Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 October 1938 — Page 14

PAGE 14

, SERIAL STORY—

= 0 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: Feeley and Tait are unable to identify the attacker, but the taxi driver remembers a cat meowing as he fell. Tait recalls the Dombey song suc- ~~ cess, “The Cat’s Meow.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

\TEITHER Tait nor Feeley saw = any humor in the fact that

they were quite as much in the dark as the unfortunate taxi driver. Certain that the wounded man could “enlighten them no further they left .the General Hospital a disconsolate _ pair if ever there was one.

- On the steps of the hospital Feeley looked at Bob Tait. “I know a good beer tavern near here.” os “Lead me to it,” said Tait weary. ~~ Within the next five minutes they were seated in a back booth. “ “Suppose,” said Dannie Feeley, “that you start talking. You hire a taxi to take you on a foolhardy trip into the Millbay district. The driver gets knifed and thinks he heard a cat meowing. And you ask me if I ever heard of the cat’s meow?” .-“I mean the song,” grinned Tait. “I told you about that song. If you ‘paid any attention to swing music “you'd know that song. The one * that Lud Dombey was supposed to “have- written—and didn’t,” ’ Feeley nodded. “The one that was “written by George Weeks. I remember.” 3 “Yeah. So there's the chance that the guy who wanted to cut me up was our erratic friend, the unknown musician.” Tait sipped his beer, leaned forward and went on exciti edly. “Look, Dannie, Put yourself in his place. Suppose you'd been a third-rate musician all your life, living from hand to mouth—" “I wish,” said Feeley in a tired voice, “I was.” 2 2 = “ LL right, let’s dream it, then. ; You are. All_your life you've figured you are as good as some of these guys in the big dough. And maybe you really are, the breaks being what they are. Then you write a song, and you're sure it’s * pretty good. But the song publishers don’t think so. They never heard

of you, anyhow, and what jobs have you had with what orchestra? But you have faith in this song—it’s called ‘The Cat’s Meow’—and you ‘know how Ludden Dombey is the king of swing. And this is a swing song. It’s ready. © “You know it is, because you know music and you've got the feel. But you're struck—because, somehow, some way, you didn’t get the breaks. You see that a guy named Ludden Dombey has got some breaks along with his hard work. So you take

HOLD EVERYTHING

{511 €OPR. 1938 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. 10-22

By Clyde Lewis

PGGY- WIG ATHLETIC - CB - AFFRIATED wry The SMALTZ PAckinG House

“One, two, three, four, kick! Develop those side muscles, girls—that’s what makes bacon, you know!”

FLAPPER FANNY

By Sylvia

10 = 22

“Imagine giving a birthday party at her age!” “Maybe it’s to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her 21st.”

GRIN AND BEAR IT

By Lichty

your song to him, and you ask him | jy

to put it over for you.”

“I'm following you,” said Dannie|

Feeley. “And Ill buy another beer.” Tait nodded. “Okay. . . . Well— you've taken your song to Lud Dombey and he sees something in it. It’s decided that you ought to let him plug it under his name. And the agreement he makes is all right with you. Then, under Ludden Dombey’s guidance, the song becomes one of the greatest contemporary hit smashes. "And then ...” Tait paused a moment. “Then Dombey doesn’t pay.” “I'd be sore,” said Feeley. “Naturally.” -

“Not only that, Dannie. "The song |

would come to be the one thing in your life. Youd think of nothing else. You'd see Dombey rising on that song. You'd hear it a dozen times a day. You'd want to scream out, ‘I wrote that—I wrote it, I wrote it!” But you don’t. Because you've an agreement with Dombey, and you think probably he’ll pay out in the end and maybe he’s getting more out of the song than you would with your name of—well, George K. Weeks.” ” ” = T stopped long enough to let the waiter set down two frssh steins on the table. “Little by little, you get a little screwy on the subject of that song. Maybe you get a little tired of spending your nights littl tired of spending your nights in 20-cent flop joints. So you up

