PAGE FOURTEEN
MEDFORr) MATL TTlfRHN F), METYPOTCn, OREGON. FRIDAY. OCTOBER 21, 1938.
l..-.ffTT.rlly MAX
Chapter 41
The Hostage
THE moke filled my eye, smart
ing, stinging, blinding, so that
I marveled how Hugo could hold
the car on the road, but on we
hurtled, right Into the red heart
of the inferno, and suddenly, as
the whole world around seemed
filled with a single sheet of scream
ing, searing name, I saw him
wrench at the wheel and swing it
round; as we swerved violently to
the right, I felt that we were
climbing again, and at the same
moment a giant flaming pine fell
crashing across the road we had
lust left.
I saw that Noah More was lean
ing forward, gripping Hugo's
inouiaer ana poinun aneaa wun
a bony finger. He was screaming
out curses, umines to go faster still.
thrill threats of what he would do
to Geiss when we found him. The
uncanny voice poured forth In a
erazed monotone, and 1 shuddered
Involuntarily, for it seemed that
It needed only this, the realization
that a lunatic sat beside me. to
add the final touch of horror.
The unseen track grew steadily
rougher, and the Hispano was
bumping wildly from side to side;
but I had a faint, growing sus
picion that the smoke was thin
ning. I could see the scorched and
blackened hillsides on either hand,
with only a fiery thread here and
there to show that devastation still
lingered, holding its hand. I
glanced up, saw the night sky
above us necked with stars and
the moon riding clear, and ripped
the coverings from my (ace.
"BIB HtlUUKIll B1IU
u I spoke, Hugo pulled up
mir.'. .u. .. 1. 1 " T Bn
abruptly.
We had come to another set of
eross-roads. The madman at my
side pointed to the right-hand,
steeper path. Up and up we
climbed, bumping and skidding,
through a darkness of trees: and
then we came out on the crest of
the ridge, and before us lay a nar
row, wedge-shaped valley, with
the track running down, like a
thin black ribbon through rough
Melds, to a dark huddle at tne doi
tom that I guessed to be a building.
But now we were back in the
track of the fire. Th valley was
till untouched, but there was a
scarlet light at tho head of it, the
hot wind struck once more against
my cheek, and I heard again the
horrid roaring noise. The glow
strengthened as I watched, and
Fleuriot realized it at the same in
stant Hugo gave a wild huzza.
"We're in time!" he yelled, but the
ether, his anxious eyes fixed on
that red horizon, muttered under
his breath:
"Only just, my friend, only Just!"
Down into the valley we shot,
rocketing and ricocheting from
unseen boulders, while the lunatic
at my side screamed and chattered,
and Dunning, beside Hugo, took
something from his pocket that I
guessed to be a gun and carefully
looked it over. The Inn was a big
shadowy place, and as we pulled
up at the entrance, where rotting
gates hung open from the massive
pillars, I had a sudden cold fear
that once again we were too late
nd our quarry had gone.
The Knife
WE climbed out painfully, and
as we stood for a moment hesi
tating, Fleuriot laid a hand on
Dunning's arm. "You have a gun?"
he asked sharply. "Wait here, then,
and keep an eye on this poor crea
ture. It is your business to see that
no one breaks away through this
gate." He turned to Hugo. "You,
my friend, will similarly guard
the door of the main building,
while you and I, Monsieur Archee,
will encircle it, making contact at
the farther side." He added on a
warning note: "But no noise, you
understand! No calling to Made
moiselle OUillo, even II you should
lee her. When we have made our
inspection, we will return here, all
three, to arrange our campaign."
He turned away, and Hugo and
I padded softly at his heels across
the great yard, to the lowering
walls of the farmstead itself. Here
Hugo halted obediently at the
door under its overhanging lintel,
and Fleuriot turned noiselessly
right and 1 left, feeling my way
along the rough stonework to the
angle of the building.
As I rounded it, the red glow
from the weal struck my face, and
I saw that the wall ahead of me
was cut by a couple of windows,
both heavily shuttered; but though
I tried them gingerly, one after the
other, they were securely fastened
from the inside, and no gleam of
light showed. I crept on, feeling
my way, round the second corner
In the rear of the house and halted
abruptly, holding my breath, for
Fleuriot was mere Deiore me,
crouched with his eye to the ledge
of another window
He signed sharply to me to be
careful, as I tiptoed forward and
knelt beside him.
I looked, setting my eye to the
crack between the bottom of the
shutter and the crumbling stone
work and bit bark an exclamation.
