Nebraska Newspapers

    THE DESERT MOON
MYSTERY
BY KAY CLEAVER STRAHAN
CHAPTER LVI
A Whisper
I stayed in my room for
toalf an hour, thinking with
all my might t hat I was think
tng At the end of that time,
discovering that I had not
turned out one single rational
thought, I gave it up and went
to find John.
I forgot all about the men
who were guarding the ranch.
I went straight down to the
putf it’s quarters. I hadn’t been j
pn the back of a horse for
more than ten years. I got a
lazy puncher to stop doing
toothing long enough to saddle
pn old nag for me, and boost
me up on her, and off I went.
Jogging along through the
•lean, clear air, I at last be
Kn really to do some think
g. I came to my senses in
ponsequence. It was high time.
| turned the nag around and
rode back to the outfit’s quar
ters. I slid off of her, and left
her there, and went walking
to the house.
It was fortunate that i naa
Sven up my wild goose chase.
here on the porch sat John,
talking to Miss MacDonald.
When I got close enough to
Ihe a to see how he looked, I
felt as if my heart would break
for him. He looked, in spite
of his tan, like death.
When I had reached the
loot of the steps, both of
them, without saying an aye,
yes, nor no to me, got up and
Went Into the house.
My legs were shaking under
me. I had to go slowly up the
■tops. Neither Jofrm nor Miss
MacDonald was in the living
room when I got there. I went
on into the kitchen.
Miss MacDonald was putting
on her big apron. Zinnia was
clattering the silver in the
dining-room.
“John knows, doesn’t he?”
f questioned.
“Knows?”
“I think that I know what
you—"
“Don’ll” she shot out at me,
anti I wouldn't have Jumped
any higher If she had shot a
gun instead of a word.
“Don't,v she calmed down
and came over to me and
apoke in a whisper, “say any
thing'in here. Not anything.”
“I've got to,” I said. “I’m
human. You .listen to me.” I
whispered it, right Into her
MU’.
I hadn’t half finished what I
had to say before she moved
away from me; but she nod
ded her head, with those
quick, short little nods that
always .mean confidential
agreement.
For almost an hour i naa
been thinking that I knew it.
That nodding of hers made me
realize that I had only feared
It; that I had believed that
*hc could deny and disprove
it
I had planned biscuits for
dinner. I went and got out
the bread-board, and opened
the flour binrbut I couldn’t
do it. '
“I’m sorry," I said, and to
my disgust I began to cry. "I
guess you’ll have to make out
to do alone, for a while—” I—
I’m not feeling well. I’ll have
to go and lie down—"
Still blubbering and blind
with tears I went upstairs, and
bumped into Sam, standing
outside John's door. I dried
my eyes and saw that he was
holding his six-gun. ready for
■hooting, in his hand.
CHAPTER LVII
Grief ’
What is the matter with
you?” I demanded. “What are
you doing with .that gun?”
•‘John is in there packing
hli valise. He says he is going
to leave the place. I say he is
not.”
•‘Going to say it with the
■ix-gun, if possible, ugh?” I
a&ed.
“If necessary, Mary, by God,
he put it up to me, straight.
He came to me, and said that
Pg Club Realizes
'Profits of $1,073.16
Warner, 8. D.—CAP)-*A profit of
$1,073.18 was realized by nine mem
ken of the Warner 4-H sow litter
ait* this year, Clarence Nelson, lo
cal leader, reported.
Ttoe nine Ufters raised included
•1 pigs grown to maturity, an ex
©apUo<aally good average. The value
«tf Jbhe $1 pigs was $1,742.32.
Itoa ’aecnJtary's book showed 12
meetings held, with only two ab
for Use entire season. The
*4
! he had to get off the place for
1 a while. Had to. I baited him
along. Asked him where he
wanted to go. He didn’t even
try to hide his feelings. Didn’t
bother to make up an excuse.
Said it was all the same to
him where he went: ’Frisco,
Reno, Salt Lake, anywhere,
just so that he could get
away. When I reckoned he’d
stay right here, he up with the
idea of going down to live
with the outfit. He’s a fool; so
he thinks that I am. Thinks I
don’t know he could get a good
horse, the first night—”
“If John thinks you’re a
fool,” I said, “he’s paying you
too much respect. I can’t
think of anything much worse,
or more dangerous than a fool,
but whatever it is, you are it.
