The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965, December 05, 1940, Image 3
CHAPTER XIV—Continued —15— “May I point out," Miss Agatha asked politely, "that Everett Ferri ter also had access to that machine —and a latchkey to this flat?” Shannon did not seem to hear her. He said: ‘Til be taking that typewriter along, too. Miss Paget. We’ve found your nephew’s fingerprints on the keys and space bar. He it was who used it last. I’m sorry but—we’re taking him in, for further question ing.” Still holding her aunt’s hand, Al legra felt with the other for a chair and sat down. Miss Agatha moved ever so little. Her head lifted. A quiet, more impressive than bluster, was in her voice. “Just one thing, Captain Shannon. I’m the oldest living member of the Paget family. It has influence in New York.” Beneath his breath, the policeman mumbled something. Miss Agatha went on: “That is not a threat, though you may think so. You're wholly with in your rights in arresting Grove, but”—the fine old head, the pre cise voice went a shade higher— “but if you maltreat my nephew, if you step over any single one of his legal rights, if you or any of your tribe lay a finger on him while you’re ’questioning,’ I shall see to it that more than a finger falls on you, sir. “I’ve lived,” Miss Agatha ended, “more years in New York than I care to confess. If you misuse your authority, I shall misuse my influ ence. And never," she added, with an oddly mirthful puckering of her eye wrinkles, “think I haven’t got it." The bell rang as she ceased, as though her words had smitten some invisible bull’s-eye. Shannon’s face softened a trifle. He looked at her with respect and an unwilling trace of amusement. “Miss Paget,” he began, “you’re a—’’ I think he intended to compliment her but he was interrupted. A rud dy-faced, elderly gentleman, slight ly out of breath and more than a little ruffled, entered. He put on black-corded glasses to glare at Shannon and me and then beamed through them at Miss Agatha. The old lady gave a slow smile of tri umph. “Tertius,” she said, as though he ■were a late comer to a reception, “this is very good of you. Captain Shannon, this is Senator Groesbeck, my attorney. I think I can leave Grove safely in your joint care." I acknowledged introduction to the Senator who seemed to regard ev eryone but Miss Agatha with the justifiable suspicion of a corporation counsel who had been hauled out of bed into a murder case. Then I said: “I’ll be going now, Miss Paget. Good night.” "Thank you, David,” she said and looked at me hard. I ducked my head toward Alleg ra, barely meeting her eyes. I think she started to follow me to the door, but her aunt, whose hand she still held, stayed her. As I departed, Miss Agatha called after me: "Nine o’clock tomorrow, David. Or rather, today.” She was not one whose purposes were lightly thwarted. CHAPTER XV Shannon and his prisoner had drawn the reporters away from the Morello. An empty taxi stood at the curb. I recall little of my ride home. I knew, as I got out of the cab, that I was out on my feet. I would not have thought of Cochrane and of what the new tragedy meant to him, and me, if I had not seen the telephone in Mrs. Shaw’s hall. I hesitated and then called the Press. I got Jerry. 1 could not match his elation. He had reached the Mo rello just after I had entered. Duke, he confided, had been angry at my reticence. Cochrane now was wait ing word from the Press man at headquarters, whither Grove had been taken. I told him briefly what I knew, withholding only my fore knowledge that Grove had had a key to the Ferriter flat, nor did I cite that apparently disembodied voice I had heard at Mino’s. I was too weary to be discreet otherwise. The ache in my bones had crept into my mind and clogged my tongue. When I had finished, I heard Coch rane’s chuckle. “We’ll hang it on the town again, Dave. I’ll meet you at noon tomor row in that beanery near the Morel lo. I have tidings to impart, my lad. They’ll interest you.” I wondered, as I pulled myself upstairs, whether anything ever could interest me again. I slept so soddenly that when I woke, I had all the symptoms of a hang-over ex cept the memory of revelry. Coffee eased my head and food ballasted my uneasy stomach. I read, as I ate, Cochrane's deft story in the Press. I wished that he had been a shade less authoritative con cerning what had taken place in the Paget apartment, but it was a well-handled yarn, scrupulously fair as far as young Paget was con cerned. He was still held as a ma terial witness. Which meant, I knew, that so far. he had not talked I felt