Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 November 1938 — Page 18

‘MURDER 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.

2.” Yesterday: Detective Feeley and Tait meet the song writer, Weeks, in the 4 hetel lobby. Feeley is-certain that he “is the murderer.

# ° CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

IOEELEY and Tait walked toward A’ the tall, pale man. He had alTreacy spotted them, his eyes burning with an unnatural eagerness. < “Are you Mr. Weeks?” Feeley *, ‘asked. : “Yes . . .” The man’s voice was thick, curiously nervous. . “I'm Elliott Farnsworth. This .is Robert Tait, manager of The Swingateers. Perhaps you've heard of “Oh, indeed.” 3 “Mr. Tait is naturally interested in the song we select as the swing

HOLD EVERYTHING [ |

woe EWI. [i-] COPR. 1938 BY NEA SERVICE. INC. “Hey, Chief! I'm warming up a quarterback for you!”

FLAPPER FANNY

By Sylvia

hit. In fact, he’s made arrangements with our firm to introduce 4t at the Golden Bowl.” Si * "The man nodded. “As was done with ‘The Cat's Meow’?” | ~ “There was an odd intonation in “the remark which sent a chill down! "Tait’s spine. *“You—you brought “your song with you, Mr. Weeks?” | Weeks tapped the side of his head. “Yes. It is here, with me.” He smiled. “If I could play it for you?” . £ Tait looked at Feeley. “We can go into the Golden Bowl and use :ghe piano in there. You play, Mr Weeks?” “Oh, yes, I play. I am not a ausician like, let us say, Ludden ‘Dombey, who couldn't read music but could only make weird noises on a clarinet.” “Good ... let's go into the Golden | Bowl.” 2

” 2

> | A S they went through the lobby

and into the empty Golden Bowl, strange and ghost-like now in| its quiet, Tait exchanged glances! with Feeley. The detective looked] grim. Plainly he could hardly re-, “strain himself from clapping the! unpleasant Weeks into custody. “The man walked to the piano immediately. “I am not a singer,” he said. “I will play it for you, and then recite the lyric.”

Tait nodded. The man began [!!'=!

to play. As his fingers went over the keys, Tait’s jaw dropped involuntarily. The tune was bad. It “was trite—it would have been trite even if original, but it was not! original. As the musician finished, Tait nudged Feeley. The latter straightened. “Well , > he hesitated. “Well, it's very good.” He turned to Tait. “After all, Tait, your band ‘has to introduce it. What's your opinion?” | “I think it has possibilities,” | Tait said. - “But of course I want to hear others and make some com- | - parisons.” | “You want to hear the words?” | said Weeks. | “That's not necessary,” Tait said. | “Not now, at least. A lyric can| always be worked over, if the tune has the stuff.” |

Weeks’ eyes narrowed.

have the stuff?” -.-“1. didn’t’ say that,” swered. | The tall musician arose from the piano bench. | sdid I could tell you something of | interest about this very popular | -song, the ‘The Cat's Meow. I! wrote that song! Do you under-| stand?” Weeks’ eyes were glitter-; “ing.

Tait

“I wrote it! And I can show the agreement Dombey made with! me. An agreement which he did! not keep. It was a song which made thousands—for Dombey. And now, Mr. Tait, do you know what +s going to happen? You are going to give me a place in your band and let me introduce my new song. You “are going to do it because, if vou refuse, I will make a public announcement which will ruin your band.” 3 = ” £ J

AIT could have kicked himself - senseless. What had he blundered into? What had he done just when it looked as if the band might game out from under its obligations? The recording company had b staved off only temporarily, i this mad man should blab, “then Montgomery of the recording firm would swoop down, too, for = Ppombey’s lapses of contract. “If what you say is true,” Tait said slowly, “we naturally want to \ ..do the right thing.” ~~ “Then I am with your band, beginning tonight?” Weeks asked. “And I will introduce the song?”

Tait shuddered. The piece Weeks

had just played would ruin a sec‘ond rate band in the most unsophisticated of tank towns. “I'm afraid we wouldn't have time for yehearsal enough to do it justice. Suppose you played ‘The Cat's Meow’ instead? The crowd will like that, because we haven't used it gince—since Dombey was killed.” s3“Very well.” The musician drew self straighter. “That will be

: pnough, for the present. But he ioe at Farnsworth. ‘But I think

‘would be well for Mr. Tait to conMince you that my new song is worth $10,000 advance against royjes.” 3Feeley turned a little pink, and git put in quickly, “I'm sure Mr.

He held out his hand.

'eeks. The band will need no rearsal for ‘The Cat's Meow.” I'll Bhve ‘Torchy’ Stephens arrange for piano solo for you on it. I think } be a hit.” " «Gravely Weeks shook hands with iit and Feeley, bowed low, and Iked across the afternoon emptiess of- the Golden Bowl. Feeley took a step forward, and Tait, regrained him. “I'll take the job of owing him, Dannie. Is that okay with you?” ‘Peeley nodded, “Sure. Jet him slip. That's our ‘He's done murder and gurder—and now he's going try a little blackmail. . . . That wasn’t a bad piece he played, - though, was it?” “It was awful, Dannie. fact that it's stumped

man, Bob.

awful has

“It won't look so much like a doghouse when we put up the partition between the kitchen and the living room.”

