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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1929)
/I Detective Stor ey JULIUS Rrci3 AUTHOR or "NO 13 TORfiNI" “Look here, you must keep those nerves of yours in better order! Yes, \ know, neither of us had a wink of sleep last night, but you will feel an other man when you have had a splash in cold water, and changed your things; do it now!” “] left my luggage at Stock holm ” murmured Leo, with out moving. “But it doesn’t matter....” “Well then, take a nip out of my pocket-pistol,” said his friend, perseveringly. “There, you see, you're better al ready.'’ And, in fact, Leo sat up, af ter a mouthful from Wallion'x silver flask. “What’s the p?od»” asked the young man slowly. “Now we are here, after so much trouble, it seems to me we ean’t do anything. If we stop where we are, we shall he no better than prisoners, and who knows what may happen when they discover that you are here. We have voluntarily deprived ourselves of liberty ft “No,” replied the journal ist decidedly; “we have gained it. Full, unlimited lib erty In be in the very place where they least want us. They will do all in their power to Ret ns out of it. T say ‘us’ be cause they will not remain long in ignorance of my pres ence here, although several things will probably happen first.” “No doubt about that. There will be plenty of movement— but. ns for libertv- that’s quite another matter!” “Don’t misunderstand me,” said the Problem-hunter, with a steely glint in his eve. “In Stockholm I was obliged to keep a constant lookout, to try and discover my opponents; here, I eon see enemies freely on every side of me, and may expect a fresh one at any min ute. The situation is perfect ly simple we have only to be prepared!” “Are you armed?” “Of course! I have a perfect arsenal, what with a pair of ryes, two ears, a tongue, and my brains. Don’t you think that’s enought Well, here’s a revolver into the bargain. That will do for Rnstakov.” “Or for Imna Ivanovna, who shot. Bernard Jenin!” ex claimed Loo impetuously. “You may joke, but T....” The journalist came ami sat down beside h;m “Why, now you are angry,” be said calmly; “that’s good, it shows you’re in working tr der again-” Nobody eould resist Maurice Wallion when he chose, began to smile. ieo A soft breeze from the wooded bills around them blew in upon them, cooling and re freshing; a blue butterfly was fluttering in the folds of the while window curtains. “How can 1 be angry!” Raid l.eo. “Hut you are so— different from other people Here we have just smuggled ourselves into a house which is full of mysteries, and proba bly of powerful enemies as well, and you sit down and deal in paradoxes. You are jilav'ng with danger!’’ “My dear fellow,’' replied the journalist, “when one has ffnt to the point of playing with danger, it means that one first learned to estimate it correctly. A hunter does rot judge of the strength of a lion merely hv shooting it. He tracks if to its lair, ‘plays' it, nr. to sneak—and in that way form* a true e i:mat' of its in dividual powers.” “Stop, stop!” entreated Leo, holding up his hands in •nock surrender. “You will tie making me sav nex«\ that Rastakov is my dearest friend!” “And you couldn’t do u wiser tiling/5 retorted the journalist imperturbably. “The wind would be quite taken out of his sails, and hB would become wax in your hands. ” He bent forward, and add ed impressively: “What you must do—and now i am speaking quite seri ously- is to be a really staunch friend In Lena Ivanovna and Sonia Bernm.” “What about Andrei Rer* nin T” “1 intend to befriend him myself, for a reason that will probably surprise von both. But now it is time for you to go downstairs.” • • * A quarter of an hour later, Leonard (Jrath came down into the ball. Sure enough, there by the glass door sat a man, his gun propped against the wall, within easy reaeli: lie got up as soon as he saw Loo, and stood at attention. The young man went past him into the dining room, where he eould hear low voiees. The breakfast table was laid near the windows, and with some surprise, he realized that they were waiting for him. Sonia Hernia was .standing by the window, and when she turned and saw him, she grouted him with a friendly smirv- Lena Ivanovna, who had been talking in a low and impressive tone, also turned round. Leo bowed. As a self invited guest, he found the situation a little awkward, but his hostess said frankly: “(lood morning, Mr. (Jrath. I am afraid we left you very unceremoniously y e s t e r day evening, but 1 trust you will remember that a place will al ways be laid for you as long as you give us the pleasure of your company.” *‘lt is most kind of you,” mumbled Leo. lie noticed for the first time that the old blind author also was in the room. Andrei Bernin was sit ting in an armchair, stiff and upright, in a listening attitude, near a window on the left, with the curtains drawn. in his dim corner at the end of the room, lie looked like some grotesque and inanimate mask, with his white beard, blue spectacles, and black velvet skull cap; a pathetic and im movable figure, laid aside and forgotten. As Lotia Ivanov na's masculine profile and vig orous form bent over the blind man, the contrast was so acute, that Leo could not help feeling touched by it. Andrei Ivanovitdi, said his sister, “this is Mr. Orath.” “I’m very glad to make your acquaintance, sir,’’ said Leo. The blind man