and shoot Ludden Dombey dead after you've raised the price of a ticket to the Golden Bowl of the Pacific-Plaza.” Feeley nodded. “I get it. That sets me off. I hear that a guy named Robert Tait has been elected manager of Dombey’s band. And I still haven't got my money —and by this time I'd like a little recognition, too. So I inveigle you down to the Millbay district and make some passes at you with a knife. And while I'm doing it I make a noise like a cat’s meow— because that’s the name of the song I got on my addled bean.” «That's it! That’s what I mean.” Feeley grunted. “It sounds like something Leonard Macy would figure out with the help of that alienist, Dr. Darryl Mattise.” «Just the same it’s a theory.” - «gure. And here’s another one. Harris Rogers wanted to get even with you for. doing him out of a soft job—with plenty of side money —and he figures to throw you off by making a noise like a cat. And the reason he does it 1s just because he thinks youll cook up a fancy jdea like the one you've been retailing to me.” «I agree with you, Dannie. That's another possibility, and probably it’s a better one than mine. But what about that perfume?” Feeley sighed. “You would bring that up. Are you sure you smelled that stuff outside the Claremont A ents?” -+1f youd seen the blond, Dannie, you'd remember it perfectly. It isn’t the kind of perfume that Myrna would choose.” 8 2 o EELEY regarded the younger ' man oddly. “I see. Then we've got to consider the possibility that

DER

co ACE ne CREAR Cope. 1938 by United Feature Syndics

“That worthless son of mine has no ambition—wants to be a vice president.” »

THIS CURIOUS WORLD

A SPACE OF ABOUT

Why 1s LITLE WILLIE'S ¢ BET A POOR ONE 9 «J

By William Ferguson

OF THE EARTH OCCUPY

COPR. 1938 BY NEA SERVICE. ING

0-2

A COMMON ‘car; WAS ON THE PAYROLL OF THE BRITISH NAW FOR TWELVE VEARS

eee SERVING AS A

CRATTER” ON AH.M.S, PRESIDENT.

ANSWER—A bee can sting only once. Its stinger pulls out and remains imbedded in the victim.

ME TAKE $ BO FOR A THIS GLASS EYE? NUP YOU CAN'T FOOL ME ON GLASS EVES -~THIS ONE HAS TH' COLORING OF A WORK OF ARTwa I'LL TELL vou WHAT T'LL DO, AMOS «a BE = CAUSE YOU'RE MY. . OWN BROTHER, I'LL LET YOu HAVE IT FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS /

HE'LL THINK “THERE'S $100 PROFIT FOR HIM ON TH' $200 REWARD “ONE EYE” OFFERED

LI'L ABNER

JIT i

| - JY NEA SERVICE TRC. 1. M. REG. U. 8. PAT. OFF.

UME -SpuTe® SpuTr?

1 vou DARE DEMAND | #100 FOR THE RETURN

OF AN OBJECT “THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO vou ! £UFFI YOU KNAVE, THAT'S BLACKMAIL / HARR-RUMPH? BUT RATHER THAN THAT MY GOOD ERIEND LOSE HIS GLASS EVE. I'LL PAY THE RANSOM TO GAIN POSSESSION or iT!

A AAR RRR \) x ERE A

| BEFORE THAT

CT MORE TIMES

UGH'EF WE IS GOTTA KEEFE LIP

THIS HUGGIN KISSIN’ WHILE WE 151 -ALL.

YO HAINT S T'STOP

IT YO GIT MARRIED - IT JEST:GULP

BUT:

UFFO’

1S Z COMPLAININ’P- $2 MOST GALS LIKES | HAIN'T WHLUT FELLAS T'BE GITS WORSE - RO-MANTICA OH, GOLLY, WE a SHO'SINAFRIXZ {BE 2. ©

STAY YOUR HAND, MATOR /

$100 WEIGHS ANCHOR FOR ANOTHER PORT, 1 KNOW WHERE THERE'S SOME SECOND-HAND GOLD BRICKS THAT YOU CAN |. BUY cHEAPRP/S

HOOKED

. THAN GRANDMA

A-KISSIN® AN’ - SENN

CALL RO DANTICAL ?