GRIN AND BEAR IT

*You i: -mean to infer that perhaps this | : tune I have just played does not

“Listen,” he said, “I||¥

By Lichty

& 0 4 JPA | a

Capt. 1938 by United Peature ra Inc. ne

“You mustn't be so disrespectful to the man, dear—he’s your director, not your father!”

THIS CURIOUS WORLD By William Ferguson

FIVE INCHES ADDED TO THE EARTH'S DIAMETER. wouLD ADD ONE SECOND TO OUR ANNUAL’ RUN AROUND THE SUNS

EAT THROUGH THE HARDEST SOIL, YET THEY HAVE

NO HARD JAWS AND

€OPR. 1938 BY NEA SERVICE. ING.

ANSWER—White race. The Bushmen of Australia are white settlers who work in the “bush,” or uncleared sections,

But don’t! phony?”

Ripe lee you later.” He hurried out. 0

And the|to find that the man was heading me | not forthe poorer part of town but The guy that wrote ‘The|for the

“Then you figure this guy is a that’s certain.” Suddenly it occurred to Tait that he was in the block which held Harris Rogers’ apartment. Even as the thought struck him, Weeks turned into the entrance of that building! Tait waited on the sidewalk until Weeks should have time to take the lift. Then he followed, and went straight to Harris Rogers’ door.

“I don’t know,” Tait said. “I'll

2 2 »

E followed Weeks for blocks, grew increasingly astonished

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sician, “there’s something screwy,

OUR BOARDING HOUSE

HM-Mwe LADS ! vou KNOW IT IS THE CUSTOM TO RALLY TO THE SUPPORT

OF A CANDIDATE FOR

A POLITICAL OFFICE

WHEN HE IS A FELLOW CLUB MEMBER/ IT WILL BE A _ GREAT BOON TO THE OWLS" CLUB PRESTIGE, HAVING

ITS PRESIDENT THE

LEADING CANDIDATE FOR

STATE SENATOR, vw

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WH ATCH= YO' CH HANNIBAL FINDS JONE O YIN’ SAM Fi

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GOSH, YOURE

GETTIN’ A BREAK “THAT

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DON'T FALL ON SATURDAY “NIGHT! MOST oF TH' BOYS WILL. BE OUT OF TH’ HOBBLEHOUSE BY

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ELECTION

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YONDER ON TH’ ROAD THERES STARTED TO PUT THET THING UP TO PROVE THET TH' FIRST HUNTER ALONG WOULD BREAK TH' LAW == SHOOTIN FROM TH’ ROAD ANY TOO NEAR A DWELLIN' ON PRIVATE PROPERTY... HE HAD A BET ON IT

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IN THET <AVE,DIDNT YP TN “ 7 Ah ple \\

REPAIRING + | REMODEL

DO YOU DYE FUR COATS?

MIim TH TES

A BULLETPROOF VEST

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I THINK A i NICE LIGHT BROWN WOULD BE NICE!

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DEAD

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shoT Tuy | PHONEY OUT! THE VEST.

_ 1938 BY NEA SER

' \( WHAT WAPPENED ? I THOUGHT I HEARD A SHOT.

JWNC. TM. . U.S.

IL Say He s! MH

SEARCHING PARTY=- a HAS A BAD CASE E

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LOGOES ON

FELLOW NAMED MS GOOSEY-- FRECKLES MS. GOOSEY /

FINISHES GIVING

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FOR THE

DISPOSAL.

AND NOW, LOVIE SUPPOSE YOU COME. — CLEAN WITH THE DOPE ON WEARING ALL THOSE PHONY DIAMONDS /

Tow Tew! NOW \S THAR ANY WAY TO TAL To NOUR NG

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ER--WE NEED A

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SALARY WOU ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS A

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NO I HAVENT AND NEITHER HALE ROU ! NO MATTER WHAT TLE BLUER TRIED TO 00 OR BE ,YOL'VE ALWAYS SPOILED EVERYTHING LYOU WOOLONT BE HERE NOW {fF YOO O\ON'T THINK THERE WAS

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WANT we

ME! THAT'S FINAL, JOSH!

¢ 7 on 2 - ® { :

) GOPR. 1938 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. R

OW THAT'D BE WONDERFUL // I'LL SEND THE

CHAUFFEUR AFTER

2 Sor ton ty ¥

YOUR DUTIES WILL BE VERY LIGHT. YHERE 1S SOME CORRESPONDENCE IN CONNECTION WITH VAL’S ESTATE --BUT, MOST IM ANT WILL BE YOUR L INFLUENCE UPON

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Reg. U. 8. Pat. Of —AR

's Meow’ couldn't possibly write |swankiest apartment hotels. “If he B85 gous as the one he justllives jn this section,” Tait mused, tb hurrying after the long-legged

{To By Continued)