Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 December 1936 — Page 23

‘WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 19% © |

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES By Williams | FLAPPER FANNY By Sylvid |

OUT OUR WAY

The J JOLIDAY =2 co NYSTIRY. 2

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BEGIN HERE TODAY The gaiety of the Christmas party at the de Forest hacienda, “Thunder Mesa,” has a tragic ending when Pearl Sam De Forest, oldest of three brothers, is found dead beneath the Christmas tree with a knife in his throat. 1 aere are many strange things about “Thunder Mesa,” besides the fact that each of the three brothers has the first name of “Pearl” Pearl John is the youngest, Pearl Pierre next. Others In the household are: Tante Josephine, old and an invalid; Betty Welch, her companion: Ramon Vasquez and Angelinue Abeyta, guests at the party; Pro-

fessor Shaw, archeologist, and Bob Gra- |

ham, tire salesman who stopped at the hacienda when his car broke down. Pearl Pierre, now head of the family,

has his brother's body removed to the |

house chapel. It is decided that every one must remain until after the investization, That night Bob hears a scream, He rushes from his room, hears Tante Josephine accusing both Pearl Pierre and Pearl John of the murder. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY

CHAPTER SEVEN YT HE next morning showed the

house on Thunder Mesa almost |

nowbound. Bob ate his breakfast in silence, after trying unsuccessfully to find out about the condition of the roads from the frozenfaced Mexican who served him. Bob had made up his mind that, somehow, he would get into communication with the outside world that day. Being shut up on this mesa, with a household of eccentrics and possible murderers, was unbearable. When the sheriff and coroner came to see about Pearl Sam's body, Bob had decided he would

take things into his own hands. |

At least, he was determined to

get, Betty away. Those eerie cries, | ; : . | succeeded in getting him to the]

coming across the courtyard the

night before in the darkness, had | unnerved him more than he cared |

to admit He knew now that this girl's safety was becoming tremendously important to him, Bob went down the corridor to find Ramon Vasquez and Pearl John and see if they knew when

the officers of the law would ar-|

rive

But young de Forest was nowhere

to be found, and, after wandering

aimlessly about the big rooms for | several minutes without seeing even |

a servant, Bob stepped into a smail library. The room was lined with books, from floor to ceiling, and

(different reasons for being relieved {at Pearl Sam's death?” “I'll answer your questions in or- | der, Mr. Vasquez,” Professor Shaw | replied. “To the first, I'll remind | you that it's my profession to notice things. A trained scientific man {picks up details that others might | consider worthless, And, remember,

|I have been here on the mesa for |

| several weeks. About the de Forest brothers, I am certain that Pearl | Pierre is enjoying his new position | as head of the family.” “And Pearl John?” asked Bob. “You can’t say he wanted to stay here with this crew.”

his teeth and bolt.” 8 a =»

“@VINCE you seem to know SO] much, Professor,” Bob said, |

moving a step nearer, “how about that Indian who's always at the top of the trail? That queer-look- | ing knife that. was sticking out of Pearl Sam's throat wasn't a white man’s knife, yau know.” “Ah, the sacred obsidian knife!” The professor's eyes glowed with sudden interest, “It was most ancient. Perhaps the most ancient object on this continent. A very, very old Indian artifact, whicn was probably used sacrificially in the kivas or some forgotten race. That knife was the reason for my being here. I knew Peel Sam had lit, and was commissioned by the museum to try to buy it from him. We have been dickering about the price all this time. I had finally

point where he would talk price. At first he refused flatly to sell it for any amount.” “And you think the knife came from some place around here?” | asked Bob. “You seemed to have been making measurements yesterday when I met you.” “I was. Pearl Sam refused to tell

“That's just it,” the professor |

went on. “He most assuredly did |

not. But Pearl Sam held him | ©f that,” the professor answered.

| me where he got the knife, but he | did not seem to mind my investigations on the mesa. Told me to help | myself to any scientific facts I could find. He seemed to consider my

| archeological research a great joke. | Was fond of remarking, in fact, |

| that men who gave up all their | time to poking around ruins were welcome to any rocks or bones they could dig up.”

“ HEN you don’t think there is

any connection between the Indian servant and the obsidian | | knife?” Bob persisted. “I under-

stand the man hated Pearl Sam.” “He did. There was no doubt

| “But whether on his own account or the old lady's, I do not know. It is common knowledge the aunt | was standing between him and | Pearl Sam, for some reason. But | I don’t know that I would say the Indian was the murderer, just be-

| ancient Indian weapon. It was al- | ways kept very carefully here in the | house you know. Especially care- | fully kept since Pearl Sam knew I was anxious to buy it.” “And just where was the knife | kept?” interrupted Ramon. “Per-

| haps you know that, too, Professor |

| Shaw?”

