Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 14 May 1942 — Page 24

PAGE 2 Serial Story—

‘Caribbean Crisis

CHAPTER TWO

BILL TALCOTT’S hand

was out for a chair, his foot

poised for a step. Thus he remained as if frozen, staring at the man behind the desk. “What's that?” he gasped.

The auditor coughed. by my firm you are required

“Under the system established

to produce duplicate vouchers

signed by the authorized agents of the various vessels with whom you ship nitrates. The total.of vouchers signed during the past year is short by that amount from your com-

pany ledger. In other words, $158,000 worth of business is

unaccounted for.” Bill Talcott’s reflexes automatically completed the task of capturing a chair and occupying it. Nitrate dust, smelly, all-pervading, eddied as he flopped down. “You say Tm short?” he gasped again.* “But that’s impossible. All my vouchers are cataloged in numerical order. They're in regular form, consecutively numbered!” Struthers leaned forward, pushing the pile stack aside. In his manner was the supercilious contempt of the brainy man for the " brawny one. “They're NOT .all here,” he said flatly. : Dazedly Talcott accepted the vouchers, searched, discovered a gap in the numbers; another and another. Big shipments, all of them, His amazement deepened tc anger. Hotly he said, “I don’t understand this. I went over the whole business as soon as I received Winters’ cable that he was sending Halsey. We keep a monthly inventory. The vouchers were postively here no longer than a week ago.” : rv. on STRUTHERS lifted his shoulders. “Sorry. Mr. Winters’ secretary particularly instructed me to check

your vouchers.” Winters’ secretary—The Old ‘Man changed them as frequently as he changed shirts, which gave.him the reputation of being the toughest boss on the Street, Was this the trick of a new girl, trying to make a berth for herself by putting a plant manager on a distant island in a hell of a jam? That wouldn’t answer why the vouchers were missing from this office; it was’ fishy, thin, too impossible to be taken seriously. Yet it . was here. Cold sweat broke out along Talcott’s spine. “New York never called me abcut any missing vouchers,” he said angrily. “Is this a frameup of the Old Man’s to keep. me on in this stinking hole? I've done my work, six years of it. Three years beyond my contract, twice as long as my best predecessor, If Winters thinks he can force me. to stay here, he’s crazy!” Angry lights darkened Struth-

of theft just. to “satisfy a client? Let me tell you, Talcoit, I'm a bonded accountant and my firm has been established for more: than 50 years. I'm happy to say that this sort of thing doesn’t happen to us very often, but when it does we know how to proceed. Talcott choked back angry words and in baffled rage strode from the office. Avoiding his house he headed for the worn stone pier where, short hours ago, Halsey and the auditor had landed. The new : man’s arrival should have meant happiness for Bill Talcott; release after six deadly years. Economic affairs had been none too good when he and Lowell Byrd received their degrees; taking up their commissions in the army had been a logical step. ” 2 ” WHEN VIEWED from Federal Chemical’s plush sanctum in New

York, prospects of life in the tropics had been thrilling. Bill Talcott had planned to send for his mother as soon as he was settled; he hadn’t seen, until the moment of his arrival, how he was trapped. Months of patient, questioning letters passéd to years until finally Lowell Byrd wrote of Mother Talcott’s death. So he stayed on at Plant Number Six. : Something of ‘Talcott’s first crumbling hopes had shown in Halsey’s eyes the moment the new man stepped from the mailboat. Was Halsey, realizing that Winters’ flowery rhetoric didn’t correspond to the facts, attempting a rotten trick to save himself? Bill Talcott had done a good job; had spent a sixth of his life on a blistering, rain-swept, wind-swept chunk of rock. Only his daily swims in the shark-infested waters of Anegada Passage had kept him from utter madness. Was it to end in disgrace and possible prison? The brassy sun was low over the jade green on the Caribbean when Bill Talcott , reached a decision. Until Halsey, Struthers and the mysterious MacDowell had arrived, his affairs had been in perfect order. One or all of them had dealt the first hand; now Talcott, who knew something about poker himself, would wait for cards. His eyes were thoughtful as he

