PAGE TWELVE
MEDFORD MATT TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1939.
by Franc
YtSTLRDAY: HcBain tug-
itttt that the lot) letter! In the
' box may be code, tayt that Mitt
. Littey it bitter became Devoe
didn't marry her, and denlet tee
, ing the gray felt hat. Mrt. Mc-
Bsin law the hat, looks for it, but
can't Ind it.
Chapter 23
Dark Of The Moon
TpHE dark figure broke away
from the hedge, slowly, cau
tiously, and crept on all fours fqr
uie uees. nun a Douno, Micnaei
reached it and threw himself upon
it, hardly knowing what he ex
pected to find beneath his hands as
ne peered down in the darkness.
"Yer chokin" me," he heard, and
gaspea in surprise.
"Higgins!"
"It's me," the little man said sul
lenly, clambering to his feet as Mi
, chael released him.
"What the devil were you doing,
sneaking around in the dark?"
"I wasn't doin' nothink."
"Oh, you weren't? Well, it's a
damn poor place to do it in. What
re you up to?"
"I'm not up to nothink." Higgins
was truculent.
Michael was suddenly angry. He
reached out, took Higgins collar
and shook him as if he had been the
rabbit Bunny had called him. "You
tell me what you were doing
ineaking around my yard in the
middle of the night, or I'll shake
the daylights out of you," he said
wrathful ly.
But Higgins, mentally at least,
was firm. "I said I wasn't doin
nothink and I wasn't."
Michael dragged him over to the
Elace beside the hedge from which
e had crawled. Still holding Hig
gins' collar he bent over and ran
his hand over the ground. There
was nothing. Higgins held one arm
lightly behind himself. Michael
noticed It, grabbed it, and took
trowel from resisting Angers.
"For the love of Pete," Tie said in
exasperation. "A trowel! What are
you doing, transplanting in the
aarK or tne moonr
Higgins maintained sullen si
lence. ,
Michael thought carefully. He
looKca over tne neage. Just there,
on the other side, was one of the to-
called rockeries. Dlaced there vea
terday by this same Higgins. Rock
eries? files ol stones, rather. Now,
what . . .
"So." he said, retraining his com
mand of the situation. "So vou
have reasons, my friend, for your
actions t airange. very strange. To
look at you, one wouldn't think so.
Trowel, indeed, the dark of the
moon. A pile of stones. What's un
derneath it, Higgins?"
"Nothink," he said explosively.
"No? Now, mustn't tell naughty
fibs. I'll have to wash your mouth
out. I'll tell you what we'll do
since you're so anxious to dig, we'll
go inside, where it's easier, and dig
properly."
"I don't want to dig."
Watch And Chain
'"-THAT'S just too bad. I'm ao
J sorry, because I'm afraid
you've got to. And before you start,
you may sing a little song like a
nightingale, or a weasel, or is it an
other owl? Just to set your friend's
mind at rest He's far, far away by
now, of course, but he must be
worrying."
Higgins writhed.
Michael did not press the sub
ject. "Stones first," Michael decided.
"I'll help you. Just to cheer you
along. We'll take this one, and then
this one . . . now don't s'lirk."
"I'm not going to stand for this,"
Higgins growled.
"Of course not. You couldn't
reach the stones if you did. You'll
bend over nicely and pick them up
one by one. Ready?"
Higgins was not ready.
Michael straightened up and
poke softly. "You get to work and
move those rocks, you little fool,
or I'll smash you flat," he said con
vincingly. Higgins got to work.
In a few minutes they had
moved the rocks aside, and the har
dened earth beneath lay bare.
"Have you a light, Higgins?" Mi
chael demandod.
"No, I 'aven't."
"So you know exactly where to
dig. do you? Well, dig then."
"1 don't know what yer talkin'
about."
"Do you want to be smashed
flat?" Michael asked sweetly.
Higgins was trembling.
The man bent over and scratched
feebly at the earth. Michael bent
beside him and watched Obvious
ly they were getting nowhere. Mi
rhacl snatched the trowel from
Higgins' hand and moved over di
, reelly In front of the little break in
the hedge that he could feel with
his hand. He thrust the trowel deep
into the earth just there, and
scraped the soil away. He realized
lhat the man beside him was hold
ing his breath, and that he must be
on the right track.
In a few seconds, when the trow
el had reached spot perhaps six
inches bulow the surface, he felt it
J'VILLE DRIEST
IN MANY YEARS;DUE TO SEA STRENGTH
Jacksonville, Dec. 8. (Spl)
Last month, with a precipitation
of .17 inches, was the second
driest month here since 1887,
according to Emll Britt, volun
tary weather observer. The
driest was November of 1920,
with a precipitation of .04.
Mean temperature for the
month was 43.8 degrees; mean
maximum, S2.9; mean minimum,
: J; maximum 61, and minimum,
.3. Greatest daily range was 26
degrees.
The precipitation here since
September 1 is 2.58. Tor the
same period last year it was
5.14.
