P.AGE SIX
by Frances
YESTt-tiuAt. Mr$. UuTchiton
hat received a letter In her hue
band'i handwriting, (rom Chico
oo, dated fix weekt alter hit dis
appearance, taying that h if
never ooino to return.
Chapter 17
Somewhere In Between
MICHAEL spoke luddenly.
"Let'i forget all this conjec
turing, and guessing. Let's get
what we know organized down
on paper. Then we've got some
thing to work on. I'm getting fed
up with fiddling about."
"Motives?" queried his father.
"Where are you going to start?"
Bunny wanted to know. "Whose
motives? The diamond hunters, if
any, the murderers, If anv, or
what have you?"
"The Professor," Michael said.
"If any, of course."
"It's like 'button button, who's
got the button?"' Tuck mur
mured. -Michael
threw her a cold glance.
"Levity from here on is out,"
he said decisively. "Nov we start.
This thing probably isn't much of
a mystery at all. There's nS use
keeping on with all this suspicion
if we're barking up the wrong
tree, if there isn't any tree. Sup
posing we start at the beginning,
and think about Murchison him
self. He's gone. This letter appar
ently clears up the question of his
whereabouts, but we'll forget
about that letter. Why did he go?"
The District Attorney tapped his
pipe thoughtfully. He glanced up
at his son, but said nothing.
"First," Michael went on, "his
wife says he probably went off to
some remote laboratory to con
duct some obscure experiment."
"What experiment? Bunny de
manded. "Why couldn't he con
duct it here?"
"That doesn't really bother me,"
said Michael; "the question is,
what lab? As far as I'm concerned,
that flrst possibility is out."
"There are labs in Chciago,"
Tuck said tentatively.
Michael frowned. "I suppose I
may as well own up," he said, "I
do not believe in that letter for a
moment In the first place, It was
worded too vaguely. He merely
laid, in two sentences, that he was
not returning to her, and perhaps
he. would understand. He didn't
lay where ho was going or what
he was going to do. He told her
lo forget him."
"And does she understand?"
"She says she doesn't. Although
I smell a horring there, too. A very
bright red herring. But the real
question in my mind is why did
he wait for six weeks to mail that
letter? Can you answer me that?"
The District Attorney nodded to
himself. Michael answered his
own question, looking down Into
the interested eyes turned to his
face.
"Because," he said, "he didn't."
"Didn't wait six weeks?"
"Didn't mail that letter."
"What do you mean, Michael?
tt was in his own handwriting."
"Yes, but when did he write
It? Before he went, or just before
he mailed it?"
"You think he might have left
that note for her? That she had it
all the time , . . and then . . ."
Tuck's mind was following out the
steps. Her eyes shone.
' Yes. And. has the lady any
friends in Chicago? Suddenly, you
see, she feels that she has to ex
plain the Professor's absence.
Things are getting unpleasant
or she wants the police out. Per
haps getting them in was only a
gesture. So, she gets the bright idea
of dating this letter the date was
printed, by the way, and the ex
pert is almost ready to swear it's
Murchison's hand but not quite
dating it, sending it to some friend
in Chicago with instructions to
mail it back to her. Simple. The
Professor's absence quite satisfac
torily explained, and the police
called off."
Three Reasons
" A ND what precipitated this bit
of finesse, Michael?" the
District Attorney wanted to know.
Michael shrugged his shoulders.
"Perhaps she really heard from
the Professor and he gave her the
devil for starting this search." He
avoided his father's eyes.
"Or perhaps she discovered that
the diamonds were really here in
the house, and she wanted to get
Ihem, luck said.
"And more likelv." Bunnv add
ed, "she began to think the police
were finding out too much. The
key question in my mind Is, of
course, what happened to the Pro
fessor? Where does he give her
the devil from? How did he get
there? I think you're guessing
mere, Micnaei.
"Well, perhaps. Next, then;
supposing the letter is authentic.
He may have gone off with a lady
friend.
"We've talked about that." Tuck
objected. "It's no use going over
U again.
"Not any. Very well, then
There s something wo haven't
discussed. They say there are usu.
ally three reasons for a man's dis
appearing. Loss of memory, which
WILL RUN AGAIN
Spokane, Nov. 29. (PI Rep.
