Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 October 1938 — Page 15

SERIAL STORY—

MURDER TO MUSIC

By NARD JONES

CAST OF CHARACTERS - MYRNA DOMBEY—heroine. Wife of .the sensational swing hand leader. ROBERT TAIT—hero, Newspaper photographer—detective. ANNE LESTER—Myrna’s friend. . DANNIE FEELEY—officer assigned to investigate Ludden Dombey’s murder.

closest

Yesterday: Tait theorizes that George Weeks, who wrote “The Cat’s Meow,” murdered Dmobey in revenge. Feeley and Tait return to the factory district for clues. Te

CHAPTER NINETEEN

HE Millbay district looked much less fantastic to Tait in the early morning than it had in the moonshadows when the taxi driver had almost given his life in the discord of a cat’s cry—and when Tait had detected that haunting odor of perfume. But even in the light of day it was an evil-looking area, and the factory in which Tait fruitlessly had pursued an attacker was the worst building of the lot.

“This is it,” Tait said to Dannie Feeley as the latter drove his car alongside. re

" Feeley eyed it with distaste. “A fine spot for murder, all right. D’you know, Bob, if you'd come here alone and they'd done you in it might have been days before anybody found out about it.” “Yeah. ... I owe my life to that taxi driver, all right.” Tait stepped out of the car. “Come on, let’s go.” t 4 » 8

AUTIOUSLY they climbed the narrow staircase, and Tait showed Feeley where the candle had been burning. The Irishman nodded. “I don’t think it could have been your fancy blond, Tait.” - “But how do you account for the perfume?” “I don’t,” said Feeley. “At least not yet.” He started up the stairway to the big machine room. “These your tracks?” “Yes. And those marks in the dust are where the others were swept up.” They went to the window, climbed down to the roof next door. Gravel on tar, it showed no trace of a recent occupant. “There’s nothing we can get out here,” Feeley said. Tait followed him back to the factory room, watched while Dannie went over it practically foot by foot. At length the detective straightened wearily and shook his head. “I don’t see anything I can tie to.” As they went down the stairs again, Feeley opined dourlyd “You know, in all the detective stories I ever read a ccuple of guys in our position up there would have found something—a busted match, or a hunk cf hair, or a cigaret butt. All we find is dust.” “You keep forgetting that there was a noisz like a cat meowing, and the odor of perfume.” “I don't keep forgetting it—even if I'd like to. Feeley shot Tait a look of disgust. “I'm talking about tangible clues=~All you give me is . a’'smell and a sound. A fine couple of clues!” Feeley yawned prodigiously. “I've got to get some sleep, and I have an idea you could use some.” “You said it, Dannie. Drop me off at the apartment, will you?” At the apartment Bob telephoned Myrna. His heart lifted at her voice. He was sure there was relief in it. “Bob, where have you been?” “Just around. I'm getting some sleep right now. But I'd like to take you and Anne to dinner tonight. How about it?”2 — “We’d like to,” Myrna said.

N the days that followed, dinner for the trio became a regular thing. And semetimgs, when Tait noticed that Mpyrna’s spirits were up, they would drop into the Pa-cific-Plaza to hear the band. At first Myrna obviously steeled herself against the memory that came rushing when she entered the Golden Bowl. But gradually she faced her problem, and it seemed to Bob that she began once again to enjoy hearing the band. “You've done a good job of lifting Myrna out of it,” Anne told Bob one day. “If—if only she could be definitely cleared of the suspicion of killing Lud Dombey!” Tait nodded soberly. “Feeley’s no nearer than ever, and I've been no help, I'm afraid.” “What does Barkley say?” “The prosecuting attorney? He says, in effect, that he wants Myrna’s neck. And the trial opens on the 20th.” _ But that very day Tait did more than keep his fingers crossed. He went to see Barkley. He Knew Barkley’s kind and he tried a simple bluff. “Look here,” Tait said, “I've still some friends on the newspapers—and I don’t want Myrna served up as political pottage.”

