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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 8, 1929)
THE COPPER HOUSE A Detective Story i BY JULIUS REGIS AUTHOR OF "NO 13 TORON!" 4m jph remember Mrs. Uregray at baa Angeles 1 Do im ?■ '-madnr how often she «ned i*ae conversation latter ly m the Capper House, what jptercsj she showed in it, how .ft* (irrw yaa on to give her wash unrig descriptions of tt ibn: t«b began to feel quite tojnrfsidkt And how, by de f»*, *he inspired you with 8* idea a# a voyage home, •ithjKt further delay. Don’t pwa rv-r, ranker all thatf” jntm awmlion it—yes, I bkirre 5t neatly was that pret ty 5Jra. Gregory who put the into aiy head.” "Tua one; dhring my travels, §. made f«e«ds in all sorts of ^■irw. Thera were you in LOfl Aspries; I aaaaaeked my inem ary ha! Mrs. Gregory l — 1»phei, an intelligent lady, a srgal&r dgwlimit I sent her an clahnrate telegram. Can yon forgive mtel” dear Mr. Wallion,” re lied Lea at once; “1 am flat treed. delighted* We must be friends mv, and don’t, what ever happen*, spirit me hack ta California, before you have VKpismed haw I have become Mir object at such unbounded C._a_99 WmCMHL "la your capacity as owner mi tt« Capper House.” "J barest been a great suc tmi so far, in that line,” re azarked I«ea. "When I tell gnu that I hare been as good as turoei oat of it” He brake off his sentence in wathcT guilty confusion, at an *mc r;**vt edty piercing look from Ike other. "Tlave you been there al ready, m apite of my warn h«r The yauog man nodded. "And the immediate result is ■frig Toptomal visit?” contin ued TVaHiaai "So you have lieeB there? I was wondering «H the time what could have IffipjM’nwf to agitato you so ■turdi; I might have realized ■bat yen are one of those folks who never take advice Writ, never mind, 1 am rather wind* at U> take it myself, wit heir} knowing the reason Sot H. What did you see, to mere rrm m desperately ?” At this question, a sort of jeaut: lemur overwhelmed Boe. 'lie saw «»ce more the fugitive agumbfing into the hall; he heard the shot ring out. He fsltirred: "I believe that a man san been killed -shot—at the ^Popper Home; they didn’t want me to see....” WaHion bent down and Itanfeed mto the young man’s eym, as a doctor would ex jutr/itr his patient. "Tell me all about it,” said He. Geo thereupon poured out a ■way disjointed story, which ?be journalist heard in silence. TBito are sure that the girl t»fM out ‘Sergius’?” " is sure as I am that Itas Thlsrr rafted the fugitive Ber nard denin.” "And you think that .Tenin zrtinmlj came into the house, iert did not leave it again?” “So, far it was impossible 3w him to get away.” •** i-idf you say that he dis-< *P«pe«rrd altogether after that *bn< V«d been fired?” "Ye*, as though he had been w«rfardaneoualy annihilated.” Wallion looked puzzled, and dfcrtw himself bark in his chair vr&fr a gesture of vexation. "T&mga don't tally! Talk alf magic? I am brought up v?iwrt whichever wav I turn in affair. Why should Bona haiWTM shoot Bernard Jen jaf—they ought.... ” Me scratched his head medi -JW&refy, and got up from his meet. "I know where I am TVTib Rastakov, he is quite def mm my black list. But Jjwna Ivanovna? and the girl mrfon malted out ‘Sergius’?” rVurntly Leo ventured to 10 ask a question which had been on the tip of his tongue for a long time. “I think it’s ray turn now to ask you for some light on these difficulties,” said he; “you were joking, weren’t you, when you said you needed my help?” Wallion turned round and answered: “I suppose you know the Copper House like the palm of your hand?” “ Who should, if not I?” “Exactly, you know the house, and you have the right to do so. ])o you understand why these people want to buy the property? Simply to de prive you of that right. No one but yourself is in a position to know what is going on at the Copper House; and some underhand work is on foot there, which is bound to come to a head sooner or later. But I won’t tantalize you with rid dles, I will speak out.” He sat down again, and con tinued : “It is a good tiling you didn’t run off to the police; that will come later, but not yet. I presume you did not meet Marcus TasslerT” “No,” replied Leo. “That’s just as well; it leaves us free to see the situa tion clearly.” “Excuse me,” interrupted Leo, “I don’t see anything clearly, as yet!” “I am going to tell you a story,” said Walfion. “Five months ago, I was sent for early one morning to see a dy ing man. I asked Vis name, and, to my surprise, I was giv en the name of a person who, several years previously, had been a friend of mine, and who had had the reputation of be ing a very promising journal ist. Hut in consequence of an extremely unfortunate and ri diculous love-affair, he went all to pieces, and finally disap peared of his own accord, from our circle. “I hastened to him. and found a poor, battered, neg lected creature, lying, watch in hand, and speculating with a sort of childish curiosity, as to who would reach him first— myself or Death. They had told me beforehand that the unfortunate wretch had come home tipsy the night before, and had fallen out of a pas sage window on the fifth story, down to the stone pavement bejow. Everyone in the build ing had been aroused by the cry he uttered as he fell. “I won’t mention his name, for obvious reasons. “When I came into the pov erty stricken bedroom, he raised his head from the pillow, and said very slowly and soft ly- ‘I was afraid they wouldn’t let you eome!’ “I fancied he was do irious, and he looked as though he could barely have another min ute to live. “ ‘Who do you meant’ I asked him. “ ‘The men who killed me,’ was his reply. “I hardly know what T said, for it was a dreadful shock to see the man whom I remem bered full of life and health, lying an utter wreck before me. His back was broken. The change in him was so over whelming that be could not but notice my consternation. “ ‘Yes, it is L’ he said, ‘but in a minute or two 1 shall not be here any longer... .quick, quick, bend down—no, do not touch my hand!’ and he turned away his head, as though in shame. “ ‘Send away the doctor,’ he murmured. I asked the doctor if he would remain outside the room until I called him, andt stooped down over the dying* man. His eyes glittered with fever, in his haggard, unshorn face. ‘Do you know why I am JtfflJJERAND WARNS THAT HEW MENACE THREATENS PEACE MS.XMC Om. FRANCE SmaG xgv job dead? And tell the exclaimed Alexander president of dSsiased a warning of •W witfc Germany. He gave Jd mm aMnxt at the dedication MT a to the war dead of j! mim a village near here. Fzsbbu to me at those villages of old men, children and women, where nearly all the young men were killed in the war. "How the voice of Foch would have denounced the new pretensions of Germany,” said M. Millerand. "In spite of his protests we have seen all guaranties of peace swept away. The Rhineland has not be come the independent buffer state needed between the two countries. And now the responsible voices of Germany have begun to preach cpenly the abrogation of those treaties which were to have kept oeace for France. “How we could wish for a dur dying?’ said he. ‘It’s because I have seen too har into the depths of the Whirlpool.... you are blind—all of you blind! Can you see nothing?’ “He brought out these words with such an effort that it made him gasp for breath, and I gave him some water. “ ‘Mark my words,’ he be gan again in brief sentences and with repeated pauses. ‘I have thrown away my own life . . they bought me to do their work, but I won’t....it is the beginning of chaos. .. .first in Russia... .then it will spread everywhere... .the man who dominates the Whirlpool is called Gabriel Ortiz; I found that out. yestprday, and last night they killed me....for I am as good as dead already.' “His failing energy beat out every word like the sparks from an anvil, and I listened Mh'athles.sly, for I realized that he was husbanding the last remnants of strength 'to make some amazing revelation. “ ‘Gabriel Ortiz... .remem ber that name....his right hand is Baron Fayerling.... but there are many others.... their plan....it’s appalling... the wild beast shall possess the earth!....' “He groped for my hand, as though by clinging to me he could retain his hold on life a little longer. His anguish was fearful to see. “ “]'• war is nothing to what will happen, if Ortiz is not crushed....but be careful ....they kill;’... .his voice grew fainter, and he lapsed into unconsciousness. I called in the doctor, but after a few minutes, he died. “The dim room still seemed to echo with the sound of his voice. What was it he wanted to tell me?” “Wallion lighted a cigaret, end Boo could see that he was deeply moved. “You see for yourself what a fantastic confession it ap peared. And yet it never oc curred to me to doubt the dead man’s information, though I could find nothing to confirm it amongst his papers. But I made discreet inquiries of his neighbors, and when I w<y<t away, I was convinced that he] had really been mn.