better wtten I reached the 1 Morello and entered under the wist ful eyes of a half-dozen evening newspaper men, none of whom I knew, but I found when Eddie Hoyt spoke to me that my nerves were raw and my temper hair-trigger. "Lissen, Dave," he begged, as he went with me to the elevator, "you don’t think this young Paget really done it?" "No,” I snapped. "Do you?” He blinked at my violence. "No offense,” he said earnestly. “Only, Dave, if there’s anything I can do for that old lady. I’d do it if I went to jail for it. See? She’s been real good to me. Remember that, willy a ? There's something pho ny about this hull thing. I can feel it, Dave." "You’re telling me?” I asked as he let me oil. Eddie nodded toward the Paget door. “This here Ferriter, the one that’s left,” he whispered, “is in there now. He come about a half-hour ago. Fineman tells me his sister took on when they blew in and heard what had happened — kinda historical. They didn’t stay here last night.” "Now that’s funny, isn’t it?” I jeered and pressed the Paget bell. “Not to me it ain’t,” said Hoyt, ducking back into the car. Annie let me in and motioned me into the workroom. Miss Paget, the maid said, was busy, but she’d see me in a few minutes. I sat down "That Is not a threat, though you may think so." and stared at the four dim circles on the desk top where the typewriter had stood. I thought of Lyon and of the voice I had heard—unless I were screwy —issuing from the booth at Mino's last night. Could it have been only last night? Was it really yesterday afternoon that Lyon and I had fenced? I found myself sitting straighter. That broken epee point had not been accident. The plan had been to kill me while Everett searched my room and removed damaging evidence. What evidence? I groaned and heard Lyon Ferriter come along the hall. He was a shade more gaunt but his smile was cordial and his easy drawling manner fitted him like a long used glove. Once more, his voice and appearance overthrew my suspicion so violently that I found myself offended by his poise. "Good morning," he said. "I didn't expect to see you here.” “Or I you,” I answered. He frowned and shrugged his wide, stooped shoulders. “No,” he agreed, lowering his voice, "I made an error in doming. I don't think there’s anything in the etiquette book to fit just this situation. People can hardly be normal in such circum stances. I’ve taken enough on the chin in my time to fortify me a bit, but lone”—his voice softened as he spoke of her—“is all apart again.” “I can understand that,” I told him. He nodded. “Of course you do." He paused and I felt his further words were a belated retort to Miss Agatha Pag et. “After all, we are the—bereaved. Poor old Everett. I can't imagine why Grove—” He overplayed his hand. For the first time, I thought I caught the faint sound of duplicity in his speech. His martyred air irked me. I felt my brain light up and was canny enough to wait an instant, curbing myself, before I said: “I can’t imagine that Grove did It.” Lyon looked at me quite carefully and then shrugged again. "Fortunately,” he said, "this time my alibi is endorsed. I only know what the police, and witnesses, say.” “Sure,” I answered, “and I don’t suppose you can imagine how Grove got a key to your flat?” If that reached him, he did not show it. He seemed to be thinking of something that his long brown face quite hid, before he said: “That is not true. I came here this morning to tell Miss Paget that I would make affidavit that I gave Grove that key." “Which,” I told him, "comes un der the head of chivalrous perjury.” It was good to throw pretense aside at last and speak my thought. "Miss Ferriter,” I went on, "gave—” He lifted a hand so sharply that I stopped. "My sister,” he said, and I felt now that he was wholly candid, “is to be kept out of this tragedy if I have to go further than—chivalrous perjury. She has suffered more than enough, already.” His emphasis threw me out of my stride for an instant. "All right," I told him. "You gave Grove a key. Let it go at that. I hope when he opens up he tells the same story. You gave him the key. How does that explain his presence in your flat last night at the time of your brother’s— suicide?” He smiled at the stress I laid on the last word and that made me an grier. “It doesn’t,” he said. “No one knows why he was there—except, possibly, poor old Everett.” "Your sister knows,” I said, tin gling. "Maybe you do, too.” "Are you,” he drawled, “trying to be offensive?" "It’s no effort,” I assured him. "Everett committed suicide. No doubt he had his reasons. He left the note they found on