It was a big room that I stared
Into, the farmhouse kitchen by the
look of it, but it was bare and
unfurnished now. Indescribably
AS
NAPLES, Oct. St. (AP ltlj
proudly welcomed today 10000 re
turning Itnlttin legionnilreji who
Joined the liiauryenta In the Spanish
civil war In tecrecy a year and a
half ao.
Kit y; Vttturlo Kmanuds, Crown
Prince Umberto. Foreign Minister
Count Clnno and cheering throng
greeted the vrtfmna.
Crowtli malted for hour alone the
avenue marked out for ft parade
twfnn the king and other dlfrnltarle.
Blarkshlrt militiaman and worker's
battalion turned out to march with
the returning lelonnalrea, whoee
prtwnce In flpnln went unmcntloned
by hljrlj FViaclntJi lor many weeka arter
thev had Joined in urgent forcea.
ClutuM time forIiQ Lata to Claa
mi Mm U 1J0 p. u.
:i if i i i. n
SALTM
ARSH
dirty, and lit only by a ling!,
candle. Ottilie sat there propped
against the wall, deathly pale,
eyes closed, a crimson handker
chief bound across her mouth. Shi
was still wearing the dark blue
Eajamas in which I had last seen
or, but now they were torn and
dusty, and her wrist and ankles
were bbund with heavy rope. For
an lntnnt I thought that she Wai
dead, and a wild rush of fury seized
me, so that I would nave torn me
shutters apart to reach the wild
beast who had done it. but Fleuriot
seemed to sense my Impulse, for
he caught my arm with a steely
grip. At the same moment I saw
her open her eyes suddenly and
look at the man before her, and I
knew that she was very much
alive, for never have I seen such
a look of defiant rage on any hu
man face.
Geiss was perched on an up
turned packing-case staring at her
in his turn, with his blank opaque
eyes, while slowly, between his
long fingers, he turned something
flat and shining that I realized with
an uncontrollable shudder to be a
razor-sharp palette knife. It was
a dreadful sight, made all the
more ghastly bv the complete
silence that enveloped it
I saw the girl's eyes shift from
his face to the knife and back to
his face again, out she never
blenched, and I took off my hat to
her for the bravest creature I had
ever known. And then suddenly
Geiss spoke, and his voice seemed
suddenly to break the spell that
held us.
Mf LUe For Yours'
"yOU know," he said, "It was t
I very clever idea of mine to
bring you with me, for I do not
think they will find us here for
long time, and when they do. with
this sharp blade across your throat
they will think a long time before
they shoot, and during that time
I shall be able to make terms with
them my life for yours."
Fleuriot touched my shoulder
softly. "It is timel" he whispered.
"We must move quickly." But the
words died on his lips and he
sprang to his feet with something
between a groan and a sob, for on
that instant, from the night shad
ows that ringed us, came the sound
of a cracked, shrill voice raised in
song. "Noah More was a funny
chnu, for he lived until he died. . . .
The man Inside the room heard
It too, and like a flash he was on
his feet glaring round him like a
wild beast. With one swift spring
he was beside the prostrate girl,
slashing with his knife at the cords
that bound her ankles.
"They are here! he muttered.
So soon thev are here!" and he
dragged her, helpless, to her feet
and thrust her 4n front or mm,
facing the door in the opposit-
wall.
The sins ne voice had seemed to
come from the othet side of the
house, but as I waited, suddenly
there came a pause, and next in
stant it echoed again, startlingly
near, from somewhere lust round
the corner or the building.
"And you'll hear no more of
poor Noah More," it sang, "for poor
Noah More's no more!"
Geiss heard it too, for he swung
I ....if,.. nninM tUm iHJn
dragging the girl after him, and
holding Tier once more against his
breast the cruel blbde across her
throat. I leaped to my feet thrust
my fingers between the slit in the
heavy shutters, and pulled with
all my strength.
"Be quick!" 1 heard Fleuriot'i
anxious voice behind me.
As I tugged and strained, my
head seemed bursting, and I could
feel the muscles In my back crack
ing under the effort; but suddenly
the shutters gave, with a rending
crack of breaking wood, and as
they swung open I saw Geiss
standing motionless, a bare two
yards away from me, peering out
over the girl's shoulder with eyes
fhat looked blind and yet were
filled with a dreadful expectancy.
"Youl" he said, and gave a sud
den shrill cackle. "It is always you
but this time, I think, I have the
better of it Her life against mine,
my young friend! I go free and
you take ber back to our poor
Hugo is It a bargain?"
I hesitated, my gaze fixed, shud
dering, on the thin, sharp steel that
lay across Oltilie's golden throat.
Fleuriot had vanished, and I
guessed that he was afraid the
sight of him might startle the crea
ture inside into hasty action.