-dervl by two men, who had lain in wait for him on the staircase, and pushed him through the win dow. I felt sure he had been in his right mind, but that he had been unable to complete a communication which would have been of Incalculable im portance." “Could yen find no clue to it?" “No, but I took it for grant ed that he was the author of an article, headed: “Who Is the Man in the Whirlpool?” which had appeared a few weeks previously in a little popular weekly paper. I t I proved impossible to verify it, because, for some unknown reason, the newspaper came to an end shortly after, and its contributors were all dis persed. In this remarkable ar ticle, attention was called to the fact that, during the war, Stockholm had become a cen ter of activity for adventurers of a type hitherto unknown to civilization, and it was assert ed that amongst them was a man who, as it were behind the back of the war. was organiz ing these mysterious forces, no one could say how or why. “At all events, the writer of the article and the dying man took the same view, that something was brewing and 1 had suspected as much al ready ; things were going on in Stockholm which aroused my notice, there was a sort of sub terranean movement which puzzled me. The image of a whirlpool was extraordinarily apt, and T could not doubt that the poor fellow T had just seen die, had been sucked into the vortex by sheer want, or by the temptation of easily earned money. Many weak and un fortunate eharaeters have gone that way in these times! But what he caught sight of in the Whirlpool had evidently alarmed him, and he had made an effort to save his soul able peace with Germany! But how can we close our eyes to the evi dence? “You who died for Prance, let us hear your voices. Unite them with the voice of the great chief who led you to victory." Prize Leghorn Hen Lays Infertile Eggs FLINT. MICH.- -Maid of Flint, a prize White Leghorn hen in the flock of the Kilboum poultry farm, has given poultry scientists a new problem to solve. She produced 343 eggs in 365 days alive. Had I only arrived oil the scene a few minutes earlier^ I might have learned every thing. At any rate, he had not summoned me in vain; I knew ' ( now that the master villain was called Gabriel Ortiz. “But when I tried to obtain particulars as to this Gabriel Ortiz, I immediately met with the most extraordinary diffi culties, which were in them selves a proof that he existed, but that he had safeguarded himself with the most intricate precautions. I had only just started my investigations in earnest, when the Russian rev olution broke out in March. At once I became aware, here in Stockholm, that under my very eyes, the sinister development was gaining strength. The Whirlpool was beginning to seethe. My attention had been directed towards Baron Fayer ling, but I had not succeeded in discovering anything mys terious about him. He stays at one of the best hotels, goes ev erywhere, and lives officially on the rents of his Rumanian property. But as Rumanian property is just now a very uncertain source of income, Baron Fayerling also does busi ness of the most up-to-date , kind, and has associated him self for this purpose with Mar cus Tassler, the manager of the Finno-Russian Import and Ex port company, a thorough-go ing profiteer, and even outside business matters a regular shark. “Meanwhile, the odd thing about Tassler is the interest he takes in the Copper House Mark this: we have at the Cop per House three perfectly in conspicuous persons, who seem to prefer living in the most complete retirement; they are Andrei Bernin, his sister and his daughter. As long as ] have had my eye on them, they have never left the Copper House, and have not evinced any particular friendship for Tassler or the baron, who often stay there as self-invited guests. He has installed there a staff of attendants whom he commands | with almost military zeal. The 8 gatekeeper is called Tugan; no one knows his nationality, but the is a regular watchdog, and only too glad to get food, drink and fighting, provided gratis. He, of course, lives at the lodge. “Then we have the garden er, whom you have probably not seen yet; his name is Ros enthal, a taciturn, meditative sort of fellow, with something refined about him which dis tinguishes him slightly from the rest. He has two under lings, and these three live in the gardener’s cottage behind the big house. “Next we have the cow house and the stable, which now contain only three cows and two horses—but four cow herds and two grooms are kept to look after them—what do you make of that? “Wait! The list is not com plete yet. There are the six men whom Sonia Bernin calls the forest-guards, and they really do keep watch in the wood, as you can testify from personal experience! “And finally two individuals are installed at the little cot tage beside the pier that runs out into the bay; they fish, and sail in and out of the farther islands, but what they catch, neither you nor I can say! “So there we have a retinue of 18 men—but not a trace of either men or women servants in the Copper House itself. Not counting the three Bernins. who are Russians, every one of the others on the place is a for eigner, although 10 or 11 of them can speak Swedish, and six have been naturalized as Swedish citizens.” “And you said you didn’t know the Copper House!” ex claimed Leo; “why, you know it better than I do!” “Anybody can find out that sort of thing,” replied Wallion “There is no secret