Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 October 1938 — Page 35
. MURDER
SERIAL STORY—
TO MUSIC By NARD JONES
CAST OF CHARACTERS MYRNA DOMBEY—heroine. Wife .of the sensational swing band leader. ROBERT TAIT—hero. Newspaper photographer—detective. ANNE LESTER—Myrna’s closest friend. DANNIE FEELEY—officer assigned to investigate Ludden Dombey’s murder.
Yesterday: The taxi driver is knifed at the old factory building where Tait is called and Tait wonders about the perfume there, the same scent as used by the strange, exotic blond.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
T the first stair landing, Tait paused. The light, he discovered, came from a candle set on the floor in its own wax. He reached down and touched the wax in which it had been stuck. It was still warm _ and soft. ’ > Tait stood up quickly, his back against the wall. The landing was bare. There were no openings. It simply doubled back to reach another series of stairs to the next floor. Cautiously, Tait peered up to that second landing. For a moment his heart wavered. It all seemed too much of an invitation to death — _ and yet—yet he could be very close “to the murder of Ludden Dombey and the solution for Myrna’s prob‘lems. Suddenly he snatched up the candle, snuffing it out as he did so. In one swift movement he leaped for the second series of stairs, holding an arm ahead of him in the darkness. Every moment he expected to feel in his flesh the cold steel of a blade either thrown or driven. Then, unmistakably, he heard a sound above him. It was the open.ing of an ancient window. Tait yelled at the top of his voice. “Stop —stop or I'll shoot!” He followed the sound upstairs and into a long, deserted room with narrow windows at one end. One of the windows was open and Tait rushed for it. But beyond he could see nothing but black roofs. It was only three or four feet down to the adjoining - roof, but he knew that he was stopped. To go out there would be inviting death in earnest. Keeping out of line of the windows, he relighted the candle. The room was deserted. tJ » 2 N the dim light of the candle Tait noticed something odd. His own footprints were clearly visible on the dust-covered floor. But the path of the would-be murderer was of a different nature. It had been swept as he went, as if with a scat or scarf! Grimly disappointed, he retraced his steps to the street. The astonished stare of the taxi driver sought him from the depths of the cab. “I never thought you'd be down here again on your feet, mister:” He
By Clyde Lewis
coMIC ART DEPT.
“It doesn’t matter if they don’t fit anything. Chuck hasn’t a latchkey, so he wants some to hang on his watch chain because he hasn’t got a watch.”
10-21
k
GRIN AND BEAR IT
By Lichty
was holding his shoulder now painfully. “Did you see anything of that | so-and-so who sliced me?” ! Tait shook his head. ‘No. And I'm sorry to have got you into this mess, old man, I'll make it right with you—and now we'll get sonie attention for that shoulder.” | “You'll have to drive. And say,’ if I gotta stay in the hospital all: night you’ll have to explain it to my wife. She’s funny that way.” Tait slid into the driver's seat. “I'll keep you out of the doghouse, pal.” : 2 2 2 a OU were,” said Dannie Feeley, : “a double-barreled idiot to go up those stairs. But by golly, as long as you did it, I wish you'd got a look at the bird who wanted to cut into you.” Feeley and Tait were on the way to the hospital where the taxi driver had been left in good care. “It’s that perfume that gets me,” Tait said. “Yeah. Doesn’t seem like a spot a woman would pick to make an ambush for a guy. But there may have been two people around. - You say you smelled it before. You sure you'd