F.verything, I thought hopelessly,
hung on me and on the next words
I spoke and then, as I waited,
tongue-tied, I knew that I was
wrong and that everything hung
on something very different, for
the door behind Geiss was slowly
opening, and as I looked, I saw
Hugo's face, hard and dangerous,
peer cautiously round It.
Hugo leaped forward, hurling
the whole weight of his hundred
and ninety-six pounds full on the
other's back, while at the same
time one sinewy hand caught at
the wrist that held the knife.
Ottilie. suddenly freed, stag
gered sideways, as th two wres
tling bodies crashed together to
the floor. A sudden wind blew the
candle out and left the room in
darkness.
(CupyripM. fll. Jfo SnlrmartM
Conelurird tomorrow.
Loans On Prunes
Due In Few Days
AAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31 i,p
n. F. Baker, (trneral manager of the
Prune Credit Corp., aald today he
eipected release of the federal ,
74 ft. 000 loan to the pntne Indiiatry In
a few daya.
The Iran waa arranged through the
Commodity Credit Corp. aotne time
ago, to finance at ore Re of the big
1936 crop and prevent the glut of
the market.
Aa aoon aa a few remaining de
tail are clearrd, linker aald. the
Prune Credit Corp. will begin re
oelvlmt prunet from grower and
making loan on the deltrered fn.lt.
(tuna Mttlrn.
PALEM, Oct. 91. Ai s&nveral gun
were atolen in a burglary of a Mon
mouth hardware a tore laat night.
Sheriff T. B Hooker of Polk county
aald today. Cigarette and candy
were atolen from the aupoly kept
at the Oak Knoll olf court in
Full cuuulf.
JOSEPHINE REGISTRY
SHOWS GAIN OF 475
GRANTS PASS, Oct. 21. (JP)
Josephine county registration In
creased 476 Totem since the 1930
S 'MATTER PCtt ' Bv C M PAYNE
I 7f ffl J Klr VAvtfVB 60EVR6l)ND AWroUHD F06M LWtil KNEES BEGIN WEPHEW CLR$PlK6 HIM tf6rl1iY flolMP WINDPIPE
C 1 "HHS 7 , "g ""Ms wee windpipe 5t he can breathe, he- trees himsei and suggests iheV stop, nephews
fr ( AtTE. JJ ff S -Dura I Ol - MEvCm&R)K6H!Hri6HfR AMSHM)Titt FOR OKlLV REPLY BE1W6 1b SHOUfGiDpVAP" AND PUI
Ly lP " Cf t RESUMES WEARY TlOP AROUND ROOM, NEPHEW ALWt,E)CHAUSrEP,5UMP5 NEPHEW V '.
A TfSwiLttl ly 3 e2( -K -& '(Wti fiJlNSMTEMPTSfoSEtHIMPOWN.BVaUltH- INto 1tAR5 OWSIN6 HIS MOTHER fO HAKE CRACKS
jhuffigren lljl tlOr' cil about 6rown men ?layinsroo6HlVuiiihchiureu
4 "ifr-Jrf V t (Copyright, "M, T The Bell ByndiciU, Inc.) H I . "
TAILSPIN TOMMY Is that a Threat? By HAL FORREST .
i " lCii -C-' 1 THINK EVEROME HEBE 'ANO SO I AM THATiS GBEAT! 'EXCUSE ME.V OFCOURSBl BUT ' PjS
I O V VILI- asoee with Authorized by the A 1 k no tommy please, brims him bock vell, smith, wou VI V
I ,s...v ...mr.w-:ESV YOU, COLONEL! J WAR DEPARTMENT ff WILL BE GLAOL WHILE I SO I HERE) rVSi GOT (WON.. BUT YOU fitt Mj
V f 13 M.-'-?m'- yp y to ask you TOJwA(!-5sr-3r y f and tell, something' to , haven1!- beat us FTM
jf- i1 Vc-7
BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER-Meeting
g$$gr I NOT INTERESTEDLY i fl WHY, YEAH-TI
Sgge I NAME VOUR PRICE, I 111. SURE I II
J DR. KILEY! I'VE I SEE J T SEE IT fkl
I rrT- Ti it- iis-M ir-tj I LJ vi 1 At- r I Kdlaw MOkAM
I 10 vi 1 nc muNcrj ti ipmi ill U
III 1 Vtri fftA, C" V
THE NEBBS Well Now, What's
WOU
raFBE is the
CAMOOS BLUE'
8D DIAMOMO
RIVALED OUL.V
IM BRILLIAWCE
ESV TME 5UKJ
rn5E.LF . -CMAJEO
BY STEVE.,
RODV KJEBS
0 A?-?
inVKRriCKMKNT
4 x
? i I' falfAfti s v
' .-f . ' 7i ?sA-7! ' f POT YOU COMPLAIN
'-f!sJlt i MJf3 ( vouVe Simply oot) when i do.
