Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 11 May 1937 — Page 20

PAGE 20

| A by MARION WHITE

CAST OF CHARACTERS JOAN BARRETT, heroine, to John Hendry. JOHN HENDRY, mining head. * BOB ANDREWS, Hendry’s junior partner and Joan's fiance. SYBIL HENDRY, socialite. John Hendry’s niece and Joan’s rival in love. PHILIP HENDRY, Sybil's brother. DOROTHY STARKE, Joan's girlhood friend. CHARLES NORTON, California mining promoter.

secretary

investment

Yesterday—Joan reveals to Dorothy the true story of her father's hanging and Dorothy is convinced that something might be done to right the wrong.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN-Continued. Joan smiled, wanly. “I wish we'd known you then, Dorothy. You're so encouragingly strong in your enthusiasm. . . . Yes, father had an alibi—but the jury.laughed at it.” “What was it?” zn # =n de ae OTHER was ill, as I told you, and father naturally enjoyed pampering her. She liked a certain sort of fruit cookies, and this night father was late getting home. He’d phoned mother to go ahead with * dinner because he and Mr. Jordan were eating together and returning to the office later. Then * whatever work they had planned to do, they finished up in a hurry. Father left an hour before he expected to, so he decided to go all the way downtown and buy mother some of those special cookies. Well, when he got to the bakery shop, it was closed, and he didn't have the cookies to substantiate his story. 1 guess it sounds silly, but it was just like father.” “Of course,” Dorothy agreed earnestly. “My father would have done the same thing. There's nothing silly about it. He didn't meet anyone on the way downtown, I suppose.” “Not a soul who knew him.” Dorothy's eyes narrowed shrewdly. «I think,” she said, with strong conviction, “that you had rotten lawyers.” “It was just Fate,” again, quietly. “And I say ‘Fiddlesticks!' ” Dorothy snorted once more. “Your story is perfectly understandable—if anybody wants to believe it. But that’s the trouble. People like to believe the worst. I still say you didn’t have a good lawyer.” Long afterward, when they had both gone to their own rooms for the night, Dorothy lay awake turning the whole story over In her | mind. And the more she thougnt about it, the stronger became ‘her conviction that something might still be done about it. . . . 7 E-3 an CHAPTER EIGHTEEN HILIP sat in a tiny ice cream parlor opposite the Eastman High School and sipped hot chocolate. He wished the ice cream | parlor were a cafe, and the hot | chocolate a highball, but at least he was on the right track, he felt. That was something. His eyes weie glued on the lake and the school. As vet, however, the object of. his watchful waiting had not put in an appearance. | In the five minutes’ conversa= | tion Philip had enjoyed with the | secretary to the principal cf Eastman High, he had learned three things about Miss Baldwin. First, that she had been working for the indomitable Miss Greeley for less than six months; second, that she | disliked her almost as much as he did, and third, that she usually left the school at 3 o'clock daily. Since early afternoon, therefore, Philip had haunted the Eastman grounds and the. little soda parlor in the hope of a chance encounter with Miss ¢ Baldwin. But - Miss Baldwin had not appeared. Neither had he seen her leaving the school in the afternoon, although he managed to be on hand promptly at

Joan said

FRAID Zo

“Ah-h-h-h. “You'd like to make a better acquaintance, yes?” 2 “Yes, that’s it. I thought I might see her ‘after school, and then I could just pass by and ask her in for hot chocolate.” “Sure. I see.” The proprietor’s eye had a naughty gleam. “I can do ‘something yet better for you.” “You | can? Really?” Philip beamed in eager anticipation. “Sure. “I'll call Miss Baldwin on the phone. I'll say I have a friend who wants to meet her. . . .” “Will you honestly do that?” “Why not? I will do it now. What is the time—ah, half-past 3—” “She's gone home, then?” “No. In the office, probably working late. Wait, I will call her.” .

n ” n | O it was that half an hour later Miss Baldwin sat opposite | Philip, and he was happily—to all outward appearances — consuming another hot chocolate. “And you really have been watching for me every day?” Miss Baldwin asked Philip again. “Every day,” Philip assured her. Miss Baldwin simpered. “What a line you have! Do you expect me to believe that?” “I want, you .to.”- Philip forced an emotional tremor into his voice and gazed across the table soulfully. She’s a silly little fool, he thought, and I'll never regret leaving her. . . . “Will you have dinner with me tonight?” he suggested presently. “Tonight?” Miss Baldwin giggled. “Gee, you work fast.” “Isn't that the way? When you see what you want, isn’t it best to go right after it—before some other fellow gets it first?” Miss Baldwin blushed under the intensity of his gaze. “Oh, I bet you've said that to lots of girls. . , .” “How about dinner?” “All right.”

