i the mystery gIrL
1 By CAROLYN WEI.1.8.__((opyrl.ht, mt.)
(Continu'd from hatordny.)
Oh. well, get what you can from
them," said Morton, pettishly. "I
suppose you deduce a tall man, with
blue eyes and two teeth missing.”
"Don’t be cheap, Morton. And, on
the contrary, I deduce a small man.
They are small footprints, and close
together. The Japanese are smo.ll
inen. Morton.”
“Well, these prints are more than
24 hours old, and they're pot clear
enough to Incriminate anybody.”
"They haven't changed an iota from
the moment they were made. This
cold snap has kept everything frozen
solid. Look at the frost still on the
panes, the icicles still on the window
sashes, the ice coating still on the
trees and branches. In fact, it has
grown steadily colder since night be
fore last, and until it begins to thaw
tvs have these footprints as intact
evidence. I will have them photo
graphed.”
"They are small.” Morton agreed
after further examination. “And as
you say, too close together for an or
dinary sized man. It looks like the
Jap.”
“Beginning to wake up, are you?
You’ve sure been asleep at the
switch, Morton.”
“Nothing of the sort, Mr. Cray. But
I ought to have help. I’ve had all I
could tackle, making the necessary
first inquiries, and getting the facts
straightened out.”
“That business could ha%fe waited
better than these other things. Now,
there’s Critnmins, the lawyer, arriv
ing Let's interview him. But not in
the study. Keep that clear.”
They met Crimmins in the hall, and
took him to the living room.
The matter of the will was immedi
ately taken up, and Mrs. Bates was
asked to tell which desk drawer it
was in.
Accompanied b ythe lawyer and the
secretary, Mrs. Bates indicated the
drawer, and Lockwood opened it with
his key.
There were a few papers in it, but
no will.
Nor could further search disclose
any such document.
“Who took it?” said Mrs. Bates
blankly.
No no one could answer her. The
others came thronging in, Cray's ur
gent requests to keep out of the study
being entirely ignored.
“I knew it,” declared Mrs. Teyton
triumphantly. "Now, I guess you
won’t l>o so cocky, Kntily Bates—you
or your ‘authority? "
Mrs. Bates looked at her. “I am
the heir.” she said haughtily. “I as
sert that—but I cannot prove it until
the will is found. It isn't in your
possession, Mr. Crtmmins?"
"No; Dr. Waring preferred to keep
it himself. I cannot understand its
disappearance."
“A lot of paper has been burned
in this fireplace,” said Helen Teyton,
who was poking the ashes around.
Morton hastened to look, for it
seemed to him as if everybody was
stealing his thunder.
"Nothing that can be identified, he
said, carelessly.
“No?” demurred Cray. "At any
rate, it looks as if some legal papers
were destroyed. This bit of ash is
quite evidently thy remainder of sev
eral sheets folded together.”
But no definite knowledge could he
gained outside the fact that much
paper had been burned there. As
no tire had been made Bince the dis
covery of the tragedy, it stood to
reason the papers were burned by Dr.
Waring himself or by his midnight
intruder, if there were such a one.
"Well,” Cray demanded of the law
yer. "if no will can be found, then
who inherits the property of Dr. War
ing? And is it considerable?”
“Yes: Dr. Waring had quite a for
tune,” Crlmmins told them. "As to an
heir, he has a distant cousin—a sec
ond cousin, who, 1 suppose, would be
the legal inheritor, in the absence of
any will. But. I know he made a
will in Mrs. Bates’ favor, and it in
cluded a few minor legacies to the
members of this household and some
neighbors.’*
“I know it.” Mrs. Bates said. I m
perfectly familiar with all the be
quests. But where is the will? It
must l<e found! It can't have been
burned!" ,,
“We've no right to assume that
those paper ashes are the will, but 1
confess I fear it," Crimmins an
nounced, his face drawn with anx
iety.' "I should be deeply sorry, if it
is "so, for the cousin I speak of is a
ne'er do well young man, and not at
all a favorite of his late relative. His
name is Maurice Trask and he lives
in St. Louis. I suppose he must be
notified in any case.”
"Yes.” said Cray, "that must he
done But, please, all go out of this
room', for the fingerprint experts and
the photographers are coming soon,
and everv moment you people stay
here, you help to cloud or destroy
possible clues."
Impressed by his sternness, they
(lied out and gathered in the living
room. ... „ ,
There they found a neighbor, oal
lonstall Adams, awaiting them.
"I (a8iii6 over,” Iip said, with scant
preliminary greetings, “because I have
something to tell. You in charge, Mr.
