V
PAGE TEN
MEDFORD MATT TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1939.
by Frances Shelley Wees
YtSTLRDAY . Michael decidsi
to talc Murchiion'l assistant,
McBain. into hii confidence and
perhapt cam information. He
learnt that Murchison and hi
toi toers not happv. a
Murchison oot Deuot his port.
Chapter 24
Ridiculous Question
" TISS LISSEY Is your anony
i' 1 mous letter writer," laid Mc
Bain. Michael rubbed his ear. "1 don't
think so." he said slowly. "I asked
her. pointblank. today. She knew
what I was doing here, having
guessed some and ferreted out the
rest."
"You asked her?"
"Yes. And no one could have
been quite so guileless if she'd had
guilty knowledfie. wo, 1 ininn
we're off the track there."
McBain shook his head heavily.
"It's a damned puzzle to me. from
beginning to end." he said. "And
those love letters that's a greater
puzzle. I told vou what I thought
of such a rotten idea once before."
Ho dropped into his chair and sat
thinking, while Michael watched
his expression. "Did it ever occur
to you," McBain said suddenly,
"that those mightn't be love let
ters at all'"
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Why they were with the dia
monds. Surely, if Murchison had
f;one with a woman he would have
akcn his valuables with him, of
that nature. It appears that he
didn't. Is it possible that the dia
monds have some strange and se
cret history and the letters aren't
what they seem to be but some
thing else, in code, relating to the
diamonds? Do I make myself
clear?"
"By the Lord Harry," said Mi
chael softly. "I wonder If you've
truck something? You're suggest
ing ... let me think now . . . sup
posing the diamonds were stolen."
He went on, disregarding Mc
Bain's hand. "Stolen. Not neces
sarily by your friend but still
quite possibly by him. Supposing,
as you say. these letters are code
letters, from someone familiar
with' the circumstances. Someone
who is warning him . . . rather!"
Michael smiled sweetly. "We'll get
a code on them tomorrowl"
"That would fit in with your
letter from Chicago," McBain said
abruptly.
"It would," Michael replied hap-
Eily. "Murchison's afraid to give
is address or any hint of his
whereabouts to his wife. In that
ease, she may or may not have a
hint of the real truth . . . and Is
acting accordingly. You can inter-
firet her actions differently accord
ng to the light you see them in.
But the thing that gets me, Is . . .
why haven't we hoard about the
theft or loss or misappropriation
. . . whatever you like ... of fifty
thousand dollars worth of dia
monds?" "They may have come from
some other city," McBain said. "I
don't believe for one instant that
Murchison stole them, Forrester.
I think you're barking up the
wrong tree there. But certainly
there's something strange about
them . . . and it may be he's keep
ing them to protect someone else
... I don't know. I'm no 1ewel
thief. But as for thinking of
Murchison in that light ... it would
mean a sort of double identity . . .
it's preposterous."
"You've got to come back to
that lettor warning the CommiS'
sioner. thouuh," Michael said after
a moment. "Somebody sent it. As
for Alix Lissey . . . I'm convinced
she thinks she knows something
I found hor today nut on the river
bank, inspecting the rocks with a
species of microscope. Can vou tell
me what might have been in her
pretty little bond?
Whose Hat?'
f. fcBAIN laid his pipe down on
1 the arm of his chair. Inspect'
Ing the rocks with a microscope?'
"Something of the sort."
"Where?"
"All along the bank between
the University path and the first
big ravine. I don't think she found
what she was after, but she was
certainly searching. "
MrBain laughed shortly. "Per
sonally. I shouldn't like to venture
an opinion She s a bit off, I ve al
ways thought.
"Anv soecial reason why she
might want to cause trouble for
the Murchisnns?
McBain smiled suddenly. "Per
hans the fact that she once expect
ed to marrv Jarcd Dcvoe might
have sirnrthing to do with It," he
replied
''What?"
"It's incredible, but true. She's
been a chanced woman ever since.
t was the summer he came ... he
taught first at summer school here
Mrs. Murchison was away at the
coast Miss Lissev was here, and
she did her best to make Devoe
feel at home. She took ium every
where, bnufiht hosts of new gar'
ments and blossomed like the rose
My wife savs she even went so far
as to hint at an enqauement. Then
Mrs. Mun'hisnn came home, saw
the situation, and rescued Devoe
from the toils. Miss Lissey has
been bitter ever since. It was
vprv plnsp rail for llcvne "
"1 can sec that that might well
explain her attitude.