bowed, and held out a thin, hut white and i well kept hand. “We are all glad that you have come,” said he, in a voice as low and gentle as a softly tinkling hell. “But why have you come alone?” After a pause, during which Sonia raised her head and looked at Leo, the blind man repeated his question, still more slowly and mechanically. “Whv have you come alone ?” TiOna Tvanovna also cast an inquirin'* glance at the young man. The blind man had clutched the arms of his chair, and was bending forward; lit tle wrinkles undulated over his worn face, and the blue specta cles gleamed like two steel mirrors. Leo, whose thoughts were centered on the joumai ist hidden in his bedroom, fe’t like a prisoner at the bar. “T am certainly alone,” h« sain siowiy, 'tiiou^n i didn't come alone.” “Ah, indeed,” said the blin i man, in a tone which [ suddenly resembled his sister's “Not alone’ And who ivi.s your eorap inion»” “He was a stranger in me.’’ explains d Leo. “Uornard Jenin was my traveling com panion in the train yester day.” The expression of (he fares around him changed suddenly, and became cold, -strange and secretive. It seemed almost as though the sunny atmosphere of the room was charged with electrieily. which sent a shock through him, and a new light dawned upon him. He per ceived that these three persons were unhappv, weighed down by an unknown catastrophe, nr by the apprehension of an imminent one. He had been cruel; Iip had reopened a wound. Thev were looking at him as though they saw in him an executioner, and Sonia's eves were misty with tears. The old roan’s voice broke the silence: “We mustn’t judge by ap pearances. Important conclu sions are often based on very slight grounds. Ami although 1 cannot see you,' 1 can feel what you are thinking. The question is. whether Bernard Jenin is still in the Copper House, or whether Lona Ivanovna killed him last night, at sunset.” Leo raised his hand involun tardy, and took a step back. The blind man, who sat with his white bead turned towards him, continued softly : “What, are you afraid of your own suspicions? At sun set, that’s a goodtime to die! Why do you let the matter trouble you so deeply* There are so many brave fellows, 100 times better than Bernard Jenin, who are lying dead in a hell of carnage, that it seems almost a luxury to die of noth ing worse than one little re volver shot.” “Mr. Bernini” burst out Leo violently, “I have not ex pressed any such suspicion!” “No, 1 have expressed it. To banish a groundless suspi cion it is often enough just to put it into words. Some thoughts won’t stand that proof. You said you saw Ber nard Jenin in the train, and you have guessed that a mys tery attaches to his arrival here. I»ut why need the mys tery be a criminal one? Why must you feel obliged to ex tort an explanation which would be willingly given to you, if it were possible?” Leo did not hesitate a mo ment. The frank words acted upon him like a fresh breeze, blowing away the cobwebs, and he exclaimed: ‘‘I will not insist upon any explanation. You do not know me: T cannot claim to bo yov.r friend, but at any rate, do not regard me as your enemy.” Lona Ivanovna bad crossed her lean arms upon her breast and she laughed grimly. Tr struck Leo how much alike Andrei Bernin and his sister were, in spite of their outward dissimilarity. The same (pilot and resigned manner, the same intellectual strength, charac terized them both. IT ■ could not understand how he had seen in the blind author noth ing more than a weak and sen ile invalid. ‘‘Well, well!” said the old lady, “I see that we are agreed. So let us have break fast.” The tension was eased, though a certain amount of constraint still remained. Only Leo and Sonia Bernin ex changed a few eommonnhme remarks every now and then. As soon as th w got up from the table, the elder lady took out her interminable crochet, as if it was the only tiling that mattered; then she leaned over the table, looked tbo young man straight in the face, and inquired: “When is Maurice Wall ion coming?” “T—I can’t say.” answered ] Leo, taken Dy surprise. *‘Why I do you ask hip?” “Because, if he has a mind to rescue Bernard Jenin a sec ond time, he lias my pennis sion to he quick about itt” Leo was tempted to tell the truth about the journalist’* hidinp place, but he contented | h i ms *1 f with answering: “lam convinced that he will come— hut lie will choose his own time.” Chapter IX. Unrest in Both Camps; an Outpost Skirmish and a Warning It was raining in Stock holm; heavy clouds were drift ing over the sky, and an occa- ! sionnl peal of thunder rolled over the wet, glistening roofs. At the office of the Finno-Rus sian Import and Export com pany. Marcus Tassler stood looking gloomily out at the rain. He was alone in the two showily furnished rooms, for he had sent out the typist who was his only assistant, if one excepts those who came and wont on business that had nothin'? to do with the pur chase and sale of tea and cof fee. He was alone with hi< thoughts, lienee his "loom. He was thinking principally of the baron—who had in spired him with a certain amount of dread that morning —and of the future, which he dreaded even more. He was aware that he was standing on dangerous ground, and he knew that his one hope of es cape was—in plain English— to cut and run! That is an un pleasant convietion for any one. and especially for a man whose most prominent charae teristieg are an Oriental