Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 14 April 1937 — Page 22

: leaving it.

' PAGE 22

| By Nard Jones

BEGIN HERE TODAY Failing, with [the help of Gerry Neal, to locate her companion, Betty Haynes, abducted by Jack Speddon, Martha Brittain starts north up the West Coast from San Francisco. She faces a critical problem since she is in love with Neal, yet suspects him of belng involved - in the disappearance of Betty. At a small California border town she suddenly decides to cast love aside in favor of better judgment and she has Neal arrested, charging him with complicity in Betty's disappearance. Then she speeds on north to Portland. There she gets a strange note from Beily, referring to a ‘“Ciznik in Seattle.” Police tell her that Ciznik is an underworld character and hint that Betty might have been murdered. Arriving in Seattle, still searching for Betty, Martha gets a letter at the Yukon parking block from Arnold Sloss, head of the Airspeed Trailer Co., instructing her to turn over her equipment to a designated agent who would meet her there. The agent, in disguise, proves to be Speddon! Martha screams but in a flash Speddon has struck her. She awak-

ens hours later to find herself bound and. «

gagged, lying on the floor of a dock warehouse. Standiig over her is Speddon, who tells her she may see Betty in

an hour. t NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY

CHAPTER NINETEEN

ARTHA munched the sandwiches hurriedly: When she had. finished, Speddon handed her the warm thermos bottle of coffee. Somehow the black liquid raised her spirits appreciably. “Have you,” she asked suddenly, “heard from Gerry Neal?” : In the darkness she sensed Speddon's surprise. “Neal?” he repeated. Then, a moment later, “What about him?” - “I just wondered if you'd heard from him.” “Where did you see him last?” Speddon asked oddly. “He was with me in Monterey, and later in San Francisco.” “She did not add that she had caused Neal's arrest in Eureka. Speddon’s reaction to the subject of Gerry Neal puzzled her, and she did nce know how far to go. “What did he say about me?” Speddon wanted to know.

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ARTHA hesitated. - “He said that he knew you. I don’t remember him saying anything else. He wondered why you didn’t wait for him in Los Angeles as was planned.” “Yeah?” Speddon lighted a cigaret in the darkness. Under the yellow flare of the match his thin face shown eerily. “Well, I'll tell you why I didn’t wait. It was because I didn't want to. When he wasn't there with you I got suspicious.” “Why?” asked Martha quickly. Speddon did not answer at once.

Then his words came slowly. “If

want to get out of this racket— and Neal don’t. Once I made the mistake of telling him I wanted to get out.” “What—what did he say?” “He said I was crazy to talk about He said I'd better forget it or he'd mention it to the chief. I'm still afraid he will—but after this job I'm done. We're close to Canada, and that's where I'm heading.” EJ t: 1 ” ARTHA felt gone, lost. She knew now that she hac somehow hoped that Neal wasn’t a criminal, that his connection with Speddon and Betty's disappearance was the result of some circumstances over which he had no contrcl. But now here was the truth—Neal was in it with all his heart. Speddon had wanted to go straight, and Neal had fought it. “I don't trust that. guy,” Speddon went on in the darkness. “I got a hunch he’s after me.” " “But.why did you take Betty with you?” . “She made a crack that sounded like she knew too much, and I figured it was safer to have her along.” Martha set down the thermos bottle with a trembling hand. “But what is all this—this, ‘racket’? What have I to do with it?” “Plenty,” grunted Speddon. “Whether you know it or not.” “But ‘what is it?” 4 “I've shot off enough. Anyhow, youll sleep better nights if you don’t know what it’s all about.” Martha knew from his tight tone that he realized he had talked enough—perhaps too much. She had got as much from him as she could. “You've untied my hands,” she said. “Would you mind taking the rope off my ankles? It’s hurting.” “Okay. The boys’ll be here any minute now and you'll have to do some walking.” Speddon’s deft, thin fingers unloosened the rope at her feet. Then Speddon fell utterly silent, smoking in the darkness. Periodically the tip of his cigaret would sear the blackness pitilessly, throw a soft glow on his sallow face. It was plain that he was thinking hard. What manner of man was he, Martha wondered. How had he treated Betty? True, he had said that he wanted to get out of this business, whatever it was—but how could she believe? How could she even be sure that Beity was really “across the Sound?” She had wanted to ask Speddon that, ask him where Betty had been when he crossed the California border alone. But something had warned her that it would be safer not to know too much—that she would be able to discover more if she were ‘careful not to reveal what she already knew.