Us Mail Tribune want adj.
Shttlay Wt
strike on something. Higgins heard
it too, and drew in his breath on
something that sounded very like
sob.
Michael lifted out a trowel of
earth carefully. Higgins made a
convulsive movement, and Michael
grasped him by U.e shoulder and
forced him down. "I haven't got it
yet," he said consolingly.
But the next thrust struck It
something firm and hard, and Mi
chael put his hand down into the
hole, not, however, without a mo
ment of dread; and encountered
there a smooth flat surface. With
a few more strokes of the trowel he
laid it bare, seized it, and drew
forth a little square box.
"Now, isn't this lucky," he said
to Higgins. "We'll just go up on the
porch into the light, and open it. Do
you know whars in it?"
Higgins was shaking. "I don't
know nothink about it," he said
over and over. "I don't know
nothink about it. I' wasn't me."
Michael led him up into the sun
porch and snapped on the light.
The little man was as white as a
ghost under his sallow tan. His
eyes were wide and tun ol rear.
Michael lifted the lid of the box.
Inside, lay a man's gold watch, the
long chain coiled round it.
He turned it over and on the
back were engraven the initials
EGM.
'I Never Done It'
HIGGINS put his hands over his
face, and moaned. "I'll 'ang
now, I'll 'ang,'' he said to himself.
"You certainly will." said Mi
chael cheerfully. "As high as Ha
inan unless you listen to me."
"I never done it, s'welp me. I
never done it I don't know nothink
about it.
"No? Well, Just come into the
study, and tell me all about it, Hig
gins."
Half dazed the man followed him
In, and watched him as he locked
the door.
"Sit down." Michael commanded
briefly.
Higgins sat gingerly on the edge
of a chair. "I never done it," he said
again.
"You didn't do what?"
Higgins stared at him. "I never
killed him. I don't know nothink
about it."
"If you say that again," Michael
said evenly, "I shall choke you
with my bare hands. You do know
something about it. You wouldn't
be sitting there like a damned
aspen leaf if you didn't. Now,
where did you get this watch?"
"I found it."
"Where?"
"On the pnth."
"What path?"
"The path through the wood.
That's right. It's the truth I'm tell
in' you."
"I believe you. You didn't hap-
fien to And a diamond necklace
ying right close beside it, did
you?"
The shot struck home. Higgins
went white again. "No sir, he
whispered.
"When did you find It?"
"One mornin'."
"Indeed? Which morning?"
"The mornin' after he ... he was
supposed to have went away."
ho?"
Higgins was silent.
"Who?"
"You know. Murchison."
"How did it come to be lying on
the path?"
"I don't know. I've no idea."
"You found a aold watch lvine
on the path with initials and
you didn't attempt to return it to
tne owner r wny dian t your
"I did! I come 'ere. knowin' as it
was Mr. Murchison's watch, and he
wasn't to 'ome. That's right. So 1
went away."
"Why didn't you give It to his
wife?"
"It wasn't 'is wife as I talked to."
"Who was it?"
Higgins would not answer.
"Well, who was it?"
"Mr. Duncan Murchison."
"What did he say?"
"'E didn't say nothink. 'E.just
said no, 'is brother wasn't 'ome,
what did 1 want. And 1 said
nothink, I didn't want nothink. and
I went away. S'welp me. I tust
went away."
"With the watch? Whv didn't
you give it to him?"
"1 didn t want to."
"Well, that's a good reason. Then
what?"
"Nothink."
Michael gritted his teeth. "Look
here. HiEEins. Ston savins thatl
Tell me straight, why didn't you
give the watch to Duncan Murchi
son right there?"
"I didn't want to." Michael
glared. -Higgins shuffled. "! wasn't
going to take no chances," he mut
teied. "It might 'ave been him.
They was flghtin' one day before.
I 'card 'em."
"Who was?
"The two Mr. Murchisons."
"And you thought it might have
been Duncan who had murdered
his brother? That's what you
thought, eh?"
"Yes.'1
"So vou knew lhat the Professor
was dead? How?"
Continued Monday
MOn SEES U. S. PEACE
Tillamook. Ore., Dee. 8. ul') I
Success of naval anoronria-
tion act amendments at the next
' session of conuress would nrn-
1 vitle the United States with the
largest navy in the world. Con-
gressmnn James W. Mott. first
district Republican, said today.
He predicted the United
States would remain at peace
"due to the strong desire of
the American people to stay out
ot war.
"If war comes," he added, "it
will not be with a single power
but with a combination of total
itarian powers attempting to
gain a foothold in South and
Central America."
Um Mall Tribune ut am.
On the
RADIO CHAINS
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Where to Find Them un the Dial:
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Denver; KOIN, 840, Portland;
HOMO, 826. Seattle; KPO. 630, Ban
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Friday
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KJR; Sunset Shadows, KGO; Melody
Time, KPO; Don't Forget, KOW.
KPT.