For a moment there was only |

(To Be Continued)

By Saul

had two massive carved chairs fac- |

ing the fireplace. These chairs had

very high backs. Ramon Vasquez | was standing by a window, looking | out glumly at the piles of snow |

that shrouded the mesa. At the

whirled nervously. “Looks like a long session, even

if we weren't held here by what |

he © Ss ' sn't it? iappened last night, doesn’t it lon Mary's finger,” he thought.

| “She'd be thrilled with a ring like that. She ought to be. Any girl ought to be.” And he intended

they wanted to they could get | proposing to Mary at her birthday |

those Mexicans to work clearing a | " > | get that ring before somebody else

Bob asked.

un ”n n HE other man nodded, then |

scowled darkly. “Yes—but if |

path for a car. Has any one come from down below yet, do you know? They might get through on horseback.” “Are you sure Pearl Pierre sent for any one?” Bob asked. “He seems to have his own ideas of handling this affair without much concern about the law.” Ramon looked up sharply. “You mean you don’t think Pearl Pierre wants the outside world to know about this?” “What do you think?” Bob countered. “He was certainly arbitrary about things last night. Made it very plain he was handling the case to suit his own ideas. And this mesa makes a rather effective prison if

any one should want to use it for

that.” Ramon lighted a cigaret before he answered, and Bob noticed that now every trace of his nervousness had

disappeared. “Then you think Pearl |

Pierre is deliberately holding us here for some purpose of his own, do you? How about the younger brother?” “He's a regular fellow in my opinjon,” Bob answered, “and I believe he'd do everything he could to help

get us and the girls out of here. If | necessary, we might be able to force |

them to send some one down for —" » n n HE words froze on his lips as Pearl Pierre's voice broke in from the doorway. “Not at all necessary to do that, my dear Mr. Graham. Everything has been attended to, I assure you, and the officers will be here before long.”

He looked at the two younger men |

| | the glass and smiled. He gave his |

tie a slight twitch.

ERDIE TIMKIN stopped in front of the little 10th-st jewelry store and gazed into its window. There was a diamond ring

ols Bob's Steb. v Vas | resting on a black velvet base. A ound of Bob's step, young Vasquez | .o announced that its price was

| two hundred dollars. Ferdie looked

at it, marveling at its beauty.

“That's the ring I'd like to put

party tomorrow night. “I'd like to

buys it, and two hundred dollars isn’t so much for me to spend, but | there's no sense in crossing the bridge until I get to it. I know I stand a better chance with Mary

than Frank, but until I'm sure of | stil] love me?” | her answer, there's no use of buy-| «Of course!”

ing an engagement ring.”

“Not a bad-looking guy,” he said to himself. “No, Mary won't have | to think twice to make up her mind | about me. Frank hasn't a chance. | But still, two hundred dollars is | two hundred dollars.”

| He looked at the ring again, then |

suddenly snapped his fingers. “That's what I'll do!” he said, | and walked into the jewelrv store.

” ” "

E approached the man behind the counter, evidently the pro- | prietor. “I'd like to see that diamond ring in the window,” he said. The jeweler brought it to the counter, where it sparkled and | shone under the light. “It's a beautiful diamond.” “I'll say it is,” admired Ferdie, as he turned it this way and that, imagining Mary's appreciation when ‘he'd put it on her finger. He was practically certain she would accept

| his proposal, and then, when he

would get the ring and give it to her, she would know she had made the right choice. Ferdie said to the jeweler, “I don’t want to buy the ring right now, but '1'd like you to hold it for me. Would a $10 deposit be sufficient?”

TEN-DOLLAR BRIDE

Daily Short Story

Ferdie gazed at his reflection in| “It's wonderful, Frank!”

D. Cohn

on ‘his face, a buoyant spring to his step. “Now,” he thought, “it’s up to Mary!” = u u HE next day, as Ferdie Timkin dallied before his mirror, he received a short note. It read: “Dear Ferdie: I'm just letting you know that I am canceling the | birthday party tonight, as something very unexpected came up. | Sorry. Mary.” Frank Crowder was just slipping | into his coat when his phone rang | insistently. He picked up the re- | ceiver. “Hello, Frank, darling. . . > It was Mary, and her voice was soft and eager. “Are you all ready?” “You bet I am, sweetheart! I've got the license in my pocket, and I'll be right over. Do you—do you

cause the knife happened to be an |

GITTIN' SO A FELLER HAS

iy NEVER - NEVER KILL THIS KIND OF A HAWK! THIS SPECIES IS A FRIEND TO T'BE PURTY MAN ~~ THEY CATCH VERMIN NEAR A COLLEGE OF ALL KINDS ~—SEE THAT SORT | \ PERFESSOR T' OF BROWNISH TINGE ~ WELL, BE A FAIR THESE AND TH' ONES WITH RANCH REDISH EYES, AND THE HAND.