” 2 7 " ILL you meet me in the lobby . of ‘my hotel”—he named 1t— quite the best in Seattle—and Miss

Love

Baldwin raised an eyebrow appreciatively. . “I'm apt to get lost in this strange city. . . . That'is, if you don’t mind?”

I wear?” She asked it anxiously. “Wear? Oh, -anything. What's the matter with what you have on— that’s a pretty dress. ..” “Oh, this rag? I mean, shall I come formal?” ~ ! “Formal?” “Yes. Don’t you wear a tuxedo to dinner in the hotel?” “Suppose we don’t dress tonight. . .. I've only been here a few days, you see, and my trunk hasn't arrived.” *Oh,” disappointed. come?” “Seven o'clock?” “All right. I'd better run along now and get a manicure. .. .”

Miss Baldwin was a trifle “What time shall I

” # 2

HE arrived promptly on the dot a of seven, formally informal in a long black satin dress with glittering accessories. “Am I late?” she asked coyly. “No, indeed. And you look lovelier every time I see you.” He led the way into the dining room. “I've reserved this table over in the corner. It’s a nice quiet spot.” “Quiet?” Miss Baldwin repeated in dismay. “Isn’t there dancing?” “You don’t really want to dance, do you?” “Well—I thought—" “Suppose we have our dinner first, then we can think of dancing later. Or would you rather see a show?” Miss Baldwin smiled coquettishly. “I just love to dance,” she murmured. : “Dancing it shall be, then.” And it was not until they were dancing in the grill, four hours later, that Philip managed to reach the matter uppermost in his mind. “I can’t imagine a girl like you,” he said, “wearing herself out as secretary to that fierce old tyrant.”

(To Be Continued)

Daily Short Story

THE MANIAC—By Edwin Rutt

HEN Joseph Hilbert signed the lease for lonely Trapper’s Island in Lake Penross, Ont., he unconsciously signed his own death warrant.

“Going up for the summer,” he told Charles after. “Too much interruption in New York.”

Rafter concealed his sudden, intense -interest. “Will you live alone?” he inquired. “Absolutely. Give me two months alone and I'll have this thing complete to the last detail. And there's millions in it. Millions!” That, Rafter thought grimly, was undoubtedly true. Millions described the wealth that would accrue to a man who invented a cheap, workable substitute for coal.

Ed #® #

AFTER made his plans carefully. He was certain that Hilbert had told his ‘secret to no one save himself. For some reason, obscure to Rafter. Hilbert trusted him. Six weeks after Hilbert had gone to Trapper’s Island, Rafter wrote him from New York: Dear Hiibert— A situation- which will have the gravest effect on your work has arisen. I must see you at once. Shall take the 6:10 train from Toronto Thursday evening, arriving Forrest Landing, Lake Penross, at 11:25 p. m. Meet} e¢ without fail. Do not write or telegraph reply. The utmost secrecy must surround my trip. It will also be safer for you to hurn this letter. . .

3 o'clock. n " ” N his pocket was a frantic note from Sybil. Bob. so she wrote, was marrying the girl very shortly. Philip must discover something im- . mediately! There was less than two weeks before them. . . . The trouble was that Philip had not the vaguest idea of how to proceed further. He would gain nothing through another interview with Miss Greeley. That he knew full well. If there was anything startling in Joan Barrett's history,and Miss Greeley knew it, she would sguard the story closely. ' "His inquiries among the tradespeople gave him even less information. Nabody had ever heard of a Mrs. Barrett and her daughter. As a matter of fact, there were few merchants who had been established for seven years. The depression, they explained, had forced many small independent dealers out of business. Chain stores now predominated. And chain-store managers, Philip had found, were an independent lot, coldly unconcerned over neighborhood gossip. u un ”n

M=S BALDWIN, he felt sure, was his only chance. She had access to the record cards; she could, tell him, at least, why Joan Barrett had left school, and where she had lived previously. That is, if he ever got hold of ler again. . One thing was certain, however. This was the last day he intended to wait around like a regular flatfoot: Tomorrow morning he would phone Miss Baldwin at the school and brazenly ask for a date. If she refused him, then that was the end of Sybil's quest. He would have fo go home and admit failure. Ordinarily, however, girls did not refuse him». . . “Anodder hot chocolate, mister?” Philip looked at the placid proprietor in front of him. : “No—no more today,” he frowned. Philip wondered suddenly how well this fellow knew the people from the school. He checked the frown. “Oh, by the way,” he said, in a “pleasant spirit of comaraderig, “I've . been looking for someone.” He grinned, insinuatingly. “S0-0-0-0- a young lady, no?”