It turns me all over to look at
you. Give me that gun.”
I reached out and took it.
His fingers didn’t stick to it
very long. I judged that he was
not quite as eager to shoot.
John on sight as he had been
pretending to be.
“Now get yourself away from
here,,” I said. “Get on down
stairs, if you know the way,
and eat your dinner. I’ll look
after John.”
“If you help that boy to
escape—”
“Escape your foot!” I slipped
into John’s room., shut the
door in Sam’s face, and pushed
the new bolt into its slot.
John’s things were all
strewn about; his valice was
standing open on a chair, but
he had stopped trying to pack
it. He was lying down on the
bed.
I went and sat on the bed
beside him and put an arm
around his shoulders.
“Mary?” he questioned.
“Yes. There, there now,
John dear. Try to brace up—”
“You don’t know!”
“Yes, I do know, dear. I
know just what you know.”
"My God,” he groaned. “It
is certain, then? I still had a
little hope. I—I can’t keep on
with life, not after this. When
I think of these last weeks—I
I’m filthy, I tell you.”
“John, dear,” I tried to com
fort. “You didn’t know—you
couldn’t. You aren’t to blame.
You are young—”
I knew that I had no com
fort for agony such as his, but
I could not bear to leave him;
so I stayed, hoping, as I sup
pose foolish women have al
ways hoped, that just plain,
quite loving him might help a
little.
After a minute or two, he
said, “Mary—if you don’t
mind, I—I’ve got to fight this
out alone.”
I went to my own room. I
put a cold water compress on
my eyes, and pulled down the
window shades and lay on my
bed. I was mortal tired from
sorrow, and the hurt in my
heart for John was sharp as
a neurdlgia pain, but my mind
went-working right along, in
dependent of my feelings;
straight on, like a phonograph,
if somebody had started it,
might keep right on grinding
out a tune while the ship that
it was on was sinking.
When Miss MacDonald came
up, bringing me some dinner,
which I couldn’t touch, I said
to'her: “It seems true, but I
know that it can’t be. It is too
impossible. I mean—too far
fetched.”
“Not a bit of it,” she said.
“The only impossible thing
about it is tie length of time
it has taken us to discover it.
Of course—f^fcive me, Mrs.
Magin, I was almost on the
trail once, I had at least
started in the right direction,
and 'then you threw me com
pletely off.”
“I! How?”
She smiled at me. “By see
ing something which you did
not see. But you are not in the
least to blame for that. The
fault is all mine.”
club participated in a community
entertainment to raise money and
sent three members to the state
fair, and all members to the Tri
State fair at Aberdeen.
This is Uie sixth successful year
of club work for the organization,
during which time three delegates
have been sent to the National
Club congress at Chicago. The
club has reorganized for its seventh
year of work.
How Time Files.
(Elizabeth Winslow in the North
American Review.)
The world of those under 20 has
at least always been the same, chaos
She went ana snut my tran
som. She looked through my
clothes-closet. She looked
under my bed, saying, as she
did so, “The proverbial prac
tice of old maids, you know.”
She came and sat close beside
> me, “Now then. . she said.
CHAPTER LVIII
The Puzzle
Listen. Bit by bit it works
into the whole, like a picture
puzzle—each segment slipping
right into place. There is just j
one hole in it all, and I think
your Danny’s kindness and
uuselfishness will supply that
necessary bit.”
She began then—to use her
own way of saying it—to put |
together the pieces of the j
puzzle. She was right. Bit by
bit it fitted together. Almost J
at once she came to the place
that she had called a hole.
“There is no hole there,” I
told her. “Under those circum
stances, Danny would have
been just sweet, and unselfish,
and foolish enough to have
done that very thing. She did
it. That was why she was ;
worried and unhappy, all that i
dav.”