McBaln'f mouth tightened :
"Surely, Forrester, there is a more I
direct way than this of going
about this business?"
"I'm afraid not. It's a case of pa
tient untying of knots until we
find the straight thread. It looks
pretty hopeless right now. By the
way . . ." he paused. 'There's an
other knot I want to untie. It's a
very small one. Do you happen to
have a hat around here that
doesn't belong to you?" Michael's
smile was very engaging.
"A what?"
"A hat."
"What kind of a hat? Whose
hat?"
"I don't know. Miss Lissey In
formed me this afternoon that
there was a hat left here the night
school closed that might have a
bearing on this situation. It sounds
ridiculous, but I ask merely to trjj
anil see what she was getting at.
McBain shook his nead impa
tiently. 'The woman s a fool, he
said angrily. 'There wasn't any
one here on that night. No one
could have left a hat here. I was
at home all evening I'm posi
tive." "Still do you mind If I ask
your wife? There might be some
reasonable suggestion back of
Miss Lissey's words."
For answer, McBain went 10 me
door and called, "Lucy? Where
are you, my dear?"
"In the garden," a woman'l
voice came faintly. "I'm in the
garden, John."
We 11 go on out n you nice,
McHnin said, oreceding Michael
down the long passage that led to
the back door.
An Owl Boots
MRS. McBain was sitting In a
irarden chair in the dusk. She
sprang to her feet lightly as Mi
chael followed her nuspana out.
I didn t know we had a guest,
she said chidingly. "I was enjoy
ing the evening quiet, wny aiant
you call me, John?"
"We've been talking, my dear,
and I didn't notice the time flying.
Lucy, Mr. Forrester has rather a
ridiculous question to ask you
can you tell him if there is a hat
here that was left on the night
school closed?"
She stared at him. A hat?" sne
repeated slowly. "Whose hat?"
'1 don't know," Michael said
lightly. "Just any hat, that was
left here that night."
"Perhaps ... it might . . . per
haps that was the night I found
a strange hat hanging in the pas
sageway ... I don't iust remember.
Is it important.'
What kind or nat? Mcuain
asked her.
"Why ... a gray felt, I think It
was.
"A man s hat?" Michael asked.
"Yes, certainly."
"Is it still around. Lucy? Do you
mind getting it?"
"I think it is certainly not,"
she said, and turned into the door
way. They followed her. fane lilted
the lid of a carved chest standing
lust inside the door; it held sev
eral hats and caps. She snapped on
the light, and examined them.
"Thnt s strange, ' she said, it
doesn't seem to be here any
longer."
"When did you see It last, Mrs.
McBain?" Michael asked quietly.
"I don't remember." She looked
at him, and her brow was smooth
and untroubled again. "I really
didn't pay any attention to it. 1
remember wondering at the time
who owned it, because no man had
called here the day I found it."
No man? A woman, thenr
No one but Miss Lissey, and
she only ran In for a few minutes."
"A erav felt hat. Lucy? Do you
remember if it had a round brim?"
She looked at her husband. 1
think it did." she said.
They left her, and McBain
walked to the gate with Michael.
The last time 1 saw him. he
said, and there was no need to
tell who he meant, "he was wear
ing a gray felt hat with a round
brim. And Heaven only knows
why it was left here. Perhaps if we
knew that we should know everything."
Michael took the path that
wound along between the edge of
the woods and the hedges at the
back of the gardens, and started
for home. He walked slowly,
thinking over the events of the
day, and the strange information
he had lust received; and his steps
were noiseless on the pine needles
which had drifted across the little
used pathway. He passed the
Deanes'. and was rounding the
curve of this outer horseshoe when
he saw movement on the path
ahead. Ho stopped Involuntarily,
and watched There was someone
just outside his garden gate, some
one who crept rather than walked,
and kept close in the deep shadow
of the hedge. As Michael peered
at It, the figure melted into the
hedge and could be seen no long
er. He wailed.
It seemed to him that he could
hear heavy breathing, and other
small noises, which he could not
quite distinguish: but there was
no longer any movement that he
could see. because of the dark
ness.
Suddenly, out of the woods be
hind him. an owl hooted loudly.
Michael lumped. The sound of
breathing stopped.