Charles Lenvy (D-Wash.) said
today he did not believe Presi
dent Roosevelt would seek a
third term and that 'It is quite
probable Robert Jnckson, solici
tor general, will be the big mnn
for the democratic president iul
nomination next year."
The congressman added, how
ever, "if President Roosevelt dc
airei a third term, he can get
the nomination and be elected."
Leavy described Jackson as a
Shelley Wees
we don't seem to be dealing with
A lady friend, which we can't sub
stantiate as yet; and fear of pun
ishment for some crime the dis
appearing person has committed."
"What crime?"
"As yet, none. So there's no use
talking about that, although we'll
keep it in mind."
Bunny drew a deep breath and
settled into her chair. "You're
still talking about voluntary dis
appearance, Michael," she said
quietly. "You've broken the ice.
Now go on to what's more likely."
"Oh well," said Michael lightly,
"if you must have it." He dropped
down into the big chair by the
desk. "Murder," he said.
Tuck moved restlessly in her
chair. Michael glanced at her, and
went on. "Robbery, jealousy,
hate," he said. "Three possible
motives. Everything comes under
those three heads.
"Robbery, the diamonds," Bun
ny murmured.
"Yes. And that will take In the
largest circle of suspects. From
Marie Murchison down to Higgins
and beyond. An unknown thief
could have murdered him for the
diamonds."
"Scarcely," the District Attor
ney said with a twinkle. "You
can't go too far, Michael. You'd
have a lot of little fine threads to
pick up if you start talking so."
"Very well," Michael conceded.
"No unknowns. Well, then . . .
Higgins is the most likely sus
pect." "Piffle," said Bunny. "Not alone,
Michael. He hasn't the brains."
"No. Well, to go on. Jealousy."
"The lady's husband," mur
mured Tuck.
"Yes. But first we'll have to find
the lady. So far there doesn't seem
to be any."
The District Attorney sat forward
suddenly in his chair, and gazed
intently into the fire. Bunny was
watching him. She frowned to
herself. Michael was watching
her.
"There Is, of course," he said
slowly, "another possibility there.
Mrs. Murchison is a most attrac
tive woman."
Gray Box
BUNNY shut her eyes. Tuck
stared at Michael. "You mean
. . ." she began.
He shook his head at her. "Any
one might be in love with Mrs.
Murchison," he told her. Her eyes
were still fixed on his. He glanced
at Bunny.
"Of course," Tuck said quietly.
"A perfect stranger might. Some
one we haven't heard of at all."
"Someone who lives in Chi
cago," muttered the District Attor
ney. And the last point," Michael
went on hastily. "Hate."
His father turned and looked at
him. "Where do you put revenge,
my lad?" he asked. "It's a funny,
queer, fermenting thing. It grows
often on unlikely soil.
"Hate takes in all that." Michael
decided. "All types of enmity and
revenge. It gives us a wide
course."
"I don't believe he was the sort
of man one hates," Tuck said
swiftly. "I think his brother is a
perfect darling. So therel"
"I wish." said Bunny slowly. "I
wish we could find the diamonds."
'Oh. as for that, said Michael
loftily, "it's very simple. I know
lhree astonished faces turned
toward him. Two mouths fell
open. One pair of shaggy brows
bent over keen gray eyes.
Michael!
With elaborate leisure he got
up from his chair, and turned
around. On the floor at his feet
was the grating of the cold-air
register.
"Of course," he said, "I may be
mistaken. But I don't think so.
Certainly they're somewhere in
this room, if there are any. And
this is a fairly new house no
secret passages or sliding panels
In it. So B
"The pipe!" Tuck cried, com
ing to stand beside him. "The cold
air pipe!"
They were all beside him now,
peering down through the grating.
Michael knelt. He had the paper
knife from the desk in his hand.
He applied it to the screws on each
side of the grating, and after a few
seconds of breathless silence lifted
the grating out, and laid it beside
him.
The pipe just below the grating
formed a square and ran along
under the floor. Joining with it at
the back was the pipe that came
straight down from the dressing
room above. At the Juncture of
the two, on a little shelf formed
of a bent sheet of gray tin. stood
a box; and hanging over the top of
it were Tuck's rosy corals.
