAYNE Tomorrow Econnm) Du m. of Boulder Opium Ship Sails. PORTLAND. Ore., Sept. B. (AP) Leaving a bond of $53,000 posted with customs agents, the Philippine freighter Don Jose called yesterday for Seattle. Customs agents seized $73,496 worth of smoking opium from the vessel and arrested three Filipino crew members last week. Cardinal Dies. ROME. Sept. 6.- (API Camlllo Cardinal Laurentl, prefect of the sac red congregation of rites, died today of a heart attack. He was 76. Clam DlRger .Missing. TILLAMOOK, Sept, 6. (AP) Bar view coast guardsmen searched today for Charles Fryar, 52. of SUverton. who has been unreported since early Sunday when he left for a Tillamook bay clam digging trip. Second Crop. SHAM OK I N ON, Pa.. Sept. 6 (AP) John H. Rhoada Is reaping a double harvest from an apple tree In his or chard. The treo olo&somed a second time, he said, Just as a first crop was ripening. He expect to gather the second crop by late fall. Average Income 1 PORTLAND, Sept. 6. (AP) A re port by the national resources com mittee established the average In come of Oregon families at $1775 ; compared with the national average ) of $1663 for the 1035-36 period. i eW-D-P.ice.'lIp-" ifK , -SS ( -v-'N, I or T? U E.1. S I & j& C Aw-Vhlow, y r - V. TUT3IN6 J I J f ' 1 liLMTrloU6rlT l n ml. fjRs9m,j TAILSPIN TOMMY The Evasive Stranger I By HAL FORREST Cwsp,"!) 'f'LVS whlu know, kid! N V 5.,w; JW TYks,,... L&tfW&h he!ll know!' just CtII vWf f :f ftp BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Eggs Firstl By EDWIN ALGJ! I .t3-! ' . '.I E66S.BEN? JBUr- I .-.I FIGURE WE'D BtTTER BUI10 fff CARRYING THEM THEN THEVU KNOW ABOUT CHICKENS, IATK-WEU POT ONW MmM&& TV rriWrpntWMr i 4l&J9 up A DEMANP to get them regularly- too? y U, the eggs first V d, 6sax GUV.l IM SITTIKJG.V OOJT 1 LouttTovP-vA" "fe. EGOS A l TmimS IT TAE.S TO SE A moS UlF VOU'RE-TRVHOGr, TO r MP5CSS AVJVSCV 1 SlT cV KEtS PC X SuCeSSUU BUSINESS lST TO IMPRESS HE , COUU THE REST II J?JkSWILV .-W 'MAM.iVE GOT A C'5Xf M NOUVE DOKJE urE ' -C? frfl5jFiKJE. SCOT TOR. MCM MORE EDu- GOOD OOft ACES AT rcr T ' K-f? TVOU IKj MY fT,0v4 MUSr I SUPPER i''' . j ' L THE NEBBS Winning Him Over? By 80L HESS