6:30 Etching! In Braae. KOO,
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PAJAMAS
CALLS DoWK fO MOTHER-,
Who HAS euesrsfHWHi-
CPiVJ FlHD ONLY THE 1bP
OT HI6 PAJAMAS
(LEAN PAIR olK OF ffnDA
vkhwen w f iv I I n AND bHES THE TROUSERS
OW OF OTHER PAIR UUnEP RTD
wituanS 17.-'f niiuai y -m.
,ni.uru, lummi ocnooii Dull " ' m
By HAL FORRES'
ocftiTo Y oSftKT wbnN l---y pq I isr v a'.lUS tmi GR0UND COUPCP .
ON IN VtmB O HOUND MJ, V cc?un--PX ) 4 1E W0 LITH BY 1 ( wASNPT so rrVr?rfE
. .J
BEN WlsTE ' '
By EDWIN ALGER
J.BOVS.NOW y-THE FOLK l VEAH, AN' SOME O' 1 s I I r BUT TP NEVER. BEFN -v I I uiTM THP rnno I ( Jnii un i I
rlWA.NLV THE MEM FOUNP THEIrTj f ELCTEP IF IT HAPNT BEEY T?ELMNS
OUTICAL J CLEANEP "f WAy POWN TO THE r- I FOR VOU BOVS I OVJE MS 'M rS ( Be MR
?KE1Vn 1 CEYUAR,TOO T J, My VICTOR? Tu you TDTRy TO UaUINGFr! )
TUT CDTU VAscxu ' ' .
THE NEBBS Partners ' ' '
By SOL HEr
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11:00 Nottingham's Orch., KPO;
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8:00 Clinton's Orch., KOW: Or
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6:30 Drama, KPO, KFI, KGW;
King's Orch.. KNX, KOIN. KSL:
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UNIQUE G. PASS MAN
GOES TO NEW HOME
Grants, Pass, Dec. 8. MP)
S. R. Bristow, unique Grants
Pass man, left last night after
54 years residence to live with
a son near Eugene. Twenty
years ago he lost both feet in
a railroad accident and turned
to a bicycle to get around.
With his long gray beard fly
ing in the breeze, he always
participated with children in
the annual bike parades here,
his trouser legs turned up to
show his artificial feet. He used
a bicycle trailer to haul logs
for his winter fuel.
Use Mall Tribune want ads.
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
IS1bttTbfX CLEAN
0WE6 OOf OF HIS BURFAl),
AND ft) HuRRf OP ANb 6E1
IrHOBEP AHD6ETWASM
PAIR.,
KPORlSSTATfOFPPO
10 MOTHER, k-
PiAiNirfs That now he
CAHTFINP PAJArfAl8PHE
HAD BEFORE, MOTHER
lAKES CHAR4E
1
New York, Dec. 8. JP)
Mayor La Guardia declared to
day he would not tolerate
STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX
For further proof address the author, Inclosing a stamped envelope for reply. Reg. U. S. Pat Off.
nort-pedi freed cotf, -CS
?-v pJ set r World's milk fciK
Wt &?H,t PRODUCTION RECORD
- composer,
M"iff 9 -H if m ft six Weeks
'&m jJL J
faftfED iTSStf THROUGH hV ' II I f i s VT
i yz scries of harp , iMVU ' krzfh M r J 7 T
term ?Mmw W 1 Wi3XV7
WELCOME AIR RAID
A squadron of high-flying bombing planes winged through the early morning toward a
sprawling city. Suddenly a dozen shiny, streamlined objects sllipped earthward, carrying tons
of deadly T.N.T but not to blast civilization. Over Hilo, Hawaii, in 1935, a United Slates
army squadron bombed a rivor of molten lava headed from Mauna Loa volcano direct for
the island city's heart. The plan, conceived by the noted volcanologUt, Dr. Thomas A. Jag
gare, saved the city $50,000,000.
24-HOUR OPERA
On a bet, Oscar Hammers! ein In one day wrote an operetta that ran for six weeks and
received favorable review. The composer was hampered by a relay of organ grinders who
played outside his window, at the order of Guslav Kerker, who made the bet.
TOMORROW: "Photographic Earl"
"cross-picketing," that Is, the at
tempt of an A.F.L. union to
picket a business which has
signed with a CIO union, or
vice versa.
He made this statement when
a jurisdictional dispute between
r 'al retail clerk unions was
referred to him for settlement.
The AFL Clerks union, local
1125, complained that on De
cember 1, he CIO Clerks union.
DI)ERJlH6trFR0Mmcrr0FHlL0,HMNl
also numbered 1125, began pick
eting a dress house which had
signed an AFL labor contract.
Calling representatives of
both clerks unions to his office
today, the mayor told them: f
"Cross-picketing is unjustl.
tied. I will not tolerate it any
where in the city."
The rival unions thereupon
agreed to cease picketing each
other's stores.
from otmuenoHr
5 OF HIGH EXPLOSIVE ; . , , ,
' r , ... !..... , I, i far T- . I a III ai I ' Mt.o I