PAGE TEN1
rEPFOKD MAIL TRTBTTNE, fE'DFO'RD. OTtEOOy. SrNDAT. "DECErBER 18. IMS.
THE ARMY POST MURDERS
' . By Virginia Hanson 1
The Character!
Kathftrtnt Cornish, miset, oil
iting llrnbcth on a mid-westtrn
Army pan.
Elizabeth, Colonel Wright' l
daughter.
Adam Drew, acting command
Inp officer,
festeraan The olrl l an epi
leptic In her room ii a ttrange
note beginning "Come 1 you
must " and ending "Keep under
cover or you'll wish you had."
Chapter 16
The Typewriter
ALONE with the unconscious
girl 1 read the note once more.
There was something familiar
about the typewritten letters. I be
gan to search the lines feverishly
Yes, the e was out of line, and th
i crowded the letter that followed
I dropped the sheet of paper and
stared at the bare white wall
was unbearably hot here close to
the roof. Hardly aware of what
was doing. I fumbled with the
frogs and button! at my throat.
along the shoulder, under the arm
As I slipped out of the mandarin
coat I was conscious of Intense re
lief, as if It typified all the heavy
blackness, all the evil of the night.
I hung it carefully over the back
of the chair, for. after all, It was
gorgeous garment and It was not
mine. Then I picked up the letter
and held it close to the light.
staring hopelessly at the d-f five
type, as familiar to me as the pat
tern of lines on my own hand, and
remembering exactly, vividly,
scene in the two-room apartment
I share with Eileen a scene near
ly a year old.
I was proudly showing my new
noiseless typewriter to Charli
Charlie on his way to Join the
regiment, his ring very new and
atrange on my finger,
"Look, Charlie, it's red!"
"And pipe the streamline
curves) Don't Hd me, it's a tricycle
or something. That thing can't
write "
"No. I do that"
Charlie was shaking his head
mournfully.
"The old gray mare ain't what
the uster be. What ever became
of Grandpa's old Oliver? Now
there was a typewriter!"
"Oh, I've got a battered old
wreck too. They wanted to give
me ten dollars tor it, but it was
too much like nartine with t, mem
ber of the family. I thought I might
still use it ocasionally, but of
course I won't"
"I'll give you a ten spot for It"
"Sight unseen? After what I've
done to it and on it I doubt if
it's worth It i
"Well, I need something that
will set down one letter alter an
other. You know my fist."
"It couldn't help be more legible
man tnat after all, it saw me
through college. You'll treat It
gently and give it a new ribbon
occasionally? I really ought to put
it out to pasture after all these
' years.
After all those years was it like
ly that I could be mistaken? Was
it likely that two old typewriters
would nave the same delects de
fects that speckled all the early
manuscripts that still overflowed
my desk drawers?,
I might as well face It. That let
ter, the damnably callous letter
that the poor .stricken girl had
brought with her, had been writ
ten on Charlies typewriter
Charlie's that once was mine.
Worse Than Murder
MY determination to shield him
wavered. If he had written
that letter he was not the boy I
grew up with. And what could she
be to him that stigmatized figure
of tragedy, so slight so worn, so
alone that she must trust to the
compassion of any passing stran
ger when the sna..ed mechanism
of her body betrayed he'?
If she were Charlie's responsi
bilitybut how could she be?
then he must ask no quarter from
me. Worse thnn hotheaded murder
was the cnllous indifference of
someone who knew this girl was
here alone. And the letter had
been written on Charlie's type
writer. I was through concealing clues.
me presence or Ethel Curtis put
a graver complexion on tl.ings.
Something evil was stalking
through these corridors tonisht
somethlng self-centered and ruth
less. A personality began to take
shape in mv mind.
I closed the door softly behind
me and crept to the head of the
stairs. . could still hear her if she
stirred I could hear, too, Adam'
voice below n.e. and could distin
guish most of the questions and
answers.
After a moment 1 recognized the
ON REVENUE HELD
FOR LEGISLATURE
SALEM ( VP ) A rrport to th
IratslMur on pnwlhlfl nrw way of
getting money lian bren completed by
the Interim committee on ntnte unci
lo?l revenue, whlrh hurt been In
"-c:on off nrt on ulnce the 1037
' ' inn of the leg lulnl 1119.
