Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, March 31, 1942, Image 6

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Medford mail tribune., March 31, 1942, Page 6, Image 6

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Newspaper Page TextPAGE SIX- MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON, TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1942. Chapter 20 Ten Scene DANDY had told Melissa uiat the vu not to come Into the tamblinx rooms, and ihe had obeyed him implicitly. Then one night after (he had finished her second croup of number! and she and Randy were on deck, watch ing the riling moon, one of the men from the gambling room came with a tort of quiet haste to Randv and spoke out of the corner of hit mouth "Harper's tryln' to get tough boss. How about giving him the brush-off?" Melissa heard the man. whose name she knew onlv as At say. "Harper? I thought I told you to keep him oft the boat." laid Randy sternly. "We tried, boss, but tt was either let him on or throw him in the drink, and well, he's be haved up until now," answered Al grimly. Randy (aid. "Excuse me. Me Ussa." Melissa watched as Randy and Al went swiftly up the stairs to the gambling rooms; then, on a suddent impulse she did not stop to question or analyze, she 101 lowed them. She slipped through the door behind them and looked, wide eyed, at the big room that had once been the main passenger salon of the River Queen Defore she had become a show boat The room was furnished with old elegance of white-painted walls, dark red hangings, thick carpet on the floor. There were gambling devices of every kind: roulette tables, bird-cage, chemin-de-fer, ordinary card tables where intent groups sat with their atten tion warily on their cards: there was a dice table where a group of flushed, bright-eyed young people were, judging by their noise and laughter having a lot of fun. But the crowd was gathered about one of the roulette tables, where a flushed, swaying, thick set man in rumpled evening clothes was facing the croupier, one of the wise-eyed, old young men whom Melissa knew only as Spike. Before Spike there was a great heap of chips; before the other man there was a small pile of blue and white chips. "There's ten thousand bucks In that pile in front of the crou pier," a man close to Melissa said to his companion. "And Harper's dropped the whole amount in the last hour. He's a fool!" Everybody was tense, intent on the next spin of the wheel. His hands fumbling a little, Harper placed the last of his chips on two numbers, twenty and the red. The croupier, expressionless, patient, even a little bored, spun the wheel briskly. There was a breathless moment In which the rattle of the little white ball was the only sound, for lh. Ort,ntf.tr mi tk. Ait tnhl had drawn near. Melissa took her fascinating eyes for a moment from the clicking white ball and looked at Randy, who stood ust behind the croupier, his own eyes on the ball. The wheel slowed. The little ball rolled Indecisively, hanging for a moment above a number as though about to fall in the tiny pocket, then apparently changed its mind and whirled on. until it fell at last into a pocket that was black and marked sixteen. There was a little breath of sympathy, a sort of amused groaning from those gathered around the table. "The poor sap's been playing black and the sixteen all evening and the first time he plays an other number, that one comes up. Rotten luck, old man," said some one. Harper swung his heavy body about and glared at the man who had spoken. "Luck?" he snarled savagely, his face twisted into a concul sion of fury and despair. "What's