Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 30 July 1938 — Page 14

PAGE 12

“MYSTERY atthe LAZY R By Clarke Newton

CAST OF CHARACTERS NIEK1 JEROME, heroine; blond, pop“ular, is engaged to six-foot, black-haired ‘STEVE "MALLORY, hero: who is accompanying her on a trip to. Nikki's “augt and uncle on a Wyoming dude ranch. Nikki’s father, PETER JEROME, is a wealthy New York jewel merchant.

: Yesterday—Bancroft is playing up fo "Nikki when Sarto bursts upon the scene. Bancroft knocks him down and Nikki fides.

CHAPTER NINE

TIKKI was awakened the next N morning by a violent clatter at her door and Steve’s voice: “Hey, you going to sleep all day? Here it is 4:30 and look at you, still in bed. Breakfast’s ready. Up with ou. ” y “I'm coming,” said Nikki vaguely, thinking wistfully of the maid in a little starched apron who awakened her in New York at 9 —or noon—with a soft, diffident “Mam’selle” and a breakfast tray. What ever gave me the idea I was an outdoor girl anyway, she thought, as she climbed out and “hunched shiveringly over a pan of icy water that she splashed on her face. In her flannel shirt, heavy breeches, boots, and leather jacket the day looked a little brighter and she hurried out to the fire for coffee, ‘flapjacks, and bacon. Then Rance distributed packets of lunch to each and gave directions for the. day’s. hunting.

“Nikki and Steve will go. with |

_Woody. Bancroft, and Sarto will go with Uncle Jim. Fiske and I wilh -do a little scouting around close to camp. ' There's some straightening up to do around the cabin and Mr. Fiske is a little stiff from yesterday’s ride and doesn’t want too long a walk. I'll have supper ready when you get back. “I don’t suppose I have to tell any of you that getting lost up here can be serious business. If you should get separated from your guide, fire three shots and listen for an answering shot and walk toward it. If you don’t get an answer try to walk in a straight line for camp.” They all nodded.

» 2 =

S they started off Woody pointed out a rough trail to Nikki and Steve and directed them to follow its course around the sloping side of the mountain. And as they walked along Nikki told Steve of her strange meeting -with Bancroft on the train, of the $100,000 in the dressing case and of her father’s note, of the shot . at Fiske’s cabin. She told him of Bancroft’s advances made the night before.

Steve’s face was a study in mysti- | |

“What the devil does he asked. Nikki

fied anger. it all mean?” shook her head. “I don’t know- You can see now why I didn’t tell you before. I don’t know what Dad’s reason was. for keeping things so secret, but after that accident on the trail yesterday I can’t stand it any longer. I've wanted to tell you all along, dear.” “I was worried,” confessed Steve, “but I didn’t know what to worry about.” . “Now we' can both worry,” said Nikki, “and we still don’t know what to worry about.” “Fiske has some conuection, obviously,” said Steve, “and then there's Uncle Jim.” “What about Uncle Jim?” Nikki asked quickly. “Why, nothing much. Only day before yesterday at the ranch I walked in on him and Fiske sitting in the living room. They were alone and ‘talking very earnestly. When they saw me coming they got up ‘and Fiske began asking Uncle Jim about the ranch and how many cattle he used to raise on it. I'm pretty sure they weren’t talking about cattle Naga 1 ape ap.”

Woop: alienl rr with them and spoke. “When we get around the next turn we'll be in some good game country. Miss Nikki, you keep to the left and, Mr. Mallory, you bear off to the right. Keep even with each other and be careful of your shots., Try to walk as softly as you can. We're down wind, but these wild critters got mighty fine ears, They walked slowly across almost three miles of flat depression that lay between two hills, There was brush and some second growth timber that made perfect cover, but neither antelope nor deer had picked the spot for feeding that day. They didn’t even hear that swift drum of frightened hoofs which tells the story of game gone before if is even sighted. “We'll keep on going” said Woody, “and make it again this afternoon when we come back. He cocked an eye up at the sky and they noticed it had grown darker. “Rain?” asked Steve. “Might get a little shower,” answered Woody. “I guess & Viittle rain won't hurt us,” said Steve. Their path led around the curve of the mountain. The inner wall of the trail rose sharply. The soft dirt and the rocks lay bared. Najure’s cleaving sword had slashed off a section of the hillside as a housewife would slice off a piece of yellow sponge cake. They were almost midway around when the rain broke. Nikki and Steve were many yards ahead, due to. Woody’s cautious instincts. The rain came with a clatter of thunder and a swelling roar. FJ 2 2 HEY stopped a moment and Nikki's hand reached instinctively for Steve’s. ' They looked back