Ned

{ POOH -POOH)

J RWILLI AMS

IT NEVER SEEN A RANCH HAND KILL A COW FER A DEER, BUT I HAVE A COLLEGE PERFESSOR.

need abass.”

LI'L ABNER PHILA -"Z{ [Eres DELPHIA’Z Zope MINUTES 7 F{ won US A MINUTE = ( TOBUYA LOT MORE?

Bos] PD Pe

(PSST Liew SAI) CRIGHT? SHED GET TH’ MHILL=-BILLY OFFA

8E J AWRIGHT ~

IM GOING OUT TO LOOK AT (Wow, 1 ASk You!

HAS THE BOY GONE (| You COMPLETELY BALMY OR HAS HE GONE COMPLETELY

IT'S NASTY WEATHER OUTSIDE, FRECKLES! / THE SUNSET! NATURE IS WHERE ARE YoU BEAUTIFUL. AT THIS TIME

THREE NIGHTS AGO HE SET THE ALARM TO WAKE HIM UP EVERY HALF HOUR SOS HE COULD GO BACK TO SLEEP THINKING OF

ALLEY OOP

“Hey, Chuck! Cm'on in. We're practicing Christmas cirols and we

12-23

—By Blosser

rr YES!LAST NIGHT HE SET THE ALARM TO WAKE HIM UP EVERY FIFTEEN

—By Hamlin

v y HL, FELLERS .] WHATS UP? NO, NOT YET-BUT 2 HA AVE KI { HAVE YA HAVE KING TUNK ) KING GUZ HAS WELL, FER!

“And the ring—you really like it?" |

As Frank hung up, he took a slip of paper from his pocket and did a strange thing. He kissed it. Then | he read it again. It was a sales slip | from the little 10th-st jewelry store

HEARD TH” AN HIS ARMY ( JUST RE - HY App af - SAY, WHAT ABOUT BT 2 Sem OF INSTATED ( Foozy21 THOUGHT 8) {HUNG A SWELL \T# WizeR! J HE WAS GUIZZLE's [//=} SHINER ON OU : NUMBER ONE WHISKERS, “Jf AN =

| for “One gold wedding band, $10.” THE END

! (Copyright, 1936. by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)

1 |

The characters in this story are fictitious.

Ask The Times

Inclose a 3-cent stamp for reply when addressing any question of fact or information to The In- | dianapolis Times Washington | Service Bureau, 1013 13th-st, N. W., Washington, D. C. Legal and | medical advice can not be given, | nor can extended research be undertaken. | ! |

Q—What is the name of the British Earl of Warwick and Brooke? A—Charles Guy Fulke Greville. | Q—What is the speedboat record? A—"Miss America X,” driven by | Gar Wood on the St. Clair River, | near Detroit, Sept. 20, 1932, made | 124.91 miles an hour. | Q—Who was President of the United States when Wisconsin was

BUT HE SURE SAY ABOUT

i IF IM TO GET TO TH’ BOTTOM OF THIS y WIZER MESS, LLL HAFTA GET OFF

HORIZONTAL

1,5 Leader in social work. 10 Amphitheater. 11 An age. 12 Brought up. 13 Declaims. 15 Paid publicity. 16 Indian fans. 18 Form of “a.” 19 Definite article. 20 Type standard 21 To speak. 23 Orb. 25 Compound

I DONT KNOW WHY, BUT SOMEHOW IM SOLD ON TH THOUGHT THAT OOP KNOWS MOREN HES

NOW, OUT HERE ALONE WHERE ) FIGGER I MAY, ILL - HELLO - WHATS THIS?WELL, : | WHAT TH HEY! /o Sosy O~

A .

44 3 ; 7 % r x \ \

58 She was head

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answer to Previous Puzzle

13 To regret. 14 Pronoun. 16 Worded. 17 Daubed. 18 She was an , also.. 19 School period? 22 Sesame. 23 Snaky fish. 24 Roof point covering. 26 Let it standn 27X. 28 To change a’ gem setting. 32 To make able 34 To make

wien de pie A 6 Lagg

a fan

A ATR ER as wa FL Ta or

admitted to the Union? | ether. 44 Passed by

| fF 2 Ary of — House. evident.’ Q—What public offices did James | + A | SS 2 RS a 3 vii 30 Dish. 47 rr VERTIOAL > a SAE ; ; ; 2 aE PLR 31 Ships’ steering 48 Feather scarf. 1 To stab. .