"So, it was my idea, you young
scalawag," his father said.
"Your idea, my clever parent.
Somewhere in between, vou said.
It bothered me. I thought about
it. They are."
He lifted out the corals and
handed them to Tuck. Then he
leaned forward and picked up the
gray box.
It, too, was made of tin, like the
fiipe. It was perhaps six inches
ong, by three wide, and three
deep, and the lid was covered with
thick dust and fastened down by
a hasp and tiny padlock.
Continued tomorrow
"profound student of govern
ment, an unquestioned liberal,
yet a man who inspires faith and
confidence from all classes."
Radio Time Lengthened
Washington, Nov. 2!). (.1')
The Communications Commis
sion today authorized radio sta
tions KKX at Portland, Ore.
and KOU at Albuqiinrque, N
M., to operate on an unlimited
time basis. The two stations now
operate simultaneously In the
daytime and share time at
night.
Scattered Wool Sales,
Boston, Nov. 29 (AP-LSDA
Inquiries for domestic wools
were being received todav on
the Boston market, but only
scattered sales were being
closed.
MEDFORD MATT
On the
RADIO CHAINS
UTATIONS
Where to Find Them on the Dial:
Kei. Portland. 1180; KM, 640
Lot Angelee; BOA. 1470. Spokane;
KGO, 190. San Francltco; Kl
620, Portland; KJK. 870, Seattle;
KM, 1050. Lot Anielei; KOA, 30.
Denver; KOIN, S40. Portland;
KOMO, 020. Seattle; KI'O, 630, Nan
Ironrlseo; KHI 1180, Salt Uke.
Wrdneiiday.
6:00 Frank and Achle. KEX, KJR;
Sunset Shadows. KOO; Warlng's
Orch, KPO. KOW, KFI.
0:30 Kelseye Orch, KPO. KOW;
We Preaent, KGO, KJR.
6:00 Sketch, KGO, KEX, KJR;
Star Theater, KSL, KOIN, KNX;
Drama, KOMO; Safety First, KPO.
6:30 Horse and Buggy Days, KEX;
Hollywood Playhouse. KPO, KFI,
KGW; Convention, KOO: News, KJR.
7:00 Sketch, KNX, KSL. KOIN;
Kyser's Prgm, KPO. KGW, KFI;
Shields' Orch, KGO, KJR, KEX.
7:30 Burns and Allen. KNX.
KOIN, KSL: Adventures. KGO. KJR.
8:00 Warlng's Orch, KPO; Breez
ing Along, KGO, KJR, KEX; Amos
and Andy, KNX, KOIN. KSL.
8:15 1 Love a Mystery, KPO,
KGW, KFI; Lum and Abner, KSL,
KNX, KOIN.
8:30 Whlteman'a Orch, KNX,
KSL, KOIN: Quicksilver, KGO, KJR.
KEX; Avalon Time. KPO, KFI, KGW.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEAGUE
Ws" X'"
AWOUS MOMENTS DURING 1r PASSING BY OF "THE
MOTHER OF friE TEAM '5 STAR PXAWtR, WHO HAS HAD
-Me To make himself invisible but not To wide
CERftttN )MCRlMlMAflN6 EVIDENCE em '
.Uz21 (Brtwmd lr TH BeH Brodtctle, lne.l WIPffe
TAILSPIN TOMMY End of the
VOU vVIN,nDMKINS! W-iwHKT ARfcA I. ..I.. PLANNED THOSE Y M fA SMALl GO CN..GO
f BUT..IF YOU O j!rvOO'OU RAVING CRASHES... MERELY ) IWftSA V ifS - " I DROP I ON ' VWKAT I
HAVE STAYED OUT J wfc r ABOUT? j TO DEMONSTRATE hy. kMl JrW t V CL FV-I UPON ELSE'?' J
BEH WEBSTELCAniEIU-Wtiard Craiwl " ' By EDWIN ALGER
, f ;'. HI, MR. iJ HOWD HELLO, J IN STRICT SECRECY, JIM CRANE f YOU'RE OUR W EASY! p FULL PAGE ADS IN THE g
J BALLINGER-ll JIM! ff MR. 6 WAS TOLD OF THE DOUBLE PUSUC1TV NEWSPAPERS, SPOT .