Cray?" , ,,,
"Yes, Salt, what do you know?
"This. I was awake late night be
fore last—the night Doc Waring died,
and i was looking out my window,
and it was pretty light, with the snow
and the moonlight and all. and I saw
a man—a small man, creeping along
sly like. And I watched him, he went
along past my house down toward the
railroad tracks lie had a hag with
him. and a bundle beside. I wouldn t
have noticed him probably, but he
skulked along so and seemed, so Tear
ful that somebody'd see him."
“Nogi?" said Gordon Lockwood,
calmly, looking at the speaker.
"Don't say it was. and don t say It
wasn't. But I went down to the sta
tion and the station master told me
that that Jap of Warings went oil
on the milk train."
"He did!” cried Morton, "what time
does that train go through?"
•' 'Bout 4:30. The fellow passed my
house 'long about 12:30, 1 should say
—though I didn't look, and he must
have waited around the station all
that time till the milk train came
along.’’
"Is the station master sure it was
Nogi?" asked Mrs. Peyton, greatly
' X"Said he was. and there’s mighty
few Japs in Corinth, all told.”
“Of course it was Nogi. said Lock
wood and Morton snapped him up
with, "Why are you so sure?’
Lockwood treated the detective to
one of his most disconcerting stares,
and said: . , .
"You. a detective, and ask such a
simple question! Why, since there
are hut a very few’ Japanese in this
town, and since one of them left on
that milk train, and since all the rest
Parents’ Problems
Is there danger of Illness to chil
dren from pet animals?
Physicians tell ua that there is, If
the pet animals are not well or are
not clean. It has been found that
cases of scarlet fever have been
traced to cats and severe colds to
dogs. The wise and safe thing to
do is to keep the family pets well and
dean. Consult the local veterinary
as to how to do this. Peta are a de
light to children and are a means
of teaching them kindness to ani
mals. Have them, but take care of
them; then, they are safe.
are accounted for, and only Nogl la
missing—it doesn't seem to me to re
quire superhuman intelligence to in
fer that it was Nogi who took his de
parture."
“And who was mixed up In the
murder of Dr. John Waring?” cried
Morton, exasperated beyond all cau
tion by the ironic tone of Lockwood.
“And unless you can explain some
matters, sir, you may be considered
mixed up in the same despicable
deed!"
“What matters?” Cordon Lockwood
asked, but his already pale face
turned a shade whiter.
"First, sir, you have a large num
her of unpaid bills In your posses
sion."
The secretary’s face was no lorsger
white. The angry blood flew to it,
and he fairly clenched his hands in
an effort to preserve his usual calm,
nor even then, could he entirely suc
ceed.
"What if I have?” he cried, "and
how do you know? You’ve searched
my rooms!”
"Certainly," said Morton, "I warned
you I should do so."
"But, in my absence!"
"The law is not always over cere
monious,"
"Now, Mr. Lockwood," Cray began,
“don't get excited.”
Gordon Lockwood almost laughed.
For him to be told not to get ex
cited! ile, who never allowed himself
to be even slightly ruffled or per
turbed! This would never do!
"I'm not excited, Mr. Cray,” he
said, and he wasn't, now, "but I am
annoyed that my private papers
should be searched without my knowl
edge. Surely I might-”
"Never mind the amenities of life,
Mr. Lockwood," Cray went on; "your
effects were searched on the authority
of a j)olice warrant. Now, regarding
these bills-"
"I have nothing to say. A man has
a right to his unpaid bills."
“But he has not a right to steal
$500 In cash and a ruby pin. in order
to he able to pay them!" This from
Morton, and Instead of replying to the
detective in any way. Lockwood Ig
nored the speech utterly, quite as If
he had not heard It, and addressed
Cray.
“Was anything further found to In- !
criminate me?" he arked.
"Was there anything else to he
found?” said Cray, catching at the
implied suggestion.
"That's for your sleuths to say. I
know of nothing."
"Well, there's your round, sharp
penholder. And the fact that you had
keys to all desk drawers. Also the
fart that only you and the Jap are
known to have been In that part of
the house that night. These things
were not learned from the search of
your rooms: but your pecuniary em
barrassment, which was discovered,
all go together to make a web of cir
cumstances that call for investiga
tlon.” ,
"Don’t beat about the hush! ex
claimed Lockwood, his lips set and Ills
eyes staring coldly at the district at
torney. "I'd far rather be accused
definitely than have it hinted that I
am responsible for this crime.”
"But wo haven't sufficient evidence,
Mr. Lockwood, to accuse you defi
nitely, that's why we must question
you." . I
•'Sufficient! You haven t any evi
dence at all!”