for a minute, as though he were| The jeweler thought for a moenjoying their embarrassment. Then | ment. iy I couldn't hold it for A—James K. Polk. he walked away. more than a few days.” “A tricky devil, if one ever lived,” | “That'll be fine. I'll be back day BucHaBsh yo before he was 40 Footlik ol muttered Ramon Vasquez furiously. | after tomorrow.” | elec resident? ; OOtlike par®’ “He's certainly not doing ,the| Ferdie left his name and the $10 A_Served in Pennsylvania Legis- : : ] " 33 Spparatuses. 50 Window parts. 2 Shameless, 43 Castle ditch, grieving act over his brother's and walked out, whistling a gay | lature, United States House of Rep- | gi 2K a} 4 FE | #75 e Ananian 81 Line, 4 Fi Jed ire, 45 To cripple. death, is he? Nor Pearl John either. | tune. resentatives, United States Minister | EA ; i & is i o coins, 52 Situation. ‘eh: 6 ce . 46 Observed. I think they're both relieved that| The jeweler, however, had had to Russia, United States Minister to | 35 Leases. 54 Frozen wa'er. ollege official 47 Balsam. he's out of the way, if you ask me.” | many experiences with purchasers England, United States Senator and | 37 Upon. 55 Helmet- 7 Beast of 49 To perform An odd chuckle, coming ig Sue of that Sur oS ally ey Secretary of State. 3 Measure. o7 Saped past. 3 burden, 51 Hurrah! of the chairs in front of the fire, |came back. e repla e | X reiiak i ouse canary. e won fame ecies of 52 Pos i made both men turn with a start. diamond on its black velvet base and | na the be Sopivalion and | fe script Professor Shaw peered at them returned it to the window. No "" 5% 0 British and + 15h § ol / Ps : around the high back of one of the sense in sticking it away in the ily name derived from rhe Te fam | Va Ey : : b seats. “Pardon my interruption,” he | safe for only $10. name Hugh, meaning es ie 3 rn, a oil” 18 Hi } F Sa “Put, young a I 2 = @ | “spirit.” The original Welsh form rigl u at i | a : Both the de Forest brothers are re- | Daw CROWDER walked Sine | ey PE A un, lieved that Pearl Sam is gone—but | Tenth-st with his hands in his Tar paior different reasons.” pockets. At the little jewelry Soe Q--Describe the ‘Fasnet Rock Ramon strode over to the profes- he stopped and looked at the d . Lighthouse in Ireland and state or, his face dark with rage. “What | piay—especially at the diamond ring | how far it can be seen. ao you mean, Professor Shaw, hid- |on the black velvet base. He sighed. |

| A—It has -SCCO ing there listening to what we were Two hundred dollars was a lot of | Aashing light, 160 hive Hvense Ona saying?”

' money—but Mary was worth a mil- water, that can be seen for 18 Mime The older man rose deliberately |lion times that. » | Q—Who owns “Lightning” the and faced him, holding up a long, “That sure is a pretty ring,” he ‘dog that played the title role in thin hand. “Now, now, young man | thought. “Gosh, I wonder how much | Fang”? —don't go flying off like that! I chance I've got against Ferdie. He| , pon johnston. was here first, doing a little re- has a lot more money than I have, qo yrhat was the first cartoon search work.” He pointed to several and Mary hasn't given me very much books on a smali table nearby. “I |€ncouragement. Gee, though, I wish wasn't even conscious that any one I could get up the nerve to ask else had come into the room. I con- | her.”

41 Musical note. as a w—— pier. 53 Ell. 42 Battering worker. 9 Therefore. 56 Morindin dyes,

“Mickey's Good Deed,”

centrate rather deeply, you know. | When Pearl Pierre spoke from the | doorway I realized, for the first | time, that I was no longer the sole | occupant of the room. That was

He continued to stare into the which were released in December window. 1932, ! “Two hundred dollars,” he thought, and slowly shook his head. “I can't afford it.”

when I overheard your last remark.” | For a long moment he stood a Se i | there, thinking. Then a look of de- AA Sm . termination came into his eyes. ; : AMON looked at the older man He took out his billfold and looked : A for a minute without speaking. | inside. There was a lone ten-dollar ] Then he turned, with an expres- bill there—and for a moment, he :

Sve Shrug x se we have no faltered. \ 230 _” E. your story,! “Aw, what the devil,” he said to Yd Fo Mh bl H lid y Prof Shaw.” H Lo. courage 4 : Price San.” Rk) Qk eke" Se Xr) [or Memorable Holiday addressed the archeologist again. yes. ” La / 3 sted we la | 5 Dinners... Use Plenty of \