luck got to do with it? The wheel's crooked the whole place is crooked. It's a clip-joint!" Money Back THERE was an Instant and rather deadly silence. The crowd looked swiftly at Randy and then as swiftly away. Randy's face was paper-white, and his jaw was set so sternly that a littie ridge of muscle leaped along it and was gone. He was suddenly a stranger to Melissa and a rather terrifying atranger someone she had never seen before. She saw his fists clenched, the sudden strain of his body, and knew that he ached to leap upon Harper and smash the words against his thick-lipped, loose-looking mouth. ' How much have you losi to night, Mr. Harper?" said Randy, and his voice was so quirt, so soft that there was an almost deadly menace about it. The crowd looked at him curi ously and drew back a little as he came toward Harper around the table. Harper, swaying, lean ing his thick-set body against the table to keep from collaps ing, snarled furiously. "A little over eleven thousand dollars as though you and your cutthroat didn't know it." Randy's jsw was like stone save for that tiny betraying ripple of muscle, and his nands were still clenched into hard, powerful- looking fists. But his voice was as quiet as ever as he said politely, "Spike, hand the er gentleman twelve thousand dollars and his hat and coat. And in future, olease see that Mr. Harper does not re turn to the River Queen. Is that quite clear, Mr. Harper?" Harper growled something and took the money that Spike, as counted out to him. He accepted the coat and hat that a white-clad negro waiter handed to him And he lurched through the doorway, as Melissa stepped quickly back ward to avoid him. It was then that Randy saw Me lissa, and a curious look came swiftly over his face. He said something in a sharp sside to Spike and made his way to her, a hand l-eneath her elbow steering her toward the doorway aa he said sternly, half under his breath. "Haven't I told vou not to come to the game rooms. Melissa? This is no place for you I won't have you hanging around here. "I followed you and Al. Cm sor ry if you're angry." said Melissa as he hurried her down the stairs to the deck, flooded now with soft, butter-yellow moonlight. "But Randy, why should vou give that man back his monev? After alL you won it honestly because the wheel isn't crooked. I know it isn't you wouldn't play that way" Randy looked down at her. startled, caught off-guard for a moment His face was touched now with a sudden tenderness, a warmth that made his voice soft as he said. "You really feel that I m honest. Melissa that the money was honestly won?" Of course. You re not a crook. Randy you just couldn't be. No body could make me believe that!" answered Melissa sturdily, and that the words came atraight from her heart her eyes that met his so straightly told him. Love at Midnight RANDY was still for a moment, almost rigid. And then he said huskily. "I think that's probably the nicest thing anybody ver said to me, Melissa and coming from you it's extra special. But I'm afraid you'd have a lot of trouble convincing some people that I ever had a decent impulse or an honest thought." "That's Li-cause they don't know vou as I do," said Melissa simply. Randy looked down at her, and the moonlight showed her his face, startled, deeply touched with wonder and with a look that made her heart suddenly stand on tip toe, breathless and waiting for what it knew was inevitable And then, just as he was about to say something, his handsome head Jerked erect and he turned to look out over the broad vellow river, the dark smudge far away that was the opposite shore almost lost tonight in