“I’m sure of it. Now then j
. . . She went on: Danny’s
calling after Gaby that day
easy to understand now, of
course, and leading straight to
Chad’s suicide and confes
sional note. Gaby’s fear; Mar
tha’s murder; Sam’s ashes on
the bag; Gaby's note to Dan
ny; each one fitting right into
place, until spread in front of
me was one of the most
hideous pictures that any hu
man being has ever been
forced to look at.
“Only,” I gasped, “there
can’t be such wickedness in
the world! I mean—not such
long wickedness.”
“In all my experience,” she
said, “I have never investi
gated another murder case
where the thing was so cruelly,
vilely premeditated; so
wickedly, cunningly carried
out. If this is true, it will be,
also, the first time that I have
found a really brilliant mind
belonging to a fiend.”
“If it is true!” I echoed.
“But it is proven. You have
just proven it all to me.”
She shook her head. “We
have a seemingly perfect fab
ric made up, wholly, of cir
cumstantial evidence. As yet,
we have nothing else. Now I
have a question to ask you. It
will seem to you that I should
have asked you this at least
a week ago. I did not, because
I was certain that, unless I
shared all of my suspicions
with you, your answer would
be exactly the answer that you
gave me before. Now, thinking
as you think, I want a very
careful answer to this ques
tion.”
When she had astcea it, 1 re
fused my first impulse to an
swer it, at once, and sat think
ing carefully for several min
utes. The answer that I was
forced to give, then, made me
sick with Shame.
“No,” I said, “I didn’t. I
thought, honestly, that I did.
But now I know that I didn’t.
That—that,” I knew I was
chattering it, “puts Canne
ziano’s murder right at my
door—”
“Nonsense,” she folded one
of my trembling hands into
her steady, capable hands.
“We can’t go poking about like
that, into the machinery of
fate, and stay sane. The blame
in this case is entirely for me.
But, if I had not allowed my
self to be misled then, but had
worked straight on. something
equally tragic might have
happened. We don’t know.
What we do know is, that no
more time must be wasted.
“I have spent this past week
in trying to obtain the neces
sary proof. I have failed. Now,
I am going to ask you to help
me. Will you?”
“I will, and gladly. But you’ll
have to tell me what you want
me to do. I haven’t the faintest
idea.”
She told me.
“Lands alive!” I said. “That
ought to be easy.” I could see
that she was annoyed. “ T
haven’t found it so,” she said.
“I have made three attempts,
as many as I dared make, this
week, and have failed. Do you
realize that it must come
that It is: whereas the world of
anyone old enough to vote before
1914 vanished overnight.
In remarking upon the changed
attitudes and equipment of young
er students. It is well to remember
how surprisingly young thev really
are. Using 1914 or even 1918 merely
as dates, ask anv group of college
students what they remember of
the war. and let the trivality of
their answers reveal how fast the
years have sped.
“We have vacation Armistice
day," someone will probably tell
you: or “I saw a parade at night.”
or “The sugar was in little en
velopes.” 1 It seems incredible, until
I we co a little counting and discov
simpiy? and naturally* You
must realize that—”
“See here,” I interrupted,
“why not do as Sam wants you
to do? Why not arrest the
criminal now, and force the
proof, afterwards? This sort
of evidence could be gotten
then, as well as now, and a lot
safer, too, it seems to me.”
“Mrs. Magin,” she said, “un
til we have evidence of guilt
we have no criminal to arrest
Incredible as it seems, wt
might still be wrong concern
ing every bit of this. I once
made a horrible mistake. It
was on my third case—that
is, after I began to work foi
myself. I don’t talk about it
I can’t think about it. But 1
made myself a promise then
a promise that I have nevei
broken, and which I never will
break. Except in extreme
necessity, proof, positive, and
perfect, must come before any
accusation or arrest in a case
of mine. Twice, as I have said
I have had men arrested be
cause of circumstantial evi
dence. Each time the evidence
was far stronger than any
thing we have in this case.
The first time, the man would
have undoubtedly escaped if
he had not been put in con
finement. The second time
was on my third case, which
I have mentioned. If you force
me to make this the third
time—”
“I can’t force you to do any
thing,” I reminded her, hoping
to cool her down a bit.