and through the blur of the rain|

they could see Woody frantically motioning them on. He seemed to be looking ‘at the cliff which overhung the frail. “Go on,” he cried. “Run.” Steve looked up and saw a rock. dislodged by the: force of the rain, pound down the cliff. Another joined its course and a fragment of earth loosened and started sliding. Woudy shouted again, turned and began racing the other way. \ Steve grabbed Nikki's arm and almost yavked her up the trail A ‘small boulder rattled over the th behind them, followed closely by several of its smaller brothers. eve Jooked up. The rain was so ‘he couldn’t see much. j

What a spot for

our Surn-plaster ad!”

FLAPPER FANNY

‘By Sylvia

*¥on! were there last summer, Clarice.

Do you think I'm taking

- enough formals for Sunday School? -

GRIN AND BEAR IT

By Lichty

ges

ZG a) Se ee. UB Pat. Of AN nh =]

“So they gimme a pardon, eh Well, that’s seciety for you—gheéy teach you a trade, then turn you out where you can’t make.a livitt’ at yr

7 \s

7-20

THis CURIOUS WORLD

NTT SR TR

_By Wilir Ferguson

They raced for the bend. The rocks that bounded over the trail were getting bigger now, and the earth ‘under their feet was slippery hazardous footing. Steve jerked Nikki back as a half ton. of: earth slid softly over :the trail, broke on a tree below ‘ and scattered. before the rain. They struggled on. Ahead a big boulder

struck : an. overhanging rock bounced - completely. ‘over: the trail. |

rock and

and |

soaked Spray above they heard a tree crash grindingly as slipping. earth : and ‘stone crushed it slowly. A small: stone hued ‘down . the side of - the cliff, ricocheted- wildly ‘and struck Nikki in the: side. ‘She sank to her knees under the: force of the blow and the sudden pain.

emia Sit

| | oun, BOARDING HOUSE

THE BIG PORPOISE 7 KNOW WHAT HE DIDT TOOK TH) HANDLES . OFF TH BATHTLE . COULD DO HIS BATH: Z\ ROOM YODELING AHEAD OF US a | BUT HELL BE SUR" PRISED TO FIND CT PLUG IS MISSING

QUICK! HELP ME PUT ROCCO ON THE FLOOR - WE'LL TRY ARTI" FICIAL RE SPIOATION FIRST. BURNS

WASHINGTON TUBBS II

CLUB, NOW WAITING ON TABLES. WHAT A COMEDOWNT'

[/ WEL WELL, WELL !\F \T \SNT OLD TUBBSY, EX-PROPRIETOR OF SWANK TOPSY TURVY 4

PRIVD

GRRL 5 A LOTTA HOOEY! 1 T GO BACK ON’ Fine!

Jn gs «IN Akl. THiS LUGE AGE, Sm S#oulp Re A. LUNCH BOX =~ O#b7 Heee’s SNe, /

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| ¢ MR, BUS DRIVER. "

- LUNCH 1S INA BOX OA THOP OF THe Bus eeay You \sET ir For. MEE

NO HARD FEELINGS, PAL, ID BE 70 PINCH HIT: FOR VIRGINIA, rir Bo GREAT G\RL. LOTS OF | SPUNK. GWE ‘ER TWS ROSE

HOW DARLING: HOW SWEET OF HIM! HE GAVE ME A ROSE ON MY BIRTHe' DAY LAST YEAR. OW, IM SO HAPPY 1 COULD CRY!

7 - NEWHOPE SENT \Teeo

WILL YA, TUBBSY?

mr WAS — —iehT YY) Now, iTS IN A LITTLE BOY

You GET» (r. ie THiS BI

UNCH2-ITS IN A LITTLE Box: This BIG : —

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ABBIE. AN SLATS

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ae Fa WRITE NOTING | THAT : WOULD TAKE 100:

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LOO wT WANT TO TALK TO WILLE =

LONG L COME ON, AMMY «LET'S 6O