the faint river mist. And then he looked at her, startled, disturbed and said im pulsively the things that were in his mind. "See here. Melissa vou mustn't go getting any crazy ideas about me, or about how you feel toward me. I'm well. I'm .10 fit companion for a voungstci like you "I'm not a baby." said Melissa swiftly, her voice shaking a little. "And I wish you d stop treating me like one. You vou needn't worry about my loving you. I do. of course, but it needn't trouble you. I won t be a nuisance. I promise" "Oh. darling don t! said Randy huskily, his voice rough with ten derness, his arms gathering her close, holding her tightly. "I've tried my darnedest not to love you. darling, because I knew from the first you weren t for me. I know I had no right to bring vou here this is no sort of place for a kid like you. I promised your grandmother I wouldn't let vou be hurt and I've tried like the dickens to keep that promise " Melissa s voice, warm, eager. breathless, cut across his speech. "Does that mean oh. Randy, does that mean you like me. tOOT "Like you?" Randy's voice scorned the word. "You precious little idiot! lve been two-thirds In love with you from the very first moment when vour flashlight picked me out of the stormy dark ness that night on the Point. And it's been growing and growing un til now well, now I'm just about stark, staring mad over vou and I don t know what the blazes I m going to do about it." Melissa s laugh was soft un utterably sweet. "Thai's easy enough. You Jus! marry me!" she nointed out bliss fully, and added hurriedly. "That is, if vou don't mind." He gave a little sound that was half a chuckle, half a groan as his arms tightened about her un til she could scarcelv breathe. "Mind?" he reptatrd helplessly. "Oh, my good Lord!" He kissed her then. And it was more wonderful than even her most secret dreams had made it Te bt cantlnacd Yankees in Ireland Gel Note From F. R. With the United State Army In Northern Ireland, March 31 W A message from President Roosevelt to every member of SHOP AT NIGHT H Barker's ere open until o'clock EVERY Bight Store for Men the Ulnted States army expedi tionary force arrived at head quarters today for distribution to the soldiers. "You will be supported by the whole force and power of this nation " said the president's message on White House sta tlonery. The victory vou win will be tne victory of all the people common to them all.' TENTH TRAFFIC DEATH Portland March 31 (.-Tr Portland's 1W42 traffic toll was inrrrased to 10 today with the death of Mrs. Agnes I. Crowth ers, 88, a pedestrian struck by an automobile last night at a treet Intersection. Cloalns t'm tvw Clalfit Art, a m -Tuo UK to Clauiii 1J SO p. at. On the Radio Chains STATIONS: Chala affiliation ana hr the? are on in dial: KALE (MHK) I HO. Portland KI.X (NrM'-riluel IIMI. Punland kliA IMU'.HIu St Mil" I Ilia KlMiaar.e: Ittio MHIl l Han rranrlM-o; fcim IMtl'-Hrdl tai. Cwlland: K4M (MM -HHiri iihw imiiii; knx rr) to Ansrln: KOA I NUT-Heel) H.MI Denver: MHM (I'll) am, rrf land: HOMO (NW-Hrdi ih Seallle: KPO (MIT-Hrd) San Dr.ri.l-i: kL (CUM Ilea Kali lake dir. rimr Shown Is PST , "" Wednesday :SO p. m. Cae Davldaoo's Oreh., 00 p. m. Ken Sunns, KOIN; -uO; woody Herman's Oreh., KOIN: I KPO. KOMO. KOW; Leon T. Draws. ! KOIN. 7 SO p. m Red skelton. KPO. Brewster Boy. KSL: Seattle Parent-1 Warlna's Oreh.. KPO. KOMO. 1 kuw, auau; 1 njavr, r.uv. avjn. Teacher Aaa'n, KOMO. rlylnf Patrol. w; newa. un. iusu sex; pud KEX; Vox Pop. KOIN: Owen Davlee, Kao -jB. 8uri , Today. KOW: he Serno Prim, KNX; Oft tne Bee- Ks , Don Wlnalow of tha Navy. KPO. I KOMO. 1:00 O m. Amos n And. KNX. 10 00 n m Rentartar Mm KPO KSL. KOIN; Three Ring Time. KOO. ' ? Tp- hJ w 1,J-V ' KOW. KOMO; Ran Wilde's Oreh, KOW' . KNX- Dr. 