‘‘Yes, you can. If you go at
this so clumsily that you give
the thing away, and so en
danger your own life, I shall
have to force matters. I must,
of course, risk a reputation—
I’m not speaking of my own,
you understand—in preference
to risking a life—again I am
not speaking of my own. But,
if we are wrong in this, and
remember we may be— cir
cumstantial evidence is the
trickiest thing in the world—
it would be bitterly cruel and
wrong. It would be even worse
than the other mistake of
mine. Will you remember that,
when you make your first at
tempt?”
“Yes, I’ll remember. When
do you want me to make the
first attempt?”
“As soon as possible. This
afternoon, if you can do it."
“But—how shall I do it?"
“I am going to leave that
to you, and to your natural
wil. You can do it much more
spontaneously if you are not
attempting to follow set di
rections. But do, do be careful.
Don't make a mistake.”
Witn that she left me. I am
ashamed to say that excite
ment had made me forget my
sorrow. I sat there saying my
prayers, planning, and shaking
in my shoes, for a good half
hour before I corid get enough
courage to go downstairs. In
all probabilities, the next hour
would bring me face to face
with ihe mardero iS fiend; and
not by the blink of an eye, not
the gnost of a shiver, must I
bell ay mv horribia knowledge
, CHAPTER LIX
The Fatal Mistake
When I finally did get my
self downstairs, I found Sam,
seemingly alone in the living
room, playing solitaire. 1
Judged, from the look he gave
me, and from the way he had
his shoulders hunched, that
he was still in a right ugly
humor.
“Where’s everybody?" 1
Eskcd.
“Out committing murders,
somewhere, likely.”
“That’s a nice way to talk,
isn’t it?”
He mumbled something.
“What?” I said. “I can’t hear
you when you mutter like
that.”
“I didn’t talk much louder
when I told Miss MacDonald
about John’s trying to make a
getaway. She heard me all
right. That’s all the good it
did. Do you know how much I
trust that woman?”
“No, I don’t know. I don’t
care, either.”
(TO B> CONTINUED)
This Will Be Good News to the
Damage Suit Lawyers, Too!
In New Jersey a locomotive was
derailed by an automobile. Which
will serve to encourage that kind
of drivers.—Waterloo (la.) Tribune.
er that present-d&v freshmen were
hardly born In 1914. They, were
still in rompers in 1918. Seniors of
1930 at best were In the third grade
The war, which for us closed one
great era and began another, for
modern college students resolves
itself into a great noise and a few
dim memories at a nursery win
dow That is to be young indeed.
Handicapped.
Friend: I wonder, Ethel, that you
allowed that Frenchman to kiss you
in the conservatory.
Ethel: I couldn’t help It.
Friend: Why couldn’t you?
Ethel: Because I can't speak
, ^repch.
Pl.xil.K IHAitiUfcK bA» .\ ■
OF CHRISTMAS PKOUHAM
Pender, Neb. — (Special) — The
Chamber of Commerce is sponsor.ng
a community Christmas program
here. About 1,500 sacks of candy will
be given to the children and a chil
dren's program will be given in the
opera house, Monday evening, De
cember 22. The streets will be decor
ated with Christinas streamers and
colored lights.
EIGHT HORSES
LOST IN FIRE
Explosion of Lantern Re
sults in Heavy Loss on
Farm Near Randolph
Randolph. Neb. — (Special)—The
oarn on the John Brandt farm, six
miles south of Randolph was de
stroyed by fire, Tuesday morning.
Eight horses, large quantities of
grain and ha.v, his garage, a new
coach and valuable farm machinery
was also burned. The loss is a heavy
one, but is said to have been fairly
well covered by insurance.
It is said the fire was caused by
the explosion of a lantern which
Brandt was using while doing his
early morning chores about the
barn.
RESISTS RAISE
LAND VALUES
Burt County Carries Its
Case to Supreme Court
of Nebraska
Lincoln, Neb. —(Special)— Argu
ments have been submitted in su
preme court in the appeal where
the county of Burt is contesting the
action of the state board of equali
zation in raising land values in the
county from $102.86 to $105.94 an
acre.