ARKLEY'S dark eyebrows raised. «I'm afraid I don’t know what you mean, Tait. You know I don’t work that way. There's an open and shut case on Myrna Dombey. For instance, Tait, when you are called to the stand ypull have to testify that a few seconds after Lud Dombey was killed.you picked up Mrs. Dombey’s handbag, won't you?” “ves ... “And that inside it was a 32-cali-per revolver with one shell fired and the barrel still warm, Is that correct?” “Yes, but—" : “Well, then?” Barkley smiled. “That’s just one example. And I don’t mind telling you that Leonard Macy and Dr. Matisse have been bringing in some interesting things.” “Those fakers!” «That is wholly a matter of opinion, Tait. I doubt if the jury,

when I am through with it, will]

think they are fakes.” : «But what about Feeley?” Barkley shrugged. “I'm afraid Dannie is a little baffled, Tait. And T've tried to get him to say that he’s confident of Myrna Dombey’s innocence. He won't quite go that far. Not even,” again Barkley smiled, “not even in view of your splendid Ee Pon) tried to hold back his anger. But it was no use. “You're going to regret making trouble for to save your own skin, Barkley!” But even as he gave the warning, Tait wondered dully how it was to be fulfilled. -

——

HOLD EVERYTHING

Oty 200

COPR. 1938 BY NEA SERVICE, Ine. 0-3¢ Qee |

“He told his wife she looked like a monkey in her new hat.”

FLAPPER FANNY

By Sylvia

“They’ve made the ending a little bit different. In the book he gets

killed and she goes to a convent.”

“GRIN AND BEAR IT

By Lichty

— Ne

“Bip ETA | Ty pli 2 ?

“How old do you plan to be 20 years from now, Alice?”

THIS CURIOUS WORLD

or ; g 5 i Rds as Ta EEE BEN

SEQUOIA NATL BARI,

By William Ferguson

| Ze DEEPEST HOLE | IN THE WORLD IS A /5,000-FT. OIL. WELL, IN SAN JOARUIN VALLEY,

4 “ |COPR 1938 BY NEA SERVICE. INC. -z2)( $4 Ee

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. OUT OUR WAY-

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| THINK OF OUR Ly MISSPENT LIVES --

< —_ By Willams

COTTON, I FEEL TURRIBLE WHEN I

© ITS AGoop JOB ,1 SPOSE, BUT TH COUNTRY iS GETTIN KINDER LOW ON COWS FER THEM COWBOY FIFTEEN MINUTES )GUITAR SINGERS -- THERE'S \ A DAY ON ONE O' HTWO FER. EVERY COW IN THEM GUITARS AN'A TH COUNTRY--- I. WONDER h LOOK WHERE WEZ\ WHUT HALE OF WHUT COW OULD = THET FELLER “ HERDED

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NTR wiLLA 10-74

—By Al Capp

ANCY!---T WISH YOU WOULDN'T SIV THERE LISTENING TO EVERY WORD WE SAY! --- GO UP AND TAKE YOUR BATH!

1 WASN'T LISTENING!

I'M NOT THE LEAST BIT INT'RESTED

— ERNIE EBUSIA/L LER)

——

—By Crane

(Z iT EM HARD,

LZ 7 susoYsibe ll &

Q. How many square miles | A. Almost

in the United States?

3 million

ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, EVERYONE

I ENJOYS THE ENERGIZING GOODNESS

MYRA NORTH, SPECIAL NURSE

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RETREAT...

10-24

(OW, NO YE DON'T, ME ANDSOME BUCKO! I ) AWT FORGOT TE DIRT. YoU DONE ME IN

Him, EH? I YOU WEREN'T GONG GETTING HARD, AND PUT HIM IN | I WANTED HIS . PILLOW!

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—By Thompson and Coll

BUT AS" THE SPIDER TAKES |. CAREFUL AIM, MYRA SUDDEN LY THRUSTS UP ONE SHOUL= DER AND THE SHOT GOES wiLD/!

HOO "RAYS 3 { fy MADE res) IY | on 3 { Poa

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By Raeburn Van ‘Buren WTR NT ;