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UDDENLY, far down at one end of the dock warehouse, there was a sound of a heavy sliding door moving on its rollers. Then the bright rays of a powerful flashlight. “Here’s the boys,” Speddon said. “Come on.” He took Martha by the arm, lifted her to her feet. Her legs and arms stiffened from their long imprisonment, she almost fell to the floor agnin. The flashlight came on, bathing them in its glare. Martha could not see beyond the powerful light. Then it was extinguished, as if the owner had satisfied himself that everything was as he expected. “All set?” she heard a gruff voice ask. “Yes,” Speddon answered. “What's the idea of that light? You might as well carry a lighthouse with you!” “We're| all right,” the voice replied. | “There ain't been a patrolman past this dock in five years. Come on . , . the tub’s ready.” Coming through the partly opened door and into the keen air, Martha saw the “tub” ready at the bottom of a ladder lashed to the piling of the dock, It was a sleek speedboat,

| | . No: has

rising and falling easily with the movement of the Sound. “I'll go first,” Speddon said, “then the dame.” : One of the two men held her arm roughly while Speddon started down the ladder. In a moment she heard his voice drifting up to them softly. “Okay . . . send her down.”

Gingerly Martha put her feet onto a rung of the slippery wooden ladder. Afraid to look at the water, she started down. Then she felt Speddon’s hand on her waist. “You're all right now. Sit down aft there.” : » u ” HE two men followed like monkeys, tossed off the mooring lines. There was a muffled roar from the high-powered motor, and the speedboat took a wide turn and started - out across the moonlit Sound. Suddenly one of the men came toward her with something white in his hand. “There’s no need for that,” she

heard Speddon say. “She’s not going to jump overboard.” - The big man turned to his adviser. “It’s the’ chief's orders.” “I don’t give a ——— if it is. There's no need for it. I've given that dame one shot of chloroform today and that’s enough.” - “Listen, Jack—I'm working for Johnny Ciznik, not you. He said he wanted her out when she came aboard. So she's going to be that way, see?” Martha tried to scream as the evil-smelling cloth was clamped against her mouth and nose. “Go ahead and yell,” the fellow laughed. “That'll make you get the stuff all the quicker.” , In that last terrible moment before she lost consciousness she wondered if she and Betty had become involved in one of those vast criminal rings which, until now, she had always believed to be only the fiction of the detective magazines.

(To Be Continued)

Daily Short Story

HER HUNGRY CUSTOMER—By Ida M. Evans

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She saw him look longingly at his neighbor's thick slab of coconut

cream pie, .

HE broad-shouldered young fellow in an old sweater and baggy trousers who came every day to the drug store lunch counter got on Muriel’s nerves at last. He ate only one sandwich, meanwhile looking hungrily a: the large orders of other lunchers. It was usually either a thin cheese or a thin ham sandwich. Not eriough

{ lunch for a man, thought Muriel,

Muriel, a waitress behind .the counter, had large brown eyes, and she had learned that they unwittingly said things to strange men that she would not have dreamed of saying. This young fellow, "however, did not try to date her—did not even smile, He was sulkily self-engrossed, eating his daily sandwich slowly as if to prolong the pleasure.

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E began to haunt thoughts. Why was he starving Was he out of a job? He looked as if he came from a small town. Had he come to the city looking for work, and been unable to find any? She saw him getting thinner day by day, though he was so husky, he could still lose many pounds without becoming scrawny. Day by day, his hungry eyes betrayed him cruelly. Muriel would see him look longingly at a neighbor's thick slab of coconut cream pie or large helping of roast beef and potatoes. Muriel said to herself, “For goodness sake, I wish he'd haunt another drug store—or land -a job!” ” 8.8 NE day, when she fixed his ham ‘sandwich, she determinedly spread the butter thick and put in two extra slices of ham. He took one bite, stared at the sandwich, then yanked apart the two slices of bread. His eyes met hers across the counter. Hers were as innocent as a baby’s. His were glaring and defiant. His gaunt cheeks reddened, and he looked as though'he were about to throw the sandwich at her.» But he did not. After a moment, he ate it hungrily. The next day, she would not have been surprised if he had not appeared, but he showed up as usual. “Cheese sandwich,” he said, briefly. “And I like my cheese thin.”