It is the contention of attorneys
for the county that a finding of
fact is a prerequisite to the action
and that none has been made. They
say the board should have shown
that Burt county valuations had to
be equalized with those of other
counties or be brought within just
relation thereto. They argue evi
dence did not justify the increase
and that the court should take no
tice that Burt county is situated
along the river, its lands being
subjected to the action of the river
and they are more hilly than Cum
ing, Dodge and Washington coun
ties.
The arguments for the state board
insist there was sufficient evidence
to justify the action and that Burt
county lands are as valuable as
those in Dodge epunty, assessed at
$112 an acre; Cuming, assessed at
$115, and Washington, assessed at
$117.
Attorneys for the county contend
that the board must justify its
findings while attorneys for the
state board say the county must
prove the values to be clearly wrong.
TO FIGJHT REINSTATEMENT
OF OMAHA POLICEMAN
Omaha, Neb. — (UP) — City
council Wednesday postponed for
two weeks the hearing of the appli
cation of Policeman Nick Sanko for
reinstatement to the police force.
Sanko was suspended a year ago
following his arrest on a federal li
quor charge. He wa* acquitted by a
jury after his wife took full respon
sibility for selling liquor to under
cover agents, asserting her husband
knew nothing of the transaction.
Sanko stands to lose a $90 a month
pension to which he will be eligible
in eight months if the council de
cides against him.
Police Commissioner Westergaard
and Acting Chief George Allen gave
notice that they will fight Sanko's
the grounds that an officer who
didn’t know hi* wife was bootleg
ging would be a poor man to enforce
liquor laws.
SWEDISH CHURCH BODY
PLANS CHILDREN’S HOME
Omaha, Neb. — (UP) — A chil
dren’s home has been added to the
building program of Swedish Evan
gelical churches of Nebraska, Iowa.
Colorado and Wyoming, it is an
nounced here. Previously it had been
announced that a $150,000 addition
would be built at the denomination’s
hospital here and an old people's
home constructed. The total amount
to be expended approximates $1,
000,000, according to Theodore
Young, superintendent of the hos
pital. The construction work is ex
pected to be completed in less than
three years.
COMPENSATION GOES TO
CHILDREN OF DEAD MAN
Lincoln, Neb. —(Special)— State
Compensation Commissioner Jef
frey has ordered payment of $15 a
week to be made to the minor chil
dren of Bert Pearson, lineman for
the Interstate Power company at
Long Pine, who was killed. The
company’s insurer had been making
the payments to the widow who is
now married again. The usual award
is for 350 weeks in a case of this
kind and the widow had received
payment for 225 weeks. The other
125 payments will go to the or
phans.
BROTHER AND SISTER
IN DOUBLE WEDDING
Crofton, Neb.—(Special)—A dou
ble wedding will take place here
when Anton Schieffer will marry
Miss Clara Peldhacker and Bernard
Feldhacker will marry Miss Helen
Kuehler. Clara and Bernard Feld
hacker are son and daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Feldhacker of
Crofton, who are the parents oi
17 living children, 10 daughters and
seven sons. One set of twins is in
cluded in the sons. Three of their
daughters are married to three
brothers.
HAS APPE4L TO
PARDON BOARD
Former Wakefield, Neb.,
Banker Seeks Parole from
Term in Prison
Lincoln, Neb.—(Special—Charles
S. Beebe, former Wakefield banker,
will appear before the pardon board
at its meeting December 9 to ask
for a parole from the state peni
tentiary.
Beebe was convioted in Dixon
county, on a charge of forgery
when, as a cashier of the Security
State bank of Wakefield, he was
accused of forging notes for the
purpose of keeping the bank on its
feet. Sentence was imposed in Oc
tober, 1929, four or five years after
the offenses occurred. He claims to
have confessed these irregularities
to the state banking department in
1927 when the bank went into re
ceivership and says that he realized
little personally from the transac
tions.
Beebe is 60 years old and has
served one year of a 1 to 20 years
sentence.