zn n ” HILIP nodded. “A young school?” : : . Again Philip nodded. “Miss Baldwin—do you know her?” . “Miss Baldwin! But sure I know her! She is my very good customer. You like her, eh?” The proprietor was enjoying this touch of romance, right on his own doorstep, you might say. Philip pretended a shy embarrassment. “Well, to tell the truth,” ‘he admitted hesitantly, “I only met

lady from the

Rafter had gone very carefully into the matter of trains. His way of escape, after the job had been done,. was clear. The 6:10 from Toronto was the last of the day to leave for Lake Penross. There was no returning train on the same line that night, but another railroad, paralleling the Lake Penross line for many miles, was the main route between Toronto and Winnipeg. At MacHenry, an obscure station three miles from Forrest Landing, a down train from Winnipeg made a stop at 2:30 in the morning. : It allowed him roughtly three hours in which to kill Hilbert, steal the formula, get back to Forrest Landing and walk the three miles to MacHenry. He would arrive in Toronto in time to catch an early train to New York. ” ” n

N Thursday evening, the 6:10 train left Toronto promptly. Rafter settled back in his seat, the evening edition of a Toronto paper on his knees. Then, just as he was about to discard it, the name “Lake Penross” caught his eye. The article reported that a dangerous maniac had escaped from an asylum near Lake Penross. Posses had been formed to comb the woods in the vicinity, Reading the item, Rafter shuddered. He had an intense terror of violent insanity. He could face ordinary, tangible danger, but the dark mysteries of madness frightened him more than anything else in the world. He felt vaguely disquieted, but his nebulous fears soon vanished. : There were no other passengers leaving the train at Forrest Landing. Hilbert was on hand to meet him at the dark, lonely station, and led him down a small hill to the dock, where a rowboat was waiting. Beyond the usual greetings, little was said until the two men were out on the lake. Then Hilbert spoke grufily. “Well, what’s this all about, anyhow?” “Wait till we get to your place,” said Rafter. f Reaching the island, the two men| went up a path to Hilbert’s rough shack. “Now,” he said, facing Rafter, “what’s happened?” Rafter suddenly whipped out a revolver, - equipped with a silencer. There was a muffled explosion. Hilbert pitched face downward on his laboratory table. . #8. T was only a few minutes until Rafter had found the formula. He put it in his -pocket, wiped his fingerprints off everything he had touched, picked up the small grip he had brought, and went out to the front porch. With his foot on the top step, he

had sounded—high-pitched, frenzied —echoing, madly across the water: Then came a splashing noise that might have been made by an oar. Cold sweat broke out on Rafter’s brow. The maniac! The maniac in a rowboat—out there on the lake! For a moment, all was quiet. Then that fiendish laugh rang out again

I'—wild, demented. Never had Raf-

ter known such terror as now seized him. For an eternity, he crouched there on the porch. Then he heard the laugh again. This time it seemed to come from farther out in the lake. Perhaps—perhaps the maniac was going away! Rafter looked at his watch. Good lord! After 1 o’oclck! That train left at 2:30, and he had half a mile to row, and three miles to walk. It was vital that he leave immediately! | Steeling" himself, he made his way down to the dock. Hilbert’s rowboat was still where he had tied it. Rafter loosened the rope, sprang in, and pushed off. Halfway across the lake, that dreadful laugh rang . out again— ahead of him. Rafter, chilled with terror, hastily changed his course, rowing frantically away from the sound. He realized that the change of direction would land him below Forest Landing, but he felt confident that he could find his way back through the woods. : The shore loomed ahead of him, shrouded in mist. The bow of his boat bumped it. Rafter leaped out. At that instant, from just behind him, the Hideous laugh sounded once more, piercing the mist. The last vestige of Rafter’s control deserted him. His grip fell from his nerveless fingers.

Then, he was plunging through

the woods, running without sense of direction, oblivious to everything save the mad desire to escape that

awful shrieking thing. . A QUIET, blue and gold day broke over the woods surrounding Lake Penross. Toward noon, the stillness was broken by an ominous baying. Two hours later, the hounds trapped an unshaven man in a thicket—a man with bloodshot eyes, his face and clothes torn by briars and branches. He surrendered without a fight.

“You left an easy trail, feller,” the sheriff told Rafter. “The boy that delivers milk found Hilbert. We found his boat where you left it, and your grip full of duds. And the hounds found you. What'd you want to do the old gent in for?” Rafter did not reply to the question. : “Th-the maniac?” he faltered. The sheriff scratched his head. “Huh? Maniac?” “Yes!” Rafter babbled on. escaped lunatic! chased me all over the lake—”" “Oh!” interrupted the sheriff. “Why, we picked him up at 10 o'clock last night.” : “B-but you couldn’t have!” Rafter insisted. “I heard him laughing out ‘on the lake—laughing like a fiend. All around me!” The sheriff looked at the other members of the posse and winked. “Listen, stranger,” he said. “Next time you come up here to commit murder—which you ain’t goin’ to be doin’, by the way—you might remember that there’s two kinds of loons around this lake. And one of ’'em’s a bird.” THE END

1937. United

Syndicate, Inc.)