The committee, headed by Charles
V. OnlluTA-ny of the Mute Uk commln
Mon. tins been brtMRt with pUnn,
some of th'in sound and some of
them ao far off center that one mem
ber of the committee dubbed them
"lame brained."
The cuimaitun KiuwU to rrluftt 1
other voice as Barney's - quick,
high, nervous, obviously strained
to the breaking point
"We must have been near the
door." I heard him say. "The en
trance, I mean. I heard i thought
it was one of those balloons. She
went limp in my arms." His voice
broke, steadied. "Then I saw
there was blood on my hand. . . ."
"Then the shot seemed to come
from outside?"
"I don't know I tell you, I
thought it was a balloon."
"Do vou r member a car pass
ing?" "I don't know I think no. 1
don't know. There may have been."
Adam was silent "or a minute.
When he resumed his voice was
less official, more gentle.
"What kind of trouble was she
in, Barney?"
"Trouble? What do you mean?
What makes you think so?"
"I don't know. Even tonight I
thought she seemed ragged."
"She drinks drark too much.
I've been telling her. She was go
ing on the wagon after tonight."
"Was that why you split up last
spring?"
"Not not exactly." 1 ached at
the patience in that tortured voice,
"You heard that story about
Wheeler? He was shootim off his
mouth. Shaw told me the straight
of it, but even then I guess I was
jealous. I thought she might
really like the fellow."
"But you changed your mind?"
"Yes later. That was Elizabeth.
She talked some sense into me."
We had been hearing a lot ot
theories about Elizabeth and Bar
ney. Here at last was something
that sounded authentic. If only
Charlie's part could be as reason-.
ably explained.
But the typewriter and I had
seen his eyes when he looked at
her.
The Prize
'"yHEN you've nothing to add
' about that shot this after
noon?" I heard Adam ask.
"I told vou I don't know any
thing about a shot. 1 dropped a
light bulb and tnat ass Shaw thinks
back and decides it was a shot."
But we did find a' bullet"
Adam reminded him mildly
'You know what I think about
that. Somebody somebody missed
her the first time.
The last words were half sobbed.
Surely Adam would let him go
now.
He did. I heard his voice asking
Barney to stay around and advis
ing him to take care of himself.
But Barney's ordeal was not end
ed. I heard the door open and Mrs.
r lowers uncontrolled words be
gan to flow.
"Such a dreadful thing vou
poor boyl Quite like Juliet and
Romeo, only of course she didn't
kill herself or did she? Juliet, I
mean. I was lust asking Mr Shaw
where vou wore So glad vou're
able to be about He didn't know
about the prize; that's how he
happened to mention you.
"The orize?" Barney repeated
stupidly.
"Yes. for the balloon dance. Mv
balloon was the last one on the
floor at least well, voi I wa
the Inst one dancing. So of course
I asked Mr. Shaw about the nrize
and ho said vou d know. . .
There was an awful silence. For
once even Adam must have been
at a loss. Then someone began to
laugh a thin, high giggle.
"The prize!" Barney gasped
hrillv and broke into another Deal
of that terrible laughter.
Adam said something in a low
voice and the sound ceased. A
door opened and closed.
Now don't sav a word." said
Mrs. Flower olncidlv. "I oiiite un
derstand and I'm not hurt The
boy's overwrought No doubt he's
forgotten what he did with it. If
you see him, just tell him he can
send it around tomorrow. . . ."
Adam coughed and seemed at a
loss for an opening. But he need
not have worried. It was only nec
essary to Ifsten. Mrs. Flower pro
ceeded to volunteer all that she
ad told me earlier in the even
ing about hearing the shot and
about Mrs. Orpington s incrimi
nating position on the veranda.
'And everyone on the nost
now! she's that wau about Bar
ry. Of coutsc they sau it's dah
lias"
"Barney Is very much Interest
ed in botany," Adam interposed
ravely "Biology, too inherited
traits quite a scientific mind."
Now if Adam would onlv net
rid of her. so I could tell him about
the typewriter.
Mrs. Flower's sudden sil. ice
was more provocative thnn her
peech. She couldn't lust bt still.
It was impossible Somethlnii must
he going on.
Something was. I heard Adam
snv. Whnt s thnt?