“Oh, we have some." with a turn
of his head, Cray summoned a man
who stood at the hall door.
The man came in and handed Cray
a report.
"H'm,” the attorney scanned the
paper. “We find, Mr. Lockwood,
fresh fingerprints on the chair which
stood near Dr. Waring’s desk. Facing
the doctor's chair, in fact, as if some
one had sat there talking to him. Did
you?” I
"No; I never sat down and talked
to him. I was always waiting on
him in the matter of bringing books
or taking letters for transcription, and
in any case, I either stood, or sat at
tny desk, never in that chair you
speak of."
"This man will take the fingerprints
of all present,” the attorney directed,
and one and all submitted to the
process.
Old Salt Adams was greatly Inter
ested.
"Hut you can't get the prints of
Friend Jap,” he said. "Like's not he’d
be of more importance than all of us
put together. Me, now, I can’t see
where I come in.”
(To He Continued Tomorrow.)
Uncle Sam Says
Help the Roys.
Almost every boy has his tool chest
and is constantly endeavoring to use
it. Realizing this, the government
aims to help him to produce articles
useful on the farm and In the home.
The government booklet, "Farm and
Home Mechanics," describes the
necessary tools and gives directions
for such general work as setting
posts, building fences, planting trees,
pruning, caring for harness, laying
cement walks, painting and soldering.
The most useful part of the booklet
is the 30 working drawings covering
many useful household conveniences
which anyone can make.
Readera of The Omaha Bee may
obtain a copy of this booklet direct
from the government for the cost of
printing by sending 15 cents in coin
to the Superintendent of Documents,
Government Printing Office. Washing
ton. D. C., asking for “Farm and
Home Mechanics—Indian Office." Do
not send postage stamps.
Holds Evidence in Mouth.
Cortland, N. Y.t Dec. 24.—A private
detective employed by Cortland coun
ty to get evidence against Thomas
Riley, local "mine host," believed to
be violating the Mullan-Gage dry law
will Jjave to tell how he carried away
the evidence In his mouth when the
case Is moved for trial in county court
here.
[&JFEPY -TIME tales
TOMMY
FOX.
'VENTURER
Wisc^BAiifr
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Fox Family's Thanksgiving.
It was a cold, bleak morning—the
morning of Thanksgiving day. And
j for the Fox family it was a sad morn
ing too. They had no turkey. Jlr.
Fox had waited too long. When he
tried to got a turkey there was none
, to be had. He had spent most of the
night in one last desperate search.
And now he sat with his wife and his
son, moaning and groaning. Young
I
civile
S6
TheyVo had. their Thanksgiving
dmneri'Mr. Fox gasped.
Tommy Fox whimpered a bit now and
then. But Mrs. Fox's spirits seemed
remarkably good.
"Don’t worry!" she told her son.
‘‘We'll have a good dinner. I broke
into Farmer Green’s vegetable cellar
last night."
"Hurrah!” cried Mr. Fox. "You
found a turkey there.”
“Oh,no! But I found plenty of
vegetables," Mrs. Fox explained.
"Vegetables!” Mr. Fox exclaimed
with a curl of his lip. "Vegetables!”
“I want some turkey, ma!” Tommy
wailed.
“You poor child! I'm afraid you'll
have to wait until next Thanksgiving
day,” ills mother told him. "We’ll
have a turkey then. I shall never
again leave such an important matter
to anybody else. I shall do the mar- |
keling myself."
Mr. Fox stirred uneasily.
"Now, Marla!” he whined. “Just I
because I had bad luck once in my
life you don't need to talk like that.
I've always found a way out of every
difficulty, I've no doubt that before
Thanksgiving day is over we shall
have some turkey, somehow."
“Have you any plans?" asked Mrs.
Fox in a cold voice.
"Not at this moment!” her husband
replied. “But I'm thinking hard."
Mrs. Fox rose to her feet and started
to turn away.
"Where are you going?" Mr. Fox
inquired.
"I'm going to prepare the vege
tables for dinner.”
"Don’t!" said Mr. Fox. "Wait a
second! I have an idea."
"What is it?" his wife asked him.
"We ll all go a-vlslting!’
Mrs. Fox shook her head.
"I shouldn't like to do that." stie
objected. "For a family of three to
drop in for dinner without being in
vited-"
"Don’t worry about that!" Mr. Fox
interrupted. "We'll each go to a dif
ferent place. Le trne see! You can go
to your Uncle John’s house over the
hill. Tommy ran go to his Great
uncle Joseph's. I'll go somewhere
else. It doesn't matter where I go,
anyhow. I’ll find something to eat,
somewhere!”