The owl hooted again.
Continued tomorrow
FARMERS PROFIT BY
Thursday
5:00 Rhythm Factory, KPO. KOW;
Prank and Archie, KEX, KJR; Sun
set Shadows, KQO.
8:30 Drams, KOMO; Kelseys
Orch., KOO, KEX, KJR; Army Band,
KPO, KOW.
9:00 Major Bowes. KNX, KOIK,
KSL; Good News ot 1040, KPO, KFI,
KOW; Beyond Reasonable Doubt,
KOO, KEX, KJR.
7:00 Workshop, KOIN: Muslo Hall,
KPO, KPI.
7:30 Pop-Off s, KrtX, KOIN; News,
KSL.
8:00 Pred Waring. KPO, KOW.
KPI; Cutler's Orch., KEX; Aloha
Land, KOO; Amos and Andy, KNX.
KSL, KOIN.
8:18 Sam Haj. KNX; Cutler's
Orch., KOO; Myai ry, KPO, KOW,
KPI.
8:30 Symphony Hour, KPO, KOW,
KPI; Ask-It-Basket, KNX, KSL,
KOIN; Lyman's Orch., KOO.
9:00 Strange As It Seems, KNX,
On the
RADIO CHAINS
STATIONS
Where to Find Them od the Dial:
Hex. Portland, 1180; BFI, 840.
Los Angeles; KGA. 1470. Spokane;
KOO, ISO. San Francisco; HUH
820. Portland; KJB, 970, Seams;
KNX. 10SO, Los Anceles; BOA, 830,
Denver; KOIN, 940. Portland;
KOMO, 920, Seattle; KPO, 830, Han
rranclnco; KSL, 1180, Salt Lake.
KSL. KOIN; Sketch. KOO, KJR,
KEX.
9:30 Those W Lova. KPO, KPI,
KOW; Roger's Orch., KOW; Owens'
Orch., KSL; Msdrlguera's Orch..
KOO, KEX; Operetta Series. KNX.
KOIN; News, KJR.
10:00 News Reporter, KPO, KOW,
KPI; News, KOIN, KNX; Poster's
Orch.. KOO, KJR, KEX; News,
KOIN.
10:18 Noble's Orch., KGW; Con
cert Hall, KPO: Clark Ross and Yeo,
KOIN, KNX.
10:30 Ravszai's Orch., KPO, KOW,
KPI; Roland's Orch.. KOIN, KNX;
Nottingham's Orch., KOO, KJR, KEX.
11:00 Martin's orch.. KPO. KPI;
This Moving World. KEX, KJR;
Grays Orch, KSL, KOIN; News, KOO,
KNX, KOW.
Friday
8:00 Frank and Archie, KEX,
KJR; 8unaet Shadows, KOO; Melody
Tlrae, KPO; Don't Forget, KOW.
KFI.
6:30 Etchings in Brass, KOO,
KJR: Musical Vignettes, KOW, KPI;
Quiz Program, KPO. ,
8:00 Plantation Party, KOO, KEX,
KJR; Waltz Tims, KPO, KPI, KOW;
Prof. Quiz. KNX, KSL, KOIN.
6:30 First Nlghter. KNX, KSL,
KOIN; Jessel's Program. KPO. KFI,
KOW; Who's In Town Tonight, KOO;
News, KJR.
7:00 Drama, KNX. KOTN, KSL;
Lombardo's Orch., KPO, KFI, KGW;
Congress, KOO, KJR.
7:30 Story, KGW; Young Man
With a Band, KNX, KSL; Olsen's
Orch., KOO, KJR; Drama, KPO.
8:00 Pred Waring. KPO, KPI.
KGW; Amos and Andy, KNX, KOIN.
KSL; Bucsaroos. KGO, KEX, KJR.
8:181 Lovs a Mystery, KPO, KPI.
KOW; Sketch. KNX. KOIN, KSL.
8:30 Dance Orch, KEX; Death
Valley Days, KPO, KOW. KPI; John
ny Presents, KNX, KOIN. KSL; Aloha
Land, KOO.
9:00 Austin's Orch, KOO, KEX;
Noble's Orch, KPO; Kate Smith's
Hour, KNX, KOIN.
9:30 Musicals, KGO, KEX: Uni
versity Explorer, KPO, KFI; News,
KJR.