And then. In a piercing stage
hlsner thnt enrried easily to the
head of the stairs. Mrs Flower
hissed. "A scrap of caper!"
tCwvrtoht IMS Flrcili Hntuoti)
Tomorrow: I drsrrt my pott
IU tmdttu until the leglature In In
ceiwlon. Those who havo followed iw
wnrklngd have placed the following
among the mwl Important matters
di!KHsjHd:
1. A change In asftriwmeiitu against
real property, to equalize the load
The comlr.u year find no atato pro
perty tax levy, but there remain te
county and city, aa well an twhool dis
trict personal property levlr. These
ni-p neavy or iini ttrpt'iuitng upon
the community, but mnat are fairly
heavy.
3 A tightening of the Income tan
lawa. particularly in the higher
bracket, and an adjustment In de
duction It wa. pointed out that
the amount deductible can rcduc
the Income of a 3 OCKi-a-year Individ
ual into the J.iHXl-3.000 Income
group. In which the lower tai la paid.
Ily changing the exemption to a ta
refund" some believe it possible to
bring alt fcl.oiX) -mI.u led persons into
the 4.000 tax bracket.
3. nroaa eale tix, to be paid by
all the mere! ant an' added to ail
jhu1uo vuUiout the uh- ol tokuis.
STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX
Tor further proof address the author, Inclosing a stamped envelop for reply, Reg. U B. Pat OS.
rait (
S y. gsOuMs $p$rv
Although Coach W. J. Wladom of
the John Tarleton Plowboys basket
ball team, Stephenvllle. Texas, never
played a game of basketball In his
life, hla team set a record run of 86
straight victories.
The amazing winning atreak la only
part of the atory out of no games
played in lt)33-38. the team won all
but two, which were lost only by one-
point marginal
'After winning 13 straight vlctorle
In 1933, the Plowboys lost to the San
Angelo Ram 43-42. There followed
A similar sales tax Is In effect In
California, where tokens are not used.
4. Personal property tax on auto
mobiles, on a sliding scale computed
from the value of the automobile.
Instead of a flat (6 fee.
5. Increasing the license fees and
taxes on buses and trucks which ply
the public highways.
6. Diversion of gasoline and liquor
revenues from the state to the coun
ties In heavier proportion than Is now
done.
City and county groups have as
sailed the committee with pleas for
TAIXSPIN TOMMY Tommy's
my. a
J FRAY AlD
1 1 J 1 L
- i rv , r
ii ' -n i
A SAFE LANDIMG ON
THE OCEAN IN THEIR
AMPHIBIAN AMD POUND
THAT A Pi See OP
TUBINC HAD BEEN
CONNECTED FROM THE
MOTOR EXHAUST INTO
THE CABIN IN A,
DELIBERATB ATTEMPT
TO MURDER. TMEMj
Meanwhile,
REACHED
OP THB FOG BANK.
AND CUT HIS MOTOR,
LISTENING TOR THE
tiOONE OP THE PIRATES
MOTOR. . . . W
BEN WEBSTERS CAREER "Up Against It?'
THE NEBBS Dealing in Futiire
EBW SO STEVE is GOING TO STOP ' ''."''.' r f WELL, IF IT YES, BUT VOU DOrJT ' VWWAT ABOUT IT? TWATSYT 1 WAS TWlUKIKlsS
KaW OFF TO SAV -GOOOBVe'TD TV4E N ' .... WASNJ'T FOR. 1 SEEM TO REALIZE THAT Sj I A PAR CRY INTO THE j ' op JuuiOR J
WIDOVJ- llL BET IT WOMT BE ) r; TUOSE TWO WDS IF ME REMAINS SINGLE J FUTURE IT WOMT BE V-'l
W GOOD-BVE IF KJELUE GIVES HIM IT VJOULDSTT BE AlM WIS OMLV NEAR LIVING ( LOKJCi BETWEEN TME 1 D 's
x ANV ENCOURAGEMEJsJT A BAD PLACE m. I RELATIVE V TIME ONE OF VOU WILL )
1 FOR STEVE -y-- WAVE TO ACT AND r- r"
four years of consistent wlnnlng,86
games totaling 3705 points broken
In 1038 again by the Rams, 27-26.
The Plowboys won the nine remain
ing 1938 game, for a total of 108
games won, two lost.