'cnru'tlan. KSL: It Hap- K' KLX KNX KOlH- J? ' " " LJjiT ' terworka of Music. KSL: Chamber all n n Ion, mr.ll AK WD I WCW ,,1 ,.,,.) , d. a. - KOW. KOMO: Lanny Ros.' KNX. KOW: E" 01 " WorW' " j KJR ' 1 6:00 p. m. Eddie Cantor Show, KJR: Pred Waring. KPO, KOMO: Rhythm Time. KEX. Turadaj I Man. KPO, KOW. KOMO. 1.00 p. m Are you a Miasms Heir, i 30 p. m Don Bettor's Oreh KSL: News, KOIN: Musical Portraits. KOO. KJR: Battle of tha Bern. KPO. KOMO: Plying Patrol. KOO, KJR: 1 KOMO, KOW: Bob Burns Show, KKX, Sura of Today. KOW; Don Wlnalow I KOIN: News, KSL, KEX. of tha Navy, KPO. 10:00 p. m. Cugat Rumba Revue, KSL. KOIN. I ' P- m. tania vanior boow.i io-jo n. 171 riurf Trm-ihllla' 8 30 p. m Information Pleaae. KPO. KOW. KOMO: American Melody Oreh. KOO. KOMO: Howard Becker's Kpo. KEX. KJR: Are You a Miasms Mout' KO' KlX KJB; Bh'rley Tern- oreh, KSL; Broadway Bandwaton. Heir. KNX. KOIN: Johnny Preaenia. pie In Junior MUa, KNX. KOIN: KEX; Serenade. KJR: War Time Wo KPO. KOW. KOMO: News. KSL. 1 Sporta, KSL. men. KOIN; Concert Hall. KPO. :00 p. m. Dulfr'a Tavern. KNX. I P- m Dr. Cab Calloway's; KOIN. KSL: Ad-enturea of tha Thin Qulretde. KOO. KEX: Mr. District II M p. m Orjan. KPO. KOW; Wilbur Hatcha Oreh, KOIN. KSL: This Movint World KEX: News. KNX. KOO: Polk Mualc. KJR; Ivenlnt Rev eries, KOMO. AIR TEACHER KILLED Boise, Ida., March 31 UPh William M. Skinner. 24-year-old civilian pilot instructor, was killed and Jack E. Wilson, 19-year-old student flier, was criti cally injured when single-mot-ored training plane crashed near the Boise airfield today. The two were practicing landings. 1 NATIONAL TAILORING LADIES and GENTS SUITS and SLACKS Sold Exclusively by GUS THE TAILOR 419 E. Maia j Attorney. KPO, KOMO. KOW; Ran-1 CTD A KIV AC IT CCCHfC , torn Sherman Show, KNX, KOIN: O i tvAnXJL. Au II OtitilUO Newa. KJR. 7:00 p. m. Baaln Street Chamber Music, KOO, KEX: Olenn Miller's Oreh., KNX, KSL. KOIN: Kay Kyaer'a :30 p. m. News of the World. KOO. KEX. KJR: Renorter News. I Musical Q.U1S. KPO. KOW, KOMO: KEX. KOO. Kjn; Harry W. Plannery. , KPO. KOMO, KOW; Masterworka of i Time to Relax, KJR. KNX; Bob Burns, KSL: Horace Heldt's 1 Kluslc, KSL: News, KNX; Plva Star 7 30 p. m Morgan Beatty, KOO, Treaiura Chest. KPO, KOMO, KOW; j Pinal. KOIN. KJR: Faithful 8tradlrarl, KEX. BUI Henryr KOIN. 10:30 p. m. Stan Kenton's Oreh, 8:13 p. m Lanny Roas, KNX, KSL, 8:00 p. m. Burns and Allan. KPO. KSL: Al Donahue a Oreh.. KOMO: i KOIN. KOW, KOMO; Second Husband. KSL. ! Claude ThornhlU'a Oreh, KOO, KJR; j 130 p. m. Dr. Christian, KNX, i KNX: Secret City, KEX: Voice of 1 Broadway Bandwagon, KEX; Moon- - KOIN; Uncle Walter's Dog House, ' Victory, KOO; Dance Time, KJR; i light Sonata. KOW; War Time Worn- : KPO, KOW, KOMO; Manhattan at What's the Answer, KOIN. - i en. KOIN; Concert Hall. KPO. j Midnight, KOO, KJR, KEX; News, S:30 p. m. fibber McOea and 11:00 p. m. Swlaj Your Partner. KSL. Molly, KPO. KOMO. KOW: Symphony KPO. KOW; This Moving World.. 00 p. m Paul Martin's Oreh, Concert. KOO. KEX. KJR; Report 1 KEX. KJR: Anita Carol and Erwln KPO. KOW; That Brewster Boy, KNX. to the Nation. KNX. KOIN. Yeo. KOIN: News, KNX, KOO: Rev- , KOIN; Highlight Hour, KOMO, Hymn 1:00 p. m. Bob Hope Variety Show, ' erles, KOMO. I Service, KSL. Vlisi a(f 1 -rC- . Vr p -. i r t by JOHN HIX CAUSE AND EFFECT By GLUYAS WILLIAMS t5lJVA? w v . ve. WiUtrs x 4 n 1 Jlft W UMfrROOM DESK, H55K TTHCll, WHICH W5 BRkSHTLY HEll 6Ef FATHER, MlTfERiN6. JUMFSl . TAlHtK ASK5 60E5 llffiw 1ABLt,rA- n, PlVES UNDER "roLE IIP 1D PUJ6 U6Hf in. $JK HIM 1b HM H)M