Now, Mr. Fox intended to get a
share of ' two turkeys. His wife had
told him the day before that her cou
sin, Frederica Fox, had showed her
a fine bird lhat she was saving for
the holiday. And there was Mrs. Fox's
Aunt Fanny. She had a beautiful tur
key too. Mr. Fox meant to visit both
of these relations of his wife's. As
for Uncle John and Undo Joseph,
they had big families. Mr. Fox thought
that the servings of turkey would be
small at their houses.
Mrs. Fox said at last that her bus
band's plan scented to be about the
best one they could follow. And as
soon as they had ail had a short
nap she and Tommy set cut a-vis
lting.
Mr. Fox smiled slyly as he watched
them start up the hill. And then, hav
ing been out all night, ho thought
he’d take another nap before be went
to get his dinner at his wife's rela
tions.
Mr. Fox must have been very tired.
He slept all day long. When he did
at last wake up he stretched himself,
put on his best clothes, and went out
of doors.
"My goodness!" he exclaimed. “It's
dark! It's later than I supposed.”
And he hurried away to Aunt Fanny
Fox' house.
He found no one at home. Indeed
he found nothing at all in the home
except some turkey bones, all licked
clean.
"They’ve had their Thanksgiving ,
Sr a ^
f) Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year
Is Our Sincere Wish
Omaha Stock £?Bond
Company
Peters Trust Building
Omaha, Neb.
i
dinnor!" 51 r. Fox gasped. And then he
rushed off to visit his wife's cousin,
Frederica Fox.
Ife heard merry sounds as he drew
near his wife's cousin’s home.
"I'm just in time,’ ’ho murmured
with a sigh of relief.
But he wasn’t. There wasn’t a bit
of turkey—nor anything else left.
Mr. Fox declined an invitation to
stay and have a good time. He went
homo and ate some cold vegetables.
And he was very gloomy when Mrs.
Fox and Tommy returned.
“We had plenty of turkey—both of
us," Mrs. Fox told him. “Uncle John
had six turkeys for his family. Uncle
Joseph had seven.”
Mr. Fox grunted.
“Small ones—no doubt!” he said.
"And scrawny and tough!"
“No! They were fine," said 5Irs.
Fox. "And what luck did you have?
T hope you didn't overeat. Tou seem
to he in low spirits. Have you a
pain?”
“Yes—a terrible one!” Mr. Fox
answered with a groan. “But it’s not
from overeating."
(Copyright, 1932 >
After five months' study the na
tional advisory committee on aero
nautics has approved the design of
the navy dirigible air ship ZR-2,
which is being built at Lakehurat,
N. J.,
My Marriage Problems
Adole Garrison's New Phase of "Revelations of a W ife."
What Troubled Madge as Slie
Watched Claire and liiiKj.
Long before wc had,, finished Mrs.
Barker's delicious supper I had satis
fied myself upon two points of the
problem which the escapade of Dicky
and Claire Foster had presented to
tne. Claire Foster was not in love
with my husband, and there had been
no lender passages between them.
I was sure, also, that the girl, head
strong, self centered, careless of other
people's rights as she was, yet had not
deliberately attracted Dicky's attention
as had Bess Dean, for instance. Dicky
had taken the initiative, had sought
her company, and had urged the ikir
excursion upon her. I would have
staked a great deal upon the truth
of tny convictions.
But there was another question that
was vital to me. which puzzled me
greatly, and set my pulses throbbing
with an emotion holding botii fear and
anger in It.
What was Dicky's feeling for Claire
Foster?
Whether because of my own van
ity or from my years of experience
with my Peter Pan, it had not oc
i-uned to me to doubt my husband s
essential loyalty of spirit. 1 hud been
bitterly angry with him for subjecting
me to such a performance as this
which T had just been compelled to
experience, but I bad felt no fear of
losing his love such as had come to
me twice before, once In the first year
of our marrige when Grace Draper
had caused me so much mental an
guish by Dicky's apparent Infatuation
for her. and later when I had felt that
Kdlth Fairfax's deep and apparently
hopeless love for him was at last meet
ing a response.
Kilt there was something in t lie way
Dicky's eyes kept going back to the
girl's face, as though the act were
something outside bis volition, which
troubled me. I knew that her type of
beauty was one that he greatly ad
mired—eve had Ixith remarked her Vc
senmblanee to Grace Draper, and as
long as life is left to me I shall re
member that once he called Grace
Draper's beauty "practically fault
less."