In amassing their record run of 86
wins, tha Plowboys scored five one
point victories, two of which came
after overtime periods.
Job for Itlg Thumbs
One of the strnncest rcaulrempntR
for a Job ever specified was that of
01
"El I
Jim Murphy, operator of the
more funds and for relief from their
own heavy relief loads. Burden of
relief now rests upon 'the counties
They have asked that a greater pro
portion of that load be shifted to the
state.
Cities In particular have been eager
.or a diversion of gasoline tax reve
nues, now used mainly for construc
tion and maintenance of state high
ways. The state highway commission
has been adamant in Its refusal to
have gasoline money diverted for any
purpose.
Use Mall Tribute Want Ads.
Desperate Plan
cttsa. i 1 1
HAMK mBE
tommy
THE SKUItlTr
J3"T THB BLANKET OF
Tommys reading shows that
HE HAS A WIDE MARGIN
safety in the Foe
hTIp vouU ,cvn.J0 I UTI,rTHuEAcCjT WH.AT STHE11 THAT'S THE TROUBLE! I -MY COWS SEEM TO f SEE, THAT'S I 'JL
I ud,5 "J.V?r I O THE MATTER I MATTER, I I DON'T KNOW EYACTLV-1 Bt ON ONE 0' THEM 1 To6 BAD J J
J W,RK LIKE JESr IS- IM S0RTA I MR- CASEY? 1 Y'SEE, I'M A DAIRY I THERE SIT-DOWN "J
ET'E VKwNo0WP,rAVE ASIN "-Knr -f cFA0RtfEScAN DAIRY I STRIKES THEY JEST DfWg&F
Lii5iuBE!-,.TUl q'IZ r-ZKS V FARMERS IS S0RTA l J AINT GIV1N' ME THE W IS yP
HANPS ' ENPENT ocOWS THEY SHOULD J
m H&NPS WftRt
REQUIRED Of &ftRTENPR$
At COLUMBIA, C3lif.,
MINING CAMP, vWe a
A PINCH OF fioM) DUST
Of A DRINK'
OS VtcToms IH
yjre scored eyrne
IZ-J7-3&
Dorado" saloon In Columbia, an early
California mining camp. His em
ployees all had to have big thumbs!
The reason for this was that the
current price of drinks In Columbia
was "one pinch of gold dust." Obvi
ously, the more dust a barkeeper
could pinch, the more profit the
house made. One man, John Olsen
of Missouri, had such satisfactory
thumbs that he was paid $200 a week
to tend bar at the "El Dorado."
Monday: The woman of the North.
PENDLETON. Ore., Dec, 17. (7p)
The Pendleton schol board has an
nounced revival of a proposed plan
whereby two additional years would
be added to the present high school
course under a system which would
be termed "advanced secondary and
vocational training."
Before the proposed plan could be
put into effect, however, it wilt be
necessary to obtain approval of the
legislature and the governor.
Closing time for Too Late to Clas
sify Ada Is 1:30 p m.
MIST MUST
Jb HE DECIDES TO STAY
IN THE MISTY SHROUD
OP
area.
THE WORLD AT ITS WORST
AFfER SPEAKW6 V0UR MIND ABOUf HAV1N6
lb SfArJD Itf LINE SO L0N6, ASD INEFFlClEKf OR-
SMiZfyrtOrt, AND YHE RI6HY6 OF f A -PAVERS , X
VOU Find VOU ARE AT -THE WRONG MWDOW saws
(Oopyrlght, 1638, by Tha Bell Syndicate, Inc.', II-lb "aiftr75
8 MATTER POf
?? J y -a'me. Vif1 i
Twm -T-),, YV- VWrU ("FOTZ-AW ESTIMATE. i
I Vou Xoim VVSS' W3 w me Time. To J
tl W (Copyright 1838. by The Bell Byndiote. Inc.)
ONG ENOUGH TO THROW HIS
PURSUER. OFF HI3 TRAIL . .
ANDTHEPI BURST
ABOVE . . .
BlTT. .SUPPOSE THE
MAY BE UP THERE
FOR. HIM. .???
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS,
Bv 0 l PAYNE
By HAL FORRESX
THROUGH
PIRATE
WAITINO
EDWIN ALOES
Bt sol at?'
8,