ers’ eyes. “Are you insinuatiry; that I would stoop to accusing you

came up the path. With a start of memory he saw, on the terrace,

FUNNY BUSINESS

Leh 57 CAA A Y S55 ’ ’ " ree? ter l Li

ln

—By

Eaton K Goldthwaite

the lax figure of June Paterson. She too had arrived. on thé mailboat. Was she ‘who claimed to be his best friend’s cousin also in the game? As quickly as it had come he dismissed the suspicion and, avoiding the terrace, went down for a swim. Dinner was a complete farce. Despite excellent drinks: and marvelous viands conjured up by Black Sam, conversation was unbearale. Halsey was reluctant and hostile; Struthers gloomily silent. The mustached MacDowell, too, was preoccupied and Talcott repeatedly felt his searchnig, cold-eyed scrutiny. ; ® = = AT LONG LAST June Paterson became openly rebellious. “I'm going for a walk,” she announced. “Alone. I enjoy my conversation. I think I'm the brightest person I know. You gentlemen may continue your stupid game, whatever it is. Don’t bother to wait up for me.” Halsey sprang to his feet and grinned ruefully. “Really, Miss Paterson, I'm dreadfully sorry. Been preoccupied, you know. New job and all that sort of thing. Can’t I accompany you?” “I wouldn't think of tearing you away.” Halsey captured her arm firmly.

shall make it up to you. Please let me.” Her sullen, long-lashed eyes swept Bill Talcott. “If you insist, come along then.” Arm in arm they had reached the door when Bill: Talcott said coldly, “Please don’t go out.” Halsey turned in surprise. “And why not?” “Because it’s scarecly safe.” “Rubbish! Do I "look like a child?” : Talcott straightened a little In his ‘chair. + “I must insist that you do not leave here at night unless I accompany you.” June Paterson whirled, and flushing hotly cried, “Being my chaperon ‘doesn’t include that right of possession. I'll go where I like!” And pushing Halsey ahead of her she slammed out. ' (To Be Continued)

(All events, names and characters in this story are fictitious)

Test Quiz

1—Juan Antonio Rios was recently inaugurated president of Argentina, Chile or Paraguay? 2—Paris, France, is in the Nazi occupied .zone; true or false? 3—Name the capital of New Zea- == “land. 4—1In which country did Pearl Buck spend her childhood? 5—Give the simplest formula for finding the total surface of a cube. 6—Selma Lagerlof was a Swedish author, singer or actress? 7—Which president appointed Gen. Douglas MacArthur chief of staff? 8—What kind of pockets are banned by the WPB from men’s suits to conserve material? 9—Which is the higher rank: a captain in the U. S. army or in the navy? 10—James Melton formerly was

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Answers 1—Chile. 2—True. 3—Wellington. 4—China. 5—Square one side and multiply by six, 6—Author, T—Hoover. 8—Patch pockets. 9—Captain in the navy. 10. False. (Frank Munn was known as Paul Oliver.) 11. Rice. 12. The Orient or East.

The Handy Twins lead +he parade with prooy that PE PSODENT POWDER makes teeth RIGHT

(SOPR. 1942 BY NEA SERVICR. INC, T. M. REC. U. 8, PAT. OFF.

“Bang, bang! An’ I was up for bigamy!”

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TWO CHEERS / PEPSODENT | LEADS THE PARADE

A "IT SURE TURNED OUT TOE A SWELL ° SUGGESTION . . . FOR ‘SHIRLEY / WHILE HER TEETH | MAD NEVER BEEN QUITE AS BRIGHT AS MINE, AFTER "SHE USED PEPSODENT HER TEETH BECAME EASILY TWICE AS SRIGHT/ MOTHER WAS SO IMPRESSED SHE IMMEDIATELY {SWITCHED TO PEPSODENT AND. COULD, HARDLY. MARY Tbs | 010

you MAY HAVE SEEN US... PERFORMING AS" DRUM MAJORETTES ... AT THE CHICAGO BEARS’ * FOOTBALL GAMES. ..OR OTHER PLACES. YOU KNOW: WE REALLY. DO LOOK A LOT ALIKE. WHEN. WE MADE. | <THE. TOOTH POWDER TEST, MOTHER SUGGESTED iy = SHIRLEY" 8 THE ONE TO use PEPSODENT.