recognize the dame if you saw her again?” “I'll say I would! honey.” “Of course,” said Feeley with illdisguised feeling, “some men wear perfume. The guy we're after may be one of those. Do you figure this fellow is the same guy who ventilated Ludden Dombey?” “Maybe. Or it might be somebody who just doesn’t like the idea of my monkeying around.” “As for instance?” “Harris Rogers.” tJ ” 2 EELEY nodded. “There's that. He promised you that you'd hear from him, and he has a reason to be plenty sore. I'll have Mike Dunphy see if he can establish any movements for Rogers.” “Also, if could be your screwy musician. - He might think that I'm out to gyp. him, too.” “We'll go down to that factory building tomorrow and have a look at it in the daytime.” Feeley rolled the car up before the wide steps of the General Hospital. “Do you think this taxi driver’ll help us any?” “I doubt it, I was sitting right in the car and it happened too fast for me. He didn’t seem to know what hit him—but it’s worth a try. Maybe he’s collected his wits by now.” The pair were ushered to the driver's room by a nurse. At sight of - Tait the man burst out, “Say, did you telephone my wife like I told you?” Day Tait laughed. ®*“I certainly did And she believed me, too.” “I wish she’d believe me once in a while,” sighed the injured man. ; “This is Detective Feeley. He wants to ask you some questions.” “I'm okay. The doc’ fixed me up in good shape. But I don’t remember nothing except the flash of that knife—and the way it felt when it hit me.” “Try hard,” Feeley urged. “Didn’t you see the arm? Couldn't you tell whether your assailant wore a long coat or a short one? When you struck the match didn’t you see a face or a hat?” i” 8 2 . HE taxi driver wrinkled his brow. “No-o. . . . You see, I just struck the match and I was lookin’ up at the top of the doorway- for the number. I—it kind of seems like the guy wore a long overcoat, but I don’t know just. how I got that idea, I'm sure I didn’
She was. a
bas oniy
10-2
“We've tried out a beautiful new job, Chief, but it ain’t practical yet— it won’t wear out!”
THIS CURIOUS WORLD
By William Ferguson
ARE TO BE FOUND INSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF
COPR. 1938 BY NEA SERVICE. INC.
He BARREN
SAFARS DESERT SUPPORTS ABOUT
2%
ANSWER—Right. It is located near the Italian border.
OUR BOARDING HOUSE 777777 <PoTc:-SPuTr: BUT CH A < FOR THE PROMISE 1
EVEN IF MY XS MADE MY CLIENT 1 UNCLE PEACH | WOULDN'T GWE ONE DID HAVE A Zi weAKNESS A TOR PEEK- A
KEYHOLES, I'M NOT GONG TO 7. DEPRVE HIM OF A GLASS EYE TLL Give You FIVE DOLLARS
EGAD, THAT MEANS A #130 PROFIT WHEN T RETURN THE EYE AND GET THE $200 REWARD/
LI'L ABNER BEIN' *RO-MANTICAL”
ZH
FARTHING , BUT KNOWING THAT HE WILL REIMBURSE ME FOR ITS RETURN HERE ING INTO A ISTEN DOLLARS TO REWARD YOU FOR FINDING 1 Tver oF
|
With Major Hoople WELL, AH “NO, T J Guess T'LL WAIT FOR 2. “TH STRANGER TO COME BACK AND RECLAM THE EYE wa IF IT'S WORTH $10 OF YOUR MONEY, HE OUGHT TO PAY A HANDSOME REWARD, MAYBE A HUNDRED DOLLARS, © TH' MAN WHO RECOVERED IT/ 7 Z fre HA~THAT/LL SCARE & HM INTO PAYING & REAL DOUGH FOR wf
OUT OUR WAY
By Williams
1 ]/ ll HN w |] \
HH You Younes Guys (lly Mavs ME LAUGH -- YOU COME HERE FULL OF AMBITION TO 88 PRESIDENT OF TH’ COMPANY SOME DAY. «ee [| LOOKIT ME-1 BEEN || HERE TWENNY YEARS! YOU GOT TO WAIT TLL SOMEBODY KICKS TH'
YEH, AND 1) HE'S GETTIN' PAID FER HIS CHANCES
PAY TO PAY FER ONE CHANCE N MILLIONS = HE THINKS THAT'S A GOOD
A-TALL— HIS DERBY TICKETS ARE ONE CHANCE IN FIFTY MILLION ¢
JRWILLIAMS,
A SERVICE, INC. _T. M. REC. U. 8. PAY. OFF. 10-24 J
—By Bushmiller
WELL, NANCY-—-= HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE THE CHAMP FOR A BOY FRIEND INSTEAD OF THAT SAPPY SLUGGO?