” # "

HATEVER he liked, he got the thickest piece of cheese on hand, and a thick spread of butter. Again he stared at Muriel, but this time, he didn’t redden. As he ate the sandwich, his face was thoughtful. Muriel was the one to redden. Maybe he thought she was in love with him. Silly of him if he did! He did not show up again for three days. When he finally came, he was thinner and looked hungrier. Muriel gave him a roastbeef sandwich, although he asked for liver sausage. The beef was red and thick. He might think what he pleased, Muriel did not intend to watch him starve. Again, he did not appear for three days. She missed him. It was funny how a counter girl could miss a regular luncher. She was worried, too. She was afraid that she had hurt his pride.

” ” 2 HEN he came again, however, she ohce more gave him an extra portion — defiantly. He ate slowly, looking at her whenever he thought she wasn’t looking at him. Muriel, however, could see him in the mirror. She spoke to him finally. “Where’ve you been? Did you get tired of our bill of fare?” “I was out of town for a days,” he said gruffly. “Oh »

Muriel’s

himself?

few

He put down a dime, and got off his stool.

“Thanks for—for everything,” he said stiffly.

He turned on- his heel and walked out. . Muriel wanted to cry. She was sure that she would never see him again. Well, why hadn't she been more careful? Slapping butter on so thickly that even a baby would have noticed. And those gobs of rare beef! Dolefully, she told the manager, “I gave a hungry boy an extra thick

‘sandwich, and he was offended.”

“He must be a rare bird,” said the manager. He did not come again that week, nor the next. 2 " 3 ND then, one noon, there he was again. He swung onto a stool. He was thinner, and his eyes were sunken, but he was smiling broadly. “Give me—~" he looked at the blurred purple of the bill of fare. “Oh, give me whatever you think I'd fancy! You seem to know my taste in food.” “You've got a job!” she said joyfully. . “Well, not exactly. Say—Ilook— can’t I have a date with you some night?” ; Muriel was startled. “I'm not doing anything tonight,” she stammered. “Swell!” he laughed excitedly. “I didn’t have the cheek to ask for tonight. . . . Gee, you've got pretty eyes!” Muriel blushed a fiery red. “But what happened? Why—why “I was trying to lose weight—had to. . .. Lord, I was hungry. And you had to put temptation right in my hand! You're sweet, though—" “Trying to lose weight?” - said Muriel, bewildered. “Sure! Don’t you ever read the sport pages? I won the state lightweight championship last night!” * THE END

1937. by United Feature

(Copyright, ! Syndicate, Inc.)

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 Indianapolis Times Washington Service Bureau, 1013 13th St., N. W., Washington, D. C. Legal and medical advice cannot be given, nor can extended research be undertaken,

Q—What does it cost to send an airmail letter from the United States to New Zealand? A—The postage rate is 7 cents for each one-half ounce. Q—What is capeskin? A—A firm washable leather, made from the skin of cape goats and used especially for gloves. Q—Should “good luck” horseshoes

be hung with the points up or|

down? A—The superstitious believe that with the points up the luck cannot run out. Q—Do stones grow? A—Some of the elements in stones are also contained in living things, hut stones are net alive and therefore they cannot grow. Q—How do London and New York compare in population? : A—Greater London has 8,401,000 and New York has 7,601,575. Q—What is the life span of cats? A—Normally 12 to 15 years. Q—Which European countries have met in full the installments on their debts to the United States? A—Finland is the only one. Q—What was the population and size of Italy in 1881? A—Area, 110,623 square miles; population, 28,459,623. Q—What is the Leblanc process of making soda and potash? . A—Heating a mixture of sodium or potassium sulphate, calcium carbonate and carbon. It was after Nicholas Leblanc, a chemist, ¥

amed ench

OUT OUR WAY

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

CL RPEDRAWIN BY REQUEST i J. R\ILLIAMS COPR. 1937 BY NEA SERVY

LI'L ABNER

ILL LOCK THE “A DOOR -IT ‘WOULD NEVER DO IF THE SCAMASTER SUSPECTED ))/ THERE. WAS A STRANGER IN THE ___HOUSE-

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FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS

IT WON'T BE LONG.