about it. But the burning question is: What is really going on at the Copper House?” (TO B>. CONTINUED) in the egg-laying contest at Georgia agricultural college, last year bui few of her eggs will hatch—only 11 out of 100 this year. Most of her eggs have been it fertile despite the frequent changing of roosters. No fertile eggs were pro duced from several matings. Dr. E. G. Kilbourn, her owner, has enlisted the aid of Michigan state college specialists in an effort to determine whether Maid of Flint requires a different ration than oth er l ens on account of her high egg production or whether certain physi cal conditions are responsible for the , infertility. TOY TUNNEL HELPS UNDERGROUND CITY NEW YORK—Bush Termi nal in Brooklyn, sometimes known as New York's “City Within a City," is adding a toy vehicular tunnel to its already extensive underground system. Tractors, a little larger than toy automobiles, will pull 4x6 foot trailers through this tun nel, which will extend from one end of the Terminal to the other, connecting the various enterprises within it. Some 35,000 persons live here and all are engaged in various trades, the tunnes is expected to col lect goods from different build ings so that can be shipped out quickly in full carload lots. “Suppose there ahe 17 man ufacturers in the different buildings connected by the tunnel,” says W. L. Sturges, mechanical superintendent of the Terminal. “If they all have < small shipments for Philadel- < phia they can be brought to- < gether to make up one car- < load lot.” i i r r T ▼ T- -r -r 'r'T'T'TT'T''T'Y^T'TT’ -+-+ Newspapers and Professors. From Columbus Dispatch. We hesitate to poke fun at the small army of college professors who offered their suggestions on how to run a newspaper in reply to a ques tionnaire submitted to them by an association of midwestern dailies. The reason for the hesitancy is the realization that, were the situation ! reversed, our suggestions as to how to run a collge probably would be as wobbly in logic as were those of the professors in regard to the fourth estate. It is evident that, were some of these professors catapulted into the editor's chair, they would proceed at once to turn out a newspaper de signed for their own particular class. Editorials would be printed on the front page; crime news would be de ’oid on sensational aspects; head lines would be diminished; news stories would be shorter and “hot” news would be sacrificed for care fully prepared articles of education al value. The result would be a newspaper of particular interest to the scholar. But what of the butcher, baker, banker, merchant, clerk, policeman and the scores of others who make up the bulk of a newspaper’s read ers? It is scarcely likely they would be satisfied with the professors’ newspapers. They want the news as and how it happens. If it is a 1 sensational occurrence, they want 1,0 be thrilled. Moreover, they want is many details as the reporters can dig up for them. As for the varied cize of headlines, this is a device to indicate relative importance of the stories and is a distinct aid to the reader. Many newspapers print iditorials on page one. Most news papers have a goodly share of ma terial that is scholarly in character *nd of distinct educational value. However, the point always before a careful editor is the wide diversity of fasten among his readers. There fore, it behooves him to produce a paper of such wide scope that all will be reasonably pleased. He can not unduly consider any particular taste, as would the critical profes sors. Considering the enormity of this task, most impartial critics will concede that the American news- j paper succeeds remarkably well. Does Pickett Want War? From Cedar Rapids Gazette. A few applicants for citizenship recently have stipulated that if they took the oath of citizenship they would do so only with the reserva tion that the call to arms must be in a just cause. They have met with considerable criticism because of this attitude. Perhaps their policy of citizenship will be given more fa vorable consideration since the re cent announcement of Deets Pickett, research secretary of the Methodist board of prohibition, temperance and public morals, that war with Canada is likely to ensue unless that country co-operates more effectively with tne United States in prevent ing smuggling. Mr. Pickett gives Canada the choice cf two courses. She must either refuse clearances to all ves sels which intend to transport liquor to the United States, or suffer the consequences of an intensive anti smuggling campaign in which Can adians are liable to be shot. If the second alternative is chosen Mr. Pickett fears the Canadians may be come resentful enough to start a war. If Mr. Pickett has “the low down,” it looks as though war clouds were looming. The Canadians are not liaely to