=" ” ”

“The

(Copyright? Feature

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 the word Soviet mean? A—It ‘is a Russian word that means Council. Q—For how many years Is a

suddenly froze. Out of the black-

Sher once-—over at the school.”

ness of Le night, a terrible laugh

bin 2 a BGG Sid EL

patent good? A—Seventeen. J

“Oh, no, I don’t mind. Whatll

| |

If he hadn't|

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

By Williams | FLAPPER FANNY

OUT OUR WAY

TH’ BLUE OF SPRING 1S IN TH’ SKY,

TH' GREEN OF GRASSES FILLS TH’ EYE! TH! SILVER STREAM AN’ YELLOW SAND AN’ FLOWERS, ALL COLORS, DOT TH' LAND! WHAT MORE COULD ANY POET WANT, TO URGE HIS WEARY LEGS...

LI'L ABNER

o" Mut’ \R ~ATE n

\__ €OPR. 1037 BY NFA SERVICE. INC. 1. M. REG. U. S. PAT OFF.

TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1937

By Sylvia

TH’ RED AN’ GOLD OF HAM AN’ EGGS-

ANN

“There! That's the kind of do

rE TR ANLLIARM S,

: g I was telling you about—the one that looks like a coupe with a trailer.

—By Al Capp

{ LOOK 277 MAMMY/TH’ SCENERY HAINT

IT'S GOIN’ FORARD/-

WE IS GOIN’ GOIN' BACKWARD NO MO-\BACKWARD.

TH SCENERY Nd HAIN'T A-GOIN’ FORARD SON-

IN’

HO!-HO!-COMICALEST THING AH EVAH SAW.”

2 Cs

FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS

4 Pl ; ¥ rr

DARN NR

SOIERITREEINES

SEE THAT FELLOW OUT THERE INTHE FIRST ROW, WMH HIS

| SPRAINED FOOT IN A CAST ? WELL,

7 {| HE SEEMS

TO LIKE

HE'S THE DRAMATIC CRITIC FROM

‘AN’ THAR. SON-I1S TH’

Ran FQ IT’-

YEAH, AND HE'S A HARD - BOILED CRITIC, Too! THEY SAY IF HE DOESN'T

LIKE A SHOW, HE WALKS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF “THE

HAW/-WE'LL NEXT STOP BE A-SENDIN FO’ YO'ALL-- PAPPY TH’ PEARLY GATES/HAW,”

WELL THE SHOW USUALLY BECOMES A FLOP, BECAUSE

fag IF HE HADN'T LIKER THE FIRST ACT, HE WOULDN'T ° STILL BE HERE ! HED HAVE WALKED out!

I MADE SURE HE WOULDN'T! I SWIPED HIS

PR. 1937 8Y |

HORIZONTAL Answer to Previous P

1 Widow of an

By Lichty

hid ; ; 1,

; PERS AT 0

“There goes Dominick

English statesman. 12 Tiny skin opening 13 French soldier 14 To smear. 16 To play boisterously. 17 Weird. 18 Pitcher. 19 Conjunction 20 X. 22 Bishops’ headdresses 27 To narrate. 30 Cast of language. 31 3.1416. 32 Feather scarf. 33 Cloth measures. 34 Pronoun. 35 Prophet. 7 Ror of “be” 0 soa 5 37 Bench. 58 To devour. 38 Japanese monetary unit 39 Series of epical events. 41 Pattern

43 You. 44 Stream obstruction. 47 Dye. 48 To possess again. 53 Grief. 54 Lair.

for writing her ——. VERTICAL 1 Cow’s call.

11 Color.

2 Branch. 3 Corded cloth. 4 Uncloses. 5 Reached with the toes. 6 Melody. 7 To cut

lengthwise. 8 Odd. -

: Fish. 59 She is famous 10 Child's marble 12 Her husband

was — of his country.

15 She 1s a native of . Great —— 19 Upper human limb. 21 Northeast. 23 Unoccupied. 24 Tipped. 25 Aurora. 26 She described intimately people in state —— 128 Minded. 29 Part in a drama. 31 Writing tool 34 Possesses 37 Short sleeves less coat. 40 By. 41 Insane. 42 Olive shrub, 43 Ascetic. 45 Aside. 46 Witticism. 49 Tavern. 50 To sink. 51 To sin. | 52 Ocean. 55 Chaos. } 58 Exclamation,

uzzle

a bers

2 il

[i Fp [1 fee 2118 =

1 A TNC NES

FROM OUR OWN FARMS AT GREENWOOD