Of course I knew that never more
would Grace Draper have power to ;
stir his pulses with anything save
aversion and horror—her attempt to
spirit away our boy had settled (hat.
tut here was a girl of the same type,
the type he admired so much, and
who possessed tn addition youth—
glorious youth—and qualities of heart
and brain which Grace 1'iapcr never
had known. Had association with hot
led him—?
"I Shall Slay With Miss Fueler."
I cut myself short right there, and
forced myself to slop watching my
husband, c\en in the unobtrusive
manner in which I had veiled my
surveillance. Either he eared for her
or he didn't, l said to myself with a
frantic attempt to set my common
sense in the saddle. If he did, I must
face the music, if he did not, there
was no reason for me to he perturbed.
Glad, indeed, was I to see Miss
Cargill appear at the dining room
door. Action of any kind was a re
lief from the torturing thoughts which
possessed me.
“Is this the audience we're to stand
on our hind legs for?” Dicky de
manded in a whisper as lie caught
sight of her. 1 had explained to him
that Miss Cargill would came to us
for a minute or two by agreement
with me.
I nodded assent, and despite my
anger at hint and the secret tremors
which itis glances at Claire Foster had
given me, the laugh I gave at his ex
iggorated posture of preparation for
an interview was no pretended one.
lie sprang to U's feel to, Mis*
Cargill reaehed our tslde. murmured
a courtly acknowledgment to the In
troditciion. and seated her at it chair
I next himself with great impressment,
"llow about that. Madge?" lie de
manded id’ me with mischief written
all over It is face. "Hid 1 do that
light according to the chapter on
introductions In that etiquette Isiok
we have at home? And what do 1
do next, offer the lady some cold
chicken or bruit her with a cup? ^ on
sec. Miss Cargill " ho turned to her
smiling, "the hook, comprehensive
as it is, gives tue absolutely no hint
ns to what is expected of one when
interviewed."
"1 m not going to stay long .ugh
to make it worth your while to re
member," Miss Cargill said brightly.
And I need not m Is w hether or not
Miss .Foster has recovered." She
smiled at the girl. "Hut may 1 ask
when you Mive here?"
"Tomorrow.' I struck in promptly:
“1 shall st.-u here with Miss Foster
tonight, and tomorrow we shall Join
Mr. <!i alia in m Faldwln In time for
the first train to New York.”
1 was watching Dicky furtively ns
I spoke, for I had not yet told him
of this plan, and was viciously *jlad
of the piqued astonishment whlclfi for
an Instant flashed Into his eyes.
Tuesday
Dec. 26, we
begin our
The sale
you have been
Waiting tor
Annual alf- Price Apparel Sale
Not in years have you had such a fine opportunity, our racks and tills are overflowing with
wonderful merchandise, with styles that have been hand-picked by an expert. Truly an
unusual showing, for nowhere will you find such vast stocks, nor prices to compare, when
quality and craftsmanship are taken into consideration.
All of Our Finest as well as Popular Price
Coats, S *ts, Furs, Dresses
Coats Half-Price
$25.00 Coats $12.50 i
29.50 Coats 14.75 m
39.50 Coats 19.75 ■
49.50 Coats 24.75 1
59.50 Coats 29.75 1
69.50 Coats 34.75 '
79.50 Coats 39.75
89.50 Coats 44.75 ,
Coats Half-Price
$ 95.00 Coats $47.50
115.00 Coats 57.50
125.00 Coats 62.50
150.00 Coats 75.00
175.00 Coats 87.50
195.00 Coats 97.50
225.00 Coats 112.50
245.00 Coats 122.50
Our Entire Stock of Fine Dresses Half-Price
$15.00 Dresses $ 7.50
19.50 Dresses 9.75
25.00 Dresses 12.50
29.50 Dresses 14.75
$35.00 Dresses $17.50
39.50 Dresses 19.75
45.00 Dresses 22.50
49.50 Dresses 24.75
$59.50 Dresses $29.75
69.50 Dresses 34.75
79.50 Dresses 39.75
89.50 Dresses 44.75
Suits Half-Price
$25.00 Suits $12.50
35.00 Suits 17.50
45.00 Suits 22.50
59.50 Suits 29.75
69.50 Suits 34.75
Other Coats, Suits
Furs and Dresses
at Prices in Between
Prices Listed
All Small Furs
at Half-Price
and Even Less
Fur Coats One-Halt
$110.00 French Seal $ 55.00
155.00 Marmot 77.50
165.00 Muskrat 82.50
325.00 Hudson Seal 162.50
750.00 Beaver 375.00
Blouses, Skirts, Sweaters and Silk Underwear
Cut as Low as Halt and Less in Many Cases
This Will Be Omaha’s Greatest Money Saving Sale