PIERCE COUNTY DAMAGE
ACTION IN HIGH COURT
Lincoln, Neb.—(Special)—Attor
neys for John Kersenbrock have ap
peared before the supreme court in
an appeal from the action of the
judge of the Pierce county district
court. Kersenbrock sued the Se
curity State bank of Osmond and
Joseph Cizek for damages on the
charge that he was falsely accused
of stealing hogs. He was acquitted
of the charge of theft. In the dam
age action the judge directed a ver
dict for Cizek and the bank on the
ground that they had probable
cause to swear out a warrant.
Kersenbrock says Cizek, a banker,
acted without warrant of fact. He
says he had borrowed as much as
$12,000 at the bank at one time and
that he was a man of high stand
ing. He said he took the hogs from
a farm in payment of a debt under
an agreement with a man named
Hauswirth and that he did not know
they belonged to the bank. His at
torneys contend the question at to
whether the defendants acted in
good faith is an issue of fact for
the jury.
WOMAN SENTENCED AS
INTOXICATED DRIVER
Omaha, Neb.—(UP)—Police Judge
Lester Palmer's war on drunken
automobile drivers knows neither
sex. race, creed nor color, he as
serted in sentencing Mrs. Ruth
Beneda, 26 years old. Cuba, Kan.,
to 90 days in Jail.
The woman was arrested in South
Omaha by officers who asserted she
was intoxicated. Her car collided
with a truck. She denied the
charge.
DEATH CLAIMS PIONEER
OF DAKOTA COUNTY
Homer, Neb. —(Special)— Mrs.
F.ed Stading. 84 years old, died at
the home of her daughter, Mrs.
Fred Kipper, two miles northeast of
Homer, Tuesday night, after a lin
gering illness. Funeral services will
be at the home Friday and burial
will be in Ponca.
Mrs. Stading came to America
I from Germany in 1863 and to Da
kota county in 1876. Children
surviving are: M!rs. Fred Kipper
and Frank Stading, of Homer; John
Stading, of Dakota City; Herman
Stading. of Lincoln; Charles Stad
ing, Mrs. Julia Ehnke and Mira.
Julius Stark of Ponca; Mrs. Frank
Thomas, of Newcastle.
The husband preceded Mrs. Shad
ing in death seven years ago.
CO-OPERATIVE STORE AT
LYONS CLOSES ITS DOORS
Lyons, Neb. —(Special)— The
Lyons Co-operative general store,
which has done an extensive busi
ness during the last 20 years, closed
its doors, Tuesday, being unable to
meet its financial obligations.
TOWN OF LYONS ALL
READY FOR NATURAL GAS
Lyons, Neb.—(Special)—The city
of Lyons is piped and ready to be
connected with the natural gas line
recently constructed into this part
of Nebraska. The main line 1s
about two miles outside of the city.
MISSING FARMER BACK
IN HIS NEBRASKA HOME
West Point, Neb.—After searchers
had scoured the countryside (for the
last three days for Henry Muhle, a
farmer living near here, he returned
to his home late Tuesday night.
Muhle disappeared Saturday
night, abandoning his car about a
mile out of West Point. A cap and
coat laid out on the Elkhorn river
bank caused searchers to believe he
had taken his life though unbroken
ice disputed this theory. Hundreds
aided in the search.
Muhle seemed to be greatly fa
tigued and he was suffering with a
badly bruised fcot, evidently re
ceived in a fall. A sen gave out the
information that his father said he
had been as far as Omaha.
COUNTY OFFICERS TO MEET
AT OMAHA DECEMBER 9-11
Omaha, Neb.—(UP)—Five hun
dred members of the Nebraska as
sociation of county commissioners,
supervisors, highway commissioners
and county clerks and registers of
deeds are expected to attend the
association's 36th annual conven
tion here December 9 to 11.
FINE HOME AT CROFTON
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Crofton, Neb. — (Special) — The
12-room residence of Mr. and Mrs.
P. T. Malone was consumed by fire
Monday. The fire is thought to
have been caused by a defective
chimney. All furnishings were
saved, except several hundred
quarts of canned goods in the base
ment.
-♦♦
Q When and where was Jesse
James born? C. B.
A. Jesse James was bom in 1847
in Clay County. Missouri. He was
killed April 3. 1882.