10:00 Martin's Orch, KOO. KJR,
KEX; News Reporter, KPO, KPI,
KGW; News, KNX, KSL; News, KOIN.
10:30 Msdrlguera's Orch, KPO.
KOW, KFI; McDonald's Orch, KGO;
Owens' Orch, KSL.
11:00 Nottingham's Orch, KPO;
Gray's Orch, KSL, KOIN; This Mov
ing World. KEX, KJR: News, KGO,
KNX, KGW.
Italy Interested
fn Finn Air Force
Rome, Dec. 7. (IP) Italy
closely watched today the ac
counts of the performance of
the Finnish air force in its
counter-attacks on the Soviet
union, because Finland's planes
are mostly of Italian manufac
ture.
Authoritative sources said the
Italian-made pianos were order
ed before the war broke out.
Delivery was said to have been
rushed because of the sudden
Russian attack last Thursday.
Robins Fooled
Baker, Ore., Dec. 6. (IP)
The fine weather in Baker is
even fooling the robins. Junior
high school students report that
two robins are building a nest In
a tree at the school building,
located near the center of Baker!
Artist Dies
Seattle, Dec. 7. UP) Edward
F. Brotze, 71, Seattle Times staff
artist since 1907 and creater of
the widely-known Seattle Pot.
latch "Bug," died at a hospital
last night. He was stricken with
a heart ailment a week ago.
YCJTH NABBED IN G. P.
ADMITS STEALING CAR
Grants Pass, Dec. 7. (JP)
Mahlon Earl, 17, arrested .here
Wednesday, admitted the car he
was driving was stolen, State
Patrolman Jay V. Williams re
ported. It was registered to Wes
ley Simpson of Klamath, Cal.,
ant was taken at Crescent City,
Cal., the officer said.
Closing time for Too Late to Clas
sify Ads Is 1:30 p. m.
Use Mall Tribune want ads.
Portland, Dec. 7. OP) A de
cision which State Senntor Rex
Ellis, Pendloton, declared would
save Oregon farmers $200,000 a
LETTING IT RING
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
frx
6UJVA
ISJUSf Wlrf6T6Wfl)MER1-flREP1foS AFuTRNOOH
MAP, WHEN TOORBELL RIKSS
O.05E5 EVES , MuffERlUfe Iff rf RIN6, SHE'S BEEN
RUWMN6 -TO THE POOR BllDAV AMP IfS PR08A8W
JUSf A SfUESMAtf OR ONE OF fHE CHIlSREM
WANTIH& JUNIOR.
8KIN5 1b HAVE WSeWllteS, BlrffEUS HERSElf
TriPrt whoever rf was muS1 have 6lE awav 8V
Now-MWmm MOMEMf bell RitM a&aiN
LIE'S 1ELUH& HERSELF SHE'S JUSf A SLAVE 1b THE
PODRBELL AND WlSHlHS SHE COULD HAVE A HAP
IK TEAtF. AND W0NDER1H6 WHO tf 15
W&HE6 TriEVD EITHER RIN6 AeAlN, IH WHICH CASE
SHPP WfeYVER IT, OR EI&E THAT SHE'D HEAR THEM
60IH6 AWA.V, In WHICH CASE SHE COtfLP 60 To SlFEP
(Relpangfl hy Tha Dpll Syndicate, Inc.)
SlfcHS SHE MI6HT AS WElJ. SEE WHO IT 15, FlHPS HO
0H A1 DOOR OR IN SlfcHT, AND 6E5 NO NAP FOR,
woRRvmt that it mav have been" something
IMPORTANT
STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX
For further proof address the author, Inclosing a stamped envelope for reply.
Reg. TJ. 8. Pat. Off.
V ill V
lI.MJ.0gR"
WgRefsMoNSTrie
rlR'51 10 Pcwcvu
1rW1He WRLP
A? POUND
frtfY1H0USrtfTTo8f
M6t COCONUT ZHtLL
Mitels y ',-
ImK mm
J',30
isHoTsmmsH!
HIS ftVICKTRV Z FRSNCH
ftMD PUTCH..,
1oV&., of las Angeles,
CP1U6HT h
NRIY TWICE HER
OWN WEIGHT
rZ35k pounds, t'zfeebn$
TRANSPARENT
IS MME CHIEFLY
fftM 0PA9UE
SUBSTANCE'S
GAND&PAhSH
MpT. 11PJ3 OJ l mica rmur aynmcBie. inn. L'T'
lsIlf.U.& CM ironed hBrirf-H
A
"4.