A PENCIL friER EKUMMIN6 HE W$ iOLV HIM BEFORE MG-ffo -Throw -fMts AND OVfCHES root IN LAMP CORD, RUK6IW6 ROOM INt& DARKNESS OH CORNER OF F6frr' SfOOL AND G0E5 POWd WITH A CRASH i I 1Hr3 IS F01L0WEP BY A SHRIEK FROM MOTHER THAT FATHER URSFTTHE F1CWERS AND THE" WAlfR IS60IN6 ON frit SOFA AND ON HER WHICH, IN ym 'IS TOl- JUNIOR MEANWHILE TKPS PEODES lb FINISH STu - LOWED BV5ULMJR01VS PENCIL, PLU6S IN LIGHT WN6 UPSTAIRS, BE- LM6UA6E BY FATHER AND CRAWLS CAUTiOUSlV FORE PARENTS R- 1HW If ISN'T THE SOFa FROM UNDER TABLE MEMBER wHftf WORRYING ABOUf (Btlwm br The Bll Srnaic.n. iBe.) 3-51 Tug eve i a midapt PYNAMO FU5UlNck PICTUCES, t TO THE geMN BV.ELECTRlClTy IN A FEW TvAOUSANDTlTs OP A ' -SECOND HOW TrliS BUECTRiCiTV 1 E: M E PATBD IS A5 cAT A MYsTESy AS LIF& ITSEOV CALLED REFOPE JUDGE E.M. UNDERWOOD. ATLANTA KtCENTLY IT COULD NOT BE TRIED BECAUSE 2 OP THE DEPENDANT'S ONE OP THE LAWVERS AND WITNESSES WERE IM Trtf k j Michael. PlRsT ROMANOPP CZAR OV RUSSIA BECAME CZAS AT TME A-E OP 16... MI'S'SON ALEXIA, BECAArtE CZAB AT 16... HI'S GRANPSOKl. tmeodor became Czar, at i... while tue second 50n of alexis- became- CZAE AT 10 nth Century... DYNAiAO EYES "Strang as it satms, your ayes are amall but efficient dynamos, generating fractions of a millivolt of electricity which flash pictures to tha brain via tha optic nerve in a few thousandths of a second." aaya Dr. ft. J. Beitel. member of tha American Optical company's bureau ot visual science, in a latter to Strang As It Seems. According to Dr. Beitel th eye is infinitely mots sensitive to light than any instrument ever designed, and th retina th lignt-sensitiv receptor part of th ya contains 130,000.000 rods' and cones. When light stimulates these, electrical current ar sat up and these currents, not light, carry pictures to th brainl HAP HOPPER, Washington Correspondent Just In Tim Edited by Drew Pearson and Bob Allan 'BUT H4P...WHO THOSe V LATER, 1 ViAY, MOW, AIN'T V I SAV-POHf IHTEN PEOPLE" K)0 SWFD MP FROM?.. Jl HOLLY, THAT HOT NEWS J TO RUMORS OR AND WHERE HAVE TOO SEEM W LATER! ABOUT OUR Q SPREAPTM EITHER! ...AND WHERE IS SECRETARV JL HE SECRETARY1 OF THE MUNITIONS WING ATE... ANP... ? , TAXI! AVIATION) BEIN' BUILDING ... AN' "1 1 7 V'.tly - IN BERLIN ON KSTEP ON IT J PUT TH RUMORS. ..SPREAP By AXIS AGENTS... DRAW A SILENT, WORRIED CROWD TP THfr STATE7 DEPARTMENT WHERE A WEIGHT CONFERENCE IS IN PROGRESS k )1 Pi ffSrlSfellS-. f HEAVENS.' MT AAEANS WE V-'l I vaJ Af II tTh I HAP... WHAT 1 GOT HERE LI'L ABNER A Jerque At Work By At Capp s ML J A USHER save: me. this note 5L)H.r- IT WARN'T REALLY MFANT FO ME, WERE IT? yesAmy heart STOOD STILL WHEN I 6LANCED UP AT YOUf YOU'RE, 50 DIFFERENT- I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING IN TH WORLD LIKE j -n ' i wm i i i 1WM.-' -1 V J . a - " J I CTHAR RBAUY HAIffT VY77AG V Tf WORlb pjatms of rsr C?L. oirA ri",4?rsr? V I'M A l Y-YES, 'nZXzr"' I man of I lz Lrrr- ) -J A FEW I Ma U- THAT'5 WONDERFUL? I i . m m r i i ' ' . i n n ii v ' - - u if i lilt DAY'r-O V fi THE NEBBS Visitors' Day By Hess ?fiiS SUOECi SOT ThE CREDIT FORCA.TCHIKJ3 SwiPTVXVHO TRIEO TO 6LOW UP THE POWE PlUAAftORVDRV. ACTUAJLV.'V, BOTM MEN WERE KNOCKED OUT BV FAUUNia I3RICKS FROM CHIMNiEY. obi is Pl 5WIFTY U6HTX0O I WAVEY TW FUS.MC PULLED TO rAa.R J A toUM ON Tl BU I I THAT fv- IL BOPPEO HIM XVGAlNl?X owes A i v vmell.hows FiNe .judge HERO AMD iOUR FiGhT1I4& IAnmA HEAR S ENTITLED L MAYOR f HOVM 1 CAJJGMT TO A LITTLE ., VTUAT RASCAL ?. V ( MAKE A PHONOV SHE DOES NT UkEi XuP TO NOW. SHE. "VI V5RAPH RECORD ICOMPANV BECAUSE IT AK.PT HIS EARS SO AND SAVE. 75lVS OWE A CWAnCEJBUSY. WE DlDNTT A NOUR BREATWJ p weAR WS OWN KNON WHAT HIS J