love of pleasure and a barbaric thirst for gold. Marcus Tassler gulped down half a glass of old cognac, and lighted a dark cigar, with a band round it. He looked at that minute like some fat. pa gan high priest, engaged in mystic rites, and in forecasting gruesome omens from the sac rificial offerings. Baron Fa.verling came in without knocking- He greeted his partner with a diabolical smile, provoked partly by Tassler\s harassed expression, partly by his empty glass. H*1 appeared to be in a hurry, for he kept his hat on, and re mained standing, leaning on his cane. “Well!” said Tassler sharp ly. “You are late. Have you caught him?” “No,” replied the baron. “That duffer I;sent up to his flat last night came back in a panic, reporting that the jour nalist was at home, and had a visitor into the bargain—since then. Maurice Walloon has vanished as completely as Pharaoh in the Red Sea-” “Does nobody know who his visitor was?” “No.” “And when our men searched his room at the office did they find nothing?” “No. Nothing! Nichtsl Rien!” The baron uttered each sue ccssive negative with an ex plosive emphasis which made his companion wince. lie add cd : “His being away wouldn’t matter so much if I had not the written proof that the fel low is set on exterminating ns Can you imagine anythin? cooler than his treatment ol Rastakov and myself! Inform ing us frankly that he will fight us for the Tarrasehir document—for. of course, that is what he’s after.’i, “At any rate, he can’ get anything now out of R.22,” remarked Tassler. “Out of whom?” said the baron sharnlv. “What mn\ B.22 he? T’m not acquainted with the witness.” “Oh. come, baron, between ourselves! From the way in which he died, I can prettv well guess whom you sent...” The baron collared the fa4 man, and shook him till h° quivered like a jelly. (TO R* CONTINUED! Time Payment System In Plane Sales Sought l**rw YORK—(AP>— The prob lem of marketing the projected production of between 6.000 and 10.000 airplanes this year has •rought up the question of propet financing of purchases, which a chain per of commerce is seeing tc Solve. The committee is drawing up ■nifaim time payment legislation Just as the automotive industry found the time payment plan a ■rest stimulant to sales, th*> air plane Industry hopes to provide a Bound means of financing for in creasing sales on the deferred pay ment plan, financing them in va rious ways. i The action of the committee fol- j lows conferences in Washington be compames and William P. Mnc Cracken, assistant secretary of j commerce for aueror.autic3. regard ing the new airplane licensing sys tem soon to b? put into effect by | the department. Under the new licensing regula tions, finance companies would be recorded U3 owners of planes bought. ! on the time payment plan, but j would not be subject to any fines ; imposed by the department of com- j merce for violations of air traffic rules. A co-operative aar«ement is beln? I worked out with the department whereby the government would no tify finance companies cf applica tions for the relicensing of air planes on which li»ns evist. Planes must be re-licensed when they nr» sold by owners. This would enabi' finance companies to “ground” planes through repossession for vi olation of contract. Farm Relief Solution Placed With Schools ATLANTA — (AP) —Permanent effective farm relief can c. me on"' through the rural schools. Prof. Norman Frost, of N.mhv*n“ Tann declared before the convention here of the Education association. “Schools can prevent over pro duction,” he said, “by educating mo’.e pupils so that they can leave the farms if they wish. They can make country life more satisfactorj by increasing individual efficiencj and bringing a higher standard of living. “Intelligent. educated farmers, who understand economics, he pointed out, either can improve the present marketing of farm products or revise the system if it needs re vision ” boys Almost Bury Wounded Chum C, J After accidently shooting their 11 year old pal, Arthur Gentile, in the head, these two youths, Attillo Tassi. left, 9 years and Romulus Lucontini, 13 years, of Woburn, Mass., innocently dug a grave and were about to bury their victim, still alive, when a neighbor came upon the scene and snatched the dying boy from his grave. He was rushed to Choate Memorial Hos pital, but later died. Police were notified and the two boy» are held for manslaughter. (luleraatlonal Newsreel Report* Big Profit Let Men Govern The Maytag Company, ot New York ot which F. L. Maytag, above is chairman of the board reporta a net profit for the six months ended June 30 of $3,236,122, after charges and Federal taxes, a new earning.' record in the history of the :ompany. (InttruUMtl »•»«*•! Representative Pearl P. Old field of Arkansas, maybe be cause she is a member of Con gress, opines that the govern ment at Washington is best run by men. Mrs. Oldfield, who was elected to fill the un expired term of her late hus band, William P. Oldfield, an nounces that she will retire at the end of her term. (International Newsreel) Heir to Millions in Fatal Crash V Wreckage of the plane after a drop of 2,500 feet, in which Am brose Monell, 23 years, of New York and London, heir to $20,000,000 fortune, was riding. They were over North Green wich, Conn:, when the plane crashed to earth on the estate of John H. Sterling, causing the deaths of young Monell, a friend of his aud their pilot. ‘■•Umixul Mitunl