"WHEN, T HANDED. HIM THE - MONEY THAT 1 BORROWED - FROM YOU FELLERS AND [ll DEMANDED MY STUFF, WHY, HE HANDED IT ALL RIGHT TO fl ME -- HE SAID THE POLICE \ RECOVERED THEM

‘JUST AS SOON

00-00H! NOW HE'S GOT HIS STUFE © ' AND GOLDIE’S GOT. OUR DOUGH! THIS 15 A GOOD LESSON TO ME TO KEEP... OUTA OTHER | PEOPLE'S TROU

WHUT! You MEAN MY LIFE'S SAVIN'S - IS GONE THAT YOU SAID YOU'D GIVE ME BACK

AS YOU MADE HIM PAY FER

Sn 2

i £

2 T'GETHER THEY LIKES T'DO-THETD BE RO-MANTICAL 7 -LIKE. HUNTIN’AN’ FISHIN” AN’ RASSLIN’ AN’ MERBE A LI'L BARE-KNUCKLE FIGHTIN =--

‘OH, PLEASE DON'T FEEL SO BAD, . SLUGGO! > Guy

IM MORTYFIED/---HOOMILIATED === IMAGINE ---YOU KNOCKIN' OUT A

KNOCKED ME out/

OAT

“OH. SLUGGO, DEAR---I'D DO ANYTHING

ANYTHI

You FEEL BETTER

BOUT \T!?

TO MAKE

ERNIE BUSS A (4 Lt foe men

LET'S YOU AN' ME FIGHT---BUT DON'T

JOT =22

= RR S|

WASHINGTON TUBBS Ii

GPE MOST UNSCRUPULOUS ROME ON THE HAS FOUND WIS CALLING. ONLY A So Ti

{AND RUM RUANER, THE TERROR WTO THE BRAVEST WE

FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS

N SEAS PIRATE NOW STRWES W PANAZUELA.,

SHARP AS NAILS AND TUE AS HARD THA'S ME.

. B-2t

PREVENTED A REVOLUTION

Hmm ! westey COME FROM BEHI TURE LOOKS NOW | WHAT PLAY CALL IF You IN THERE 2

WERE

Ol WOULD

ANISON, ALONE, KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS TO TUCARACHATS ANY POLITICAL ENEMIES, WHO DISAPPEAR ALMOST NIGHTLY.

GET UP!

"A . Bur IP You CALLED A PASS PLAY, IT WOULDN'T GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO CARRY THE BALL PERSONALLY === AND REMEMBER. A Your YARDAGE FEUD - WITH

—By Crane Ws WOST HATED ENEMIES ARE

BLOOMIN' SWABS FROM SEEN ; MSS MeKEE!

—By Blosser

NS “THATS THE spirit! IND NOW GET IN THERE AND" GEE WHAT You CAN DO WMH OUR SIDE OF THE SCOREBOARD /

son and Coll

Psst! HERE COME THE SP1iDER’AND BEN-

- iT . Pag 2

BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES

Tc STADIUM \& PACKED! FANS nALE ST000 IN LINE FOR ROLRS FOR THE LAST AVAILABLE TUKETS LY, THE OLO

TOWN \S FOOTBALL MAS

Seetse

WAIT SOMETHIN | | FEESHY BOUT

ALL RIGHT, PUT EM UB FINISHED YOU'RE WN

BACK! KEEP TH DAME IN FRONT OF you!

ABBIE AN’ SLATS

who knocked Dombey off.” “Yes.” = Feeley shook his head. “I've had Mike Dunphy making the rounds

papers. But there was nothing doing. blonds, too.” Tait glanced toward the window. first streaks da were

the person who wanted to bleed you

“And that she also was the girl|tavern. back down to the Millbay district and have a look at that factory building now?”

“What do you say we go

“There’s two things I'd rather

of the names we got from Dombey’s|do,” said Feeley. “One is sleep, and the other is drink a third glass of At least half of them were beer.

But when I see my duty.

" nmin

[TICKETS OF)

GIVE ME A HUNDRED TICKETS---TWO ) | ¥

FINISHES DANCING. - WITH THAT (OVE GIRL=-- 7M GOING TO DAMCE WITH HEFi---

es. ’ Il da

oar | RoR BOY ATL JOST | 1 Sa,

| COPR_ 1938 BY NEA SERVICE, IN

1 WAS AFRAID OF THAT! THEY'RE GOING TO TRY AND REACH THEIR PLANE BACK, |

£2 70-02

7, M. REG. U

—By Raeburn Van Buren

! yn BY DANCIN A DOLLAR AND THOITY CENTS WOITH WITH YA? DAT RATESAKISS/

IF YOU DON'T WANNA GIVE IT TOME, BABY-