RULER OF SWEDEN
Strange as it seems, Gustav V of Sweden has not one dr op of Scandinavian blood in his
veins. The Swedish royal line has been extinct for morn han 100 yaars since 1818, when
Bernadottu of France succeeded to the throne as Charles XI V, on tho death of the Crown
Prince of Sweden. '
Bernadotte's wife was Desiree, Clary, a Marseillaise merchant's daughter. The ruling fam
ily of Sweden remained pure French until the present ruler's father, Oscar II, married Prin
cess Sophia WilHelmina, youngest daughter of Duke William of Nassau.
COCONUT WORLD
Solomon Islanders believe the world to be a giant coconut shell, cut at the top with a
single aperture communicating with tho upper air, where human beings dwell.
TOMORROW: Air Raid That Saved a Cityl
TAILSPIN TOMMY The Class Gets Oul of Orderl
By HAL FORRES'
NEW ALASKA GOVERNOR
URGES STATEHOOD AIM
Juneau, Alaska, Dec. 7
(W) Calling upon citizens of
the territory for united effort
"to ultimately brinK statehood,"
Dr. Ernest GrueniiiR took his
onth of office as Rovernor of Al
j nskn.
j The inauguration took place
: in the territorial building last
ninlif with nnnronrinte i-erpmon.
year wus nimounccd yesterday ifs M E M(,nnRl0i fonPrni at.
by Attorney General I. H. Van 1 torney (pr t,e (irst division, ad
Winkle. ministered the oath.
Van Winkle said a provision:
of the Kllis farm truck bill ap-l Start Flying Practice
proved by the Inst legislature Corvallis, Dee 7. iiP) Ore
was constitutional. H permits a I gon State college civil aeronau
farmer to haul his neighbor's , ties students becan iH'tual flying
produce on a regular farm truck j practice this week at the Albany
i!," .OF TH MA.1!f64'L tX EW OUGHT'NWHA'WHAf D 13 VEW'RE A Bt& BULLY.'VVOU AlN'TJ MY PAPPY ALIUS SAID I
VIL1-' D YAJ&J brfi Ma 7 HEV HIT A YOU CALL h THET'S WHAT YEW A TOO LITTLE, Jt"HE i WHO OIVETH
vtfi6.!? APPUES:&Cfil LrrIRJl N ARE' HITTIN' A rARE YUH ? rfA MUST ALSO
OU LU G r,Wi' BIGGER N HE APPL.E LITTLE FELLER. J V- ji ' ilAJ. RECEIVETH'"
BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Mayor Balllnger By EDWIN ALGER
VSAy THE VOTES ,YVll1 I AMyOR BALLINGER, 1 HMM! THAT IP FO" .tf f, . Ijj T tJ? YOR8111lilllljpL
VMAMMOui ? fM I' 1 W"V1 RESPONSIBILITY - tO KL-- FROM "THE AA405fif SHe
THE NEBBS The Doubter
By SOL HE'
ftiVlEREMODECl-
IMS OP "THE
CXD roc
H LABORATORY
TO MAK.E.
EMBERTS
POWER PILLS
5 UMDER
WAV.
TUERES THE
CRADLE. OP A BIS
INOUSTKYTHt NEST
PROM WIU1CU WE
VsMLL HATCH UNTOLD,
WEALTH
f MR. WE88.IN SPITE OF"
VOUR DOUBT AND YOUR '
jVe .just sot omeM
SARCASM IM GOIWS TO m Mp Mn
makc vru luiFM niv UONXT MAKE ME 50
SEVOMD OUR WILDEST) , ' '
,riw.t. HJLKo &MVY
vHE IO RATHER
' ll y. . . . . .. ,rr-r- Ar irrV
TUERES THE SMELL, 1 HOPE A . i.'Tr.S , ,".7,7
ll l rv I i it "ujiit ll. . . -..rr .. ,-. ti ri I rji s I I
&AC. AT LEAST MONiev i0 MVESrOP-ivE ALWAYS SOT (J
i - - - - . r - n &,-L-"v i hm i kj n lt-qv- ri i w rsjvt- wif :
x ' ..!,'," . , , y rri V
i HAVE THEM
AlKE ME!
license at one half cost.
1 airport.
t