tmp r:wr t Ja to cor down on s remember how
f I? Jm I THE FOOP BILLS, f ( YOU HATED THAT I
I II s' J 1 71 BETTY. J MARGARINE
election. County Clerk F. L. Coon's
report released today showed. The
1038 total Is 8,727. ,
Republicans gained 153 for a total
of 4,004. Democrats Increased 868
for a total of 8.Q28. Miscellaneous
parties dropped from 341 to 107.
Adjourned!
It All Abont7
WOMElST.OBie, I'M MOT
tflDOiKie TV4AT BROTWE.I?.
OP VIIKJE. A. DliVMOMD
COOLDNJT LIPT WiTW
TWEEZERS NOU GOTTA ,
LJSE ICE TOJGS
Radium Gift
PORTLAND, Oct. 31. (AP) Trus
tees of the Eleanor Feake estate an
nounced a $1500 cash, gift to the
university of Oregon medical school
today for the purchase of radium to
treat charity patients.
WELL, CLOSE IT 1
SOFTLY... FROM
THE OUTSIDE -
OI2UT kinui
JlPPEMijg;
AMD ITS AS
THE WEAVEKIS
DAV AMD ME
MO PLANA S
AS AK4
11 11 II I I 7S..
((Vrprrirt. 1KW, by Th B11 Irnilf . Im.)
1 "mo raw mm- - t- vim;
1 " 1
jOOO-pucingr pipes
A margarine vnnid have to be miroeuhinly good to fool a
food expert like Mrs. Fisher with more than 15 wan' experi
ence. That's what Alkurtt did in an actual taste test! Timt
and again this "Giiest-Qiiafity" Margarine has baffled food
authorities. There's nidtnet that your family will enjoy this
spread! And how Allsweet will help the food budget!
Taste Allsweet on hot vegetables, toast, hot cakes. Use it in
cooking, baking. Discover how you can sart money by using
this pure, wholesome, all-American product! Get a pound
of delicious Allsweet this very day at your food dealer V
HORSEBACK RIDE
I TUC Enni I 1 r&M uiut
, ..... -. " " ' ' I
HIS PILLS ANALYZED AND
FINO OUT WHAT S IN X C
r THEM I'LL DO ITl ) '
BLUE AS
Osj A PRETTY
SAWS ITVS GOT
AS CLEAM
ANJGEL'S DREAM
S",PW
Of"
053
to detect
test with higher-priced
ITS THE f ALLSweerA I
BWKn bKKtHL) BETTY... Y "T. tu.tVdo. X 1
SAVES LOTS OP MONEY, 7 . , rv1fe LOOK HOW YOUVE CUT WILY?? I
AND ALLSWEET IS SO ,tI f "WE F00" BILLS ) 1
' DELICIOUS NOBODY EVER f !' JT- THIS MONTH. , , ' "LING THICK ON
GUESSES VOURE , rJTZT?ffl!77'7-. HOwt V00 BREAD AND HOT
economizing. rggi-J-i yjCi A PoiTf f& cakes-.-gaveme )
-rS, ' LITT CJli lZAJ . . J fHf I S MY BIGGEST Zr
prro
.
(OopjrifOt, UH, by Th BU Brniittla, lac)
gee, you sot F not
K"
"
HARD-BOILED, H BEN,
DR. KILEY! tfl LORD
IF I
vjmAT SOOD IS
5TEvE
IT r mOBODY CAM
MOMEV
WEAR IT AMD BiG
TAE
DIAMOMOS HAVE
ALWANS BEEM OM
IT AS
you
LUCXY . IT uXXXD TAKE
A MEBB TO MAE A
DUMB IMVESTMEMT.
1 r.
"MEM
- V LIKE TU AT
iff b ' I 1
WAMTEO
ALLSWEET in
By GLUYAS WILLI M3
By EDWIN ALOEB ;
entirely, Kpg:
BUT THE
HELP HIM
EVER DOi
By SOL d ESS
USTEM.SHRIMP, brother
HAS GOT SO MUCH
I'LL BET IT OlOMT
HIM AS LOSJ& TO BOY
THAT 30-CEMT PIPE
BOUGHT- -,rr
........ .n j. .
YOU
.IT
a taste
spreads!
1LWU(V-1' J
)Cr?$&L 1
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