refuse clearances to rum runners. Liquor is not illegal in Can ada. If the Canadian government snould decline to issue clearances she would be placed in the position oi enforcing the prohibition laws of the United States. Glimpses of con ditions over the border probably have convinced Canadian officials that enforcing prohibition is neith er inexpensive nor pleasant. So she will have none of it. The only alternative, as Mr. Pick ett sets forth, is war. Hostilities would be in the nature of a holy war, of course, and he expects star ry-eyed crusaders to flock to the dry standard. With Canada subjugated it would be possible to extend the dry regime across the border. Mr. Pickett probably regards the pros pect with the joyous eagerness with which the Mohammedans regarded the rich provinces of Castile across the straits of Gibraltar. But the will to a dry war is not so widespread as he supposses. It is one's guess that a draft will be necessary. Meanwhile those persons applying for citizenship who stipulate that they shall choose the cause in which they do battle are not so dumb. - —■---■— Q. When were cabinet photo graphs first made? E. R. S. A. Cabinet portraits were intro duced by F. R. Windon. a photog rapher of Baker street, London, in 1867. Making It a Team. Prom the Pathfinder. The new minister drove up to a country home in a two-horse buggy. Little Sammy Funkhou3er met him and asked: “Is them your horses?” “Yes, sonny,” replied the mini ster. “Why do you ask?” “My ma said you was only a one horse preacher,’1 explained Sammy. ’At’s Sure as Shootin’. Prom the Cincinnati Enquirer. Blinks—What makes you so sure he won’t live long? He certainly looks healthy enough to live 100 years. Jinks—He’s healthy, but his work isn’t. He’s a racketeer. t-j-ll.. -■— , , rr- ■ - j A DOZEN different things may f*- cause a headache, but there’s just one thing you need ever do to get relief. Bayer Aspirin is an absolute antidote for such pain. Keep it at the office. Have it handy in the home. Those subject to fre quent or sudden headaches should carry Bayer Aspirin in the pocket tin. Until you have used it for head aches, colds, neuralgia, etc., you’ve no idea how Bayer Aspirin can help. It means quick, complete relief to millions of men and women who use it every year. And it does not depress the heart. ^Aspirin Aspirin ia the trade mark of Bayer Mamifactuit of Monoaceticacidester of Salicylicactd Kill All Flies! "KT Placed anywhere, DAISY ILY KILLER attract* and kill* all dies. Neat, clean, ornamental, convenient and i «an*t spill or tip over; Wl1* no* so'l w unylhinar. Guaranteed InaUt upon v DAISY FLY KILLEB from your dealer. HAROLD SOMERS, Brooklyn N. Y Electricity Great Aid to Market Gardeners Electrical gardening has proved to >e u practical and economically profit* »l)le occupation in Sweden. Although :he recent winter was one of the Hardest In history, sujHi garden prod* acts as “home-grown raspberries,” cu cumbers and the most delicate of gar ien flowers have been available at all 'lines. In the gardens near llamling jy. a small town north of Stockholm, 10,000 tulips, 1 ,.">00 lilies-of-the-valle.v, md l,r>0() hyacinths were raised dur ng January, all in groumPelectrically neated and under the artiflcinl liglit )f electric lamps. The operating ex pense of i lie electrical system was found to lie negligible. The most dif ficult phase of the work Is found in supplying various types of plants with the particular variety of light which they require, the lamps suitable for roses, for example, being unsuited to the development of carnations. There ire 300 so-called “electro-horticultural” stations in Sweden, all of which are carrying on experiments in the arti ficial production of flowers and vege. tables. Da Vinci’s Learning Leonardo da Vinci drew a map of the globe, said to be the first Co Include America, and also showing an imag inary Antarctic continent. liven before Columbus sailed 'from Spain Leonardo not oply maintained that the earth was round, but calculated its diameter to lie more than 7.000 miles. The ac tual diameter, as now accepted, is roughly 7,000 miles. Is the Girl to Blame? She—Jim Jones is certainly cracked. He—Probably, his girl dropped him, •—Border Cities Star. Mahesllfe Sweeter Too much to eat—too rich a diet— or too much smoking. Lots of tilings cause sour stomach, but one tiling can correct it quickly. Phillips Milk of Magnesia will alkaltnize the add. Take a spoonful of this pleasant preparation, and the system Is soon sweetened. Phillips Is always ready to relievo distress from over-eating; to check all acidity; or neutralize nicotine. Ite member this for your own comfort; for the sake of those around you. Endorsed by physicians, but thoy al ways say Phillips. Don't buy some thing else and expect the same r» suits! Phillips I , Milk . of Mci^ncsiii i *