'LO BEN CRANE- PACKA6E OF CAMPAIGN CTNAMITEl f EXPERT, JIM f "(HOW? ) ANNOUNCEMENTS, HANDBILLS, pfg.
M f THAT'S WHY WE WANT CAN VOU PAC ) PLACARDS, BANNERS, PHONE
jRUSTyM Xi PVPBVnNFiN WAPPv' I THE MEETING ?y T CALLS, SOUND TRUCKS AND )
3 HiPjr I ( VAUEYATTHELGErT J- T iomopfaAc! WlT,Hi ie 37
; NlViL HP-u MEETING, JIM MR. ZJ tfft) Jf7 x-v. LOUDSPEAKER- I'LL TAKE .SX
j Al V
THE NEBBS Full Speed Ahead By SOL HF
QNE POVR PILL DROPPED IN THE SAS TANK I rIVL BET YlHJ-v thER GOEs II 'rcttER TURN OPp IIA POWDv)5 G0T
FILLED WITH WATER AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENS, f NEVER RODE THIS MY FENDERS 1 ) JpSNWlTrw 1 VEP-THEReN ' AY BEYOND MY JpowER AllRIGhT
ItL LOOK AT THAT GUV ferrffiUfflVA KE ( ONS ' J P ' wONdIrPUU fe .p
go 4 COMB OPP THAT SIDE ROAOft NAWaw ASWy 1 CLEARLY DEMON- fT0My DEMOKJSTRAT.OO.' AT 'T STARTED
SIv,. 1 CANTEU.HIM AN EASIER Vcc. T bT.oSeD V STRATEO THE -7 WHAT POWER1' '( USEFUL
E ,AiC . c Ills iS-
TRIBUNE, MEDFORD,
8:00 Pearce's Oang, KNX. KSL.
KOIN; Radio Guild. KGO. Fred
Allen, KPO, KQW. KFl.
8:30 Noble's Orch., KOO. KEX;
dray's Orch., KNX; News, KJR. s
10 :00 Martin's Orch.. KOO, KJR,
: KEX; News, KNX, KSL; Newi Re
porter. KPO. KFI, KOW; New,
1 KOIN.
10:30 Madrlguera's Orch.. KOO,
' KJR, KEX; Ravazza'i Orch., KPO.
I KFI, KOW.
11:00 Gray's Orch, KOIN; Not
tingham Orch, KPO, KPI; This
Moving World, KEX, KJR; News.
KGO, KOW.
1 hursday
6:00 Prank and Archie. KEX.
KJR: Aurandfe Orch, KOIN; Sun
set Shadows. KOO.
S :30 Kelsey's Orch, KGO, KEX.
KJR; Army Band, KPO, KGW, KPI.
6:00 Major Bowes. KNX. KOIN,
KSL: Good News of 1040. KPO. KFI,
KOW; Sketch, KGO, KEX, KJR.
7:00 Columbia Workshop, KOIN;
Music Hall, KPO, KFI.
7:30 Pop-Offs. KNX, KOIN; Vlckl
Chase. KOO: News. KSL.
8:00 Fred Warln. KPO. KOW,
KFI: Cutler's Orch, KEX; Aloha
Land, KGO: Amos and Andy, KNX,
KSL. KOIN.
8:15 Sam Hays. KNX; Cutler's
Orch., KGO; I Love a Mystery, KPO,
KOW. KFI.
8:30 Symphony Hour. KPO, KGW.
KFI; Ask-It-Basket. KNX, KSL,
KOIN; Lyman's Orch, KOO.
0:00 Strange As It Seems. KNX,
KSL. KOIN: Sketch, KOO. REX.
9:30 Thosa Wo Love, KPO, KFI.
Trail for Quentinl
OREGON, WEDNESDAY,
KGW; Rogers' Orch, KGW; Owens'
Orch, KSL; Madrlguera'a Orch,
KGO. KEX; Operetta Seiiea, KNX,
KOIN; News, KJR.
10:00 News Reporter, KPO. KOW,
KFI: Sullivan News, KOIN, KNX;
Paster's Orch, KGO, KJR, KEX;
News, KOIN.