By Williams

BORN TO BE A CATTLE KILLER, THIEF AN’ GENERAL ALL'ROUND PEST, B® 1 HATE TO KILL YOU, PARDNER, CAUSE YORE PART O' OUR OV WEST. YOU AN' ME 15 SORTA BROTHERS WITH OUR BACKS AGIN TH’ WALL, IN A ACT TH'T'S NEARLY OVER AN' TH' CURTAIN'S ‘BOUT T’FALL.

PAT. OFF.

( DON'T TRY

TO TALK,

| CHILD -HAVE

SOME. MORE

| OF THIS HOT

OH, SUH-YO' IS SO

MA TELLS THE KINDLY BUTLER THE STORY OF THE. STRANGE RE-APPEAR-ANCE

FLAPPER FANNY

“WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1937

By Sylvia:

‘ -14

“Nix on that, kid; it isn’t sanitary to feed dogs at the

table.”

“A lot he cares! You ought to see the bone he brought

home today.”

COULD SEARCH FOR YQUR LI'L. ABNER DURING YOUR TIME

Sou ITE

You KNOW, NUTTY, LIFE IS LIKE A STREAM, AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE

ALONG BY THE CURRENT!

PEBBLES AND STONES, CARRIED

SOME STONES ARE BIGGER THAN OTHERS, AND AS THEY ALL MOVE ALONG IN THE STREAM, THEY RE SHAPED BY CONTACT... AND EAGH TIME Two STONES MEET, A LITTLE IS RUBBED OFF

BOTH OF “THEM: !

WELL, THA'S “THAT! YOUR PAL HAVE FALLEN INTO TH’

SEEMS TO HANDS OF A STRANGE TRIBE

IF You DON'T MOVE ALONG IN THE STREAM, YoU NEVER CHANGE MUCH .... You JUST SORT OF SIT THERE AND LET

MOUNTAIN MEN, MANY DAYS TREX FROM HERE-IN TH’ LAND WHERE TH’ SUN

BUTTON | co,

SEA At

Bie Eni

" POOR FOOZY..IN TH HANDS OF A TOUGH -LOOKIN® GANG OF MOUNTAIN RB GORILLAS! OH,ME! SAY, CAN'TCHA

17 Governmental

—By Al Capp

I'M BEGINNING TO REALIZE JUST How BIG A BUMP YoU GOT

—By Hamlin

YOU SAY HIS MAJESTY, KING GUZZLE, WISHES TO SEE ME? |= 7

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

HORIZONTAL

1, 7 Pictured American. 11 Grain. 12 To place in

line. 15 To help. 16 Watch pocket

GI | O|GIEIE] DD O[S| [

law. : 18 Energy. 20 Within. 21 Stair. 22 South America. 23 Mast. 26 Pulpit block. 28 Court. 29 Electrified particle. 31 Gaseous element. 32 Card game. 33 Wood spirit. 34 Auto. 35 Wild duck. 36 Snowshoe: 37 Optical illusion. States 39 Identical. treasury. 42 Type standard 57 He has

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45 Fastidious. 46 No good.

49-Acrid. 51 Bronze. 52 English coin. 54 Public storehouse. 55 Inlet.

of the ——

Answer to Previous Puzzle

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accumulated great. .

VERTICAL

47 Eggs of fishes 2 Midday. 3 Flat fish. 4 Right. 5 Aqua. 6 Morsel. 7 Encountered. ‘8 Musical note. 56 He was head 9 Mouth part. 10 Poems. 13 Race track circuit. 14 Chaos.

IT] A N

52 56

I; ERIN Ort J

16 He gained fame as a

117 Heavenly

body.

‘19 He donated

his collection of —— to the nation. :

SIORIAINIT IRA TIAINIISIORIEIR] 21 Spread of an. PIAIREISHIBIAR(S] PATIEINTISIEPIO] TIOE {LIAIUID \Y Ell

arch. 23 Tempest. 24 Robbed. 25 To wash lightly.

. 27 Meadow. 28 An associates

30 Tree.

32 Confederated 35 Snare. 38 Exists.

39 Tendon.

40 To perform

41 Myself. 43 Lunar orb. 45 Fiber knots, 46 Tidy. : 48 Silkworm.

. 50 Aperture.

51 To be sick. 53 Preposition.

‘55 Sun god.

& 5

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SCIENCE | ASSURES THE QUALITY

Loy

POLK'S MILK

| Laboratory Tested