PLEASE DON'T , GOT A REA keke BOY FRIEND!
AwW-=--= BE GLAD YER RI
GOOF -- YA
D OF : THAT MONKEY-FACED|
TO REMAW IN SAIL, OR BE KEEL. YET SHE DON' WEESH HEEM TO ANNOY HER, ONNERSTAND?
1 seT HE'S MAD ! IF HE GOT IN THE GAME NOW
WORK--- FRECKLES IS STILL PARKED ON THE BENCH! ;
HED TEAR THE OTHER. PART
[ NOW, THAS WOT I CALLS A) JOB TO ME LIKW, MISS. A FIRST CLASS DISCOURAGER, THA'S ME, JUST GIMME HIS NAME
GOODNESS /— T KNOCKED HIM OUT/---THAT MAKES ME THE CHAMP!
ectT=2\
—By Crane
HE HAV
MOERATION! DOES | A PAL BY THE NAME O' EASY?
OM, I KEEPS ABREAST 0 THE TWES, MISS, YOU SES LEAVE IY TO ME...'N' I GUARANTEES wu See 8E BOTHERED
PUT ME. IN, LOOK
COACH ?
rrr Ln Pern AAAI SE, Peo A fps oosge °° . ne. O° gee BT 0 - oe - Norma 0
oo ‘es . o a soe
AT THE SC
OREBOARD SHADYSIDE 13, WEBLEY Of
MYRA NORT
QUICK! COVER THESE LL]. BIRDS WITH THIS STRAW-=- |
WELL, PAL - WHAT DO WE DO NOW 2 : THEN WE JUMP INTO : THEIR VESTS, AND HATS!
Lr
7 = =
NYY
WE'RE IN LUCK, WHITEY! THEY EVIDENTLY HAVEN'T NOTICED THE FRACAS FROM THE VILLA... ALL WE'VE GOT
TO DO NOW 1S WAITS i
MEANWHILE, AT THE VILLA, THE SPIDER'S PARTY IS INTERRUPTED
i} | :
| ME AN"you'Is < To DANCE GONNA BOIN UP } with HIM ? THE FLOOR /
“Tait here says he smelled perfume distinctly. Did you?” “Perfume?” The man looked puzzled. “No, I don’t think I smelled any perfume. But then, my nose ain’t so good, either.” Feeley sighed, and cast an oblique glance at Tait. “I wish I could be more help, officer. But the fact is, it just happened so quick 1 don’t know exactly how it was. and I dropped
I got a couple of |:
on the pavement with that damn’ cat meowin’ somewhere around me.” Tait started. “A cat? You heard a cat meowing?” “Yeah, I think so.”. “Was it before or after you got knifed that you heard it?” : “Well . ... I can’t be sure,- but it seems to me like it started just when .I struck the match.” Tait looked at Feeley. “Ever hear of ‘The Cat's Meow’?”
(To Be Continued)
[Loowsk TH RUN
GEN Aw. BREAKS
ABBIE AN' SLATS D-PO | HAVE
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WANDOY , ON AGN LY GOSH | SOME GUNS
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“30% , DVO YOU NOTICE HANDY AX. PRACTICE TOOAN ? \oN'T WE TH’ BEST LOOWAN THING 2 ‘MMMM M 0)
NEAR ,I GUESS SO! AL. THE G\RLS ARE
CRAZN ABOUT WM! ||
I'M NOX SURPRISED YOU'RE THA WAY, Too
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OKAY! COME ALONG,MYRAMAYBE WE SEE SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS STRETCHED OUT IN MY CORRAL, YES §
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WELL ,I SP0SE I OLGWTTA Bf | SONE “+BUN SOMEROW § ! CANT BE! MANDY \S SUCH A SMELL GLY ,1 WOLLON'T : SLAME ANN G\RL FOR RUSHIN WML HE'S
COPR, 1938 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. A. REG. U.S. PAT. OF
—By Raeburn Van Buren: - J! | DIDN'T KNOW THEY
7 WHE CAME AS BEAUTIFUL AS THAT IN
A E LIKE THIS /