10:30 Ravazza's Orch, KPO, KOW,
KFI: Owens' Orch, KSL; Notting
ham's Orch, KOO. KJR, KEX.
1 1 :00 Martln'e Orch, KPO, KFI;
This Moving World, KEX, KJR;
Oray's Orch, KSL, KOIN; News,
KGO. KNX, KGW.
Philly Plans Wage
Tax For Aid Fund
Philadelphia, Nov. 29. (P)
A tax on wages of all persons
earning their living in Philadel
phia was among levies advanced
today by acting MSyor George
Connell as possible means of
helping raise at least $15,000,
000 additional revenue he esti
mates is necessary for 1940, A
similar proposal was rejected a
year ago.
FDR's Favors Delay
Warm Springs, Ga., Nov. 29.
(P) President Roosevelt was
described on high authority to
day as having discussed with
some of his recent visitors a
delay of a month or a month and
a half in the calling of the dem
ocratic and republican national
conventions next year.
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
NOVEMBER 29, 1939.
WEBFEET PLAYERS
HEAD FOR ALTAR
Eugene, Nov. 29. (JP) One
senior member of the Univer
sity of Oregon football team
STRANGE
ror further proof address
l1-' -,,.'.",;.
J If
llll 1888 8811 8188
8818 8181 HIS (SSI
1188 1 8 it 8888 8111
8881 8118 1181 1813
MAGIC -SQUARE -
EACri HORIZONTAL, VERTICAL
OR PIA60NAL ROW
Totals i???a--VNWHEM
VIEWED UPSIDE PPWN
OR IN ft MIRROR
MYSTERIOUS CROSSES
Claiming she was visited by voices and visions of long dead Indians and mission padres,
Mrs. Violet Parent, wife, of a California grocery clerk, in 1915 led friends lo nearby hills
where, upon digging, were found crude crosses six inches to one foot in length of un
known origin.
During the following ten years she led searchers to about 1,500 of those crosses and
other relics. She also directed the discovery of more than $10,000 hidden or lost in
more than 100 places.
Hamlin Garland, in his book "The Mystery of the Buried Crosses," offers Irrefutable
evidence that the crosses wers not "planted."
TOMORROW: Miracle Hefrigeratorl
has taken on a life-time posi
tion and a junior Webfoot will
undertake a similar job next
month. .
Merle Peters of Portland,
veteran right tackle of the Ore
gon eleven, was married to
Marion Bjugstad, former co-ed
from Eugene, at Vancouver,
Wash., last Sunday, it was an
nounced here today.
The engagement of Bettie L.
AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX
the author. Inclosing a iUjped envelope for reply. Reg. V. 8. Pat. Off.
3 m?,.A &
ON FINE
PURlNoTHC
3VEAK-S H
StrYED
WHITE
Y, M' Mtf4.
M'fe of 3 Recbids, &lif, grocery clerk,
Q4C0)IZRZV 0VER l$?0 CfloSSK ANP PiAQUES)
Of UNKNOWN 0RI6IN, AM? (WR410.000 IN CASH.'
-SCATTERS) OVER AN
CMV 300
?Hc CuAIMcP V0IC&5 Of
'.-0N6-DEAD MISSION PADRES"
6UIPEPHER... ff5-25)
VlfioMVlM JALIL"
MAHoMED JaUu Moslem
foLLoWEDTrle WRONG ROM
FRAVINfi EVERY 5 STEPS or THE WAY
USTRAVELED OVER 850 MILES
fRom. jamalrjrTo Bombay, inpia,
BELIEVING HE WAS HEADED
FOR MECCARABIA
Hobbs of Orange, Cal., to
Clarence Arthur "Art" Wine
trout, Jr., of Grants Pass, Ore.,
was announced here last night.
Winetrout was a reserve left
tackle on this year's team.
The Winetrout-Mobos wea
ding will be held in the Tri
Delt house here on the campus,
December 20.
In the 18th century, -la France,
every window was taxed.
'"to
rVVS
NTH
HOUSE
t2MDICn-m-
1toLET PARENT.
AREfX boo MUSS LoHQ
M
Pi'ldr - im.
fbR 3 YEARS,
Mir
..... 'ff r aw I
By HAL FORREST
1
1