Grove. No doubt you know what it means. Grove is that way about your sister. That’s why he had a key. He’s in this jam on her account while you—” A voice behind Lyon cut through my angry speech and checked it “Would you mind.” it asked, “stepping a little aside, Mr. Ferri ter? I thought you had gone.” He obeyed. Miss Agatha sat be hind him in her wheel chair. Her bleak face daunted Lyon who was as nearly ill at ease as I had ever seen him. “Yes,” he stammered, “I should have gone—some time ago," and without further glance at me, hur ried down the hall. The door slammed. The old lady turned her head and looked at me and again 1 marveled at the resilience of her crippled body. Not even the plight of her beloved nephew had dulled her eyes, or shaken her voice. I was still too angry to read omen in her regard. “I gather,” she said, “Mr. Ferri ter has been telling you he gave Grove that latchkey.” “I can gather,” I snarled, "that he’s willing to crucify a silly kid for the sake of lone’s good name— if any.” My violence seemed to soothe her. Her face softened a little. She said dryly: “I’m glad you’re so strenuous, David. Something has happened that Allegra and I want to ask you about.” I was so dumb that her words heartened me. I thought that they were going to ask for counsel and I forgot my recent wrath. Perhaps that sacrificial yearning I had felt in Allegra’s presence wasn’t so idi otic after all. I might yet serve her. “I’m grateful to you both,” I told Miss Agatha. Again, she gave me that puzzled stare. I thought she was going to ask a question but she turned her head instead and called: “Allegra.” I heard the girl come down the hall. Something made me faintly uneasy. I forgot my qualm when she entered the room. I got up. Worry had hardened her. Her face was white. Her eyes endured mine so indifferently that I wondered if this could be the girl I had kissed a few hours ago She was immune to my smile; she was deaf to my greeting. She looked from me to her aunt, who gave a prompting nod. In Allegra’s clenched hand, a paper crackled. Her voice had the same impersonal sound as she asked, looking straight at me again: “Do you know a man named Law rence Duke?” I could feel it doming. I knew now that it wasn’t just anxiety for her brother that had bleached and hardened her. There was sweat in my palms and my voice sounded hoarse to me as I said: “Yes.” Allegra gave her head a quick lit tle jerk and unfolded the paper she held. “I don’t,” she told me with quiet scorn, “but he writes on the letter head of the Sphere: ‘Dear Madam: Perhaps you are unaware that your escort of tonight is a reporter on the Press in disguise.’ ” Miss Agatha asked: “Is that true, David?” "As far as it goes,” I told her and there was a sudden dullness in the clever old eyes. I had no time to explain for Allegra said and her voice cut: “You have been stealing my aunt’s generosity and my—friend ship.” "No,” I said. "You are a reporter for the Press?” “Only on probation,” I said. In her voice I heard the anger of trust betrayed. It angered me. I wheeled about and picked up my hat and coat. The girl said: "A stool pigeon.” That stung. I ignored her pur posely and turned to Miss Agatha, who had not stirred. no HE COXUNCe.U) I By VIRGINIA VALE (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) ALT DISNEY’S “Fan tasia” has made its bow at last, and also made his tory. It is “a series of eight musical compositions, inter preted by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Sym phony orchestra” with com ments by Deems Taylor. It is also the most beautiful pres entation of color and sound that the screen has ever of fered. The music was recorded by the orchestra, then Disney and his idea men listened to it, and on the screen we see what the music suggested to them. We have Mickey Mouse as the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” amaz ing prehistoric animals in Stravm WALT DISNEY sky’s “Rite of Spring,” delightful centaurs and "centaurettes” in Bee thoven’s “Pastoral Symphony.” Disney selected the music care fully, to appeal to all tastes. He hoped to aid in popularizing classic al music, an undertaking so ably begun by radio. Special RCA re production equipment is necessary to handle the innovations in record ing. The experiment is a magnificent one, into which Disney has poured more than two million dollars. Its success should be as great as the courage of its producer. _^_ Fred Astaire has the longest mo tion picture feature devoted exclu sively to dancing in the world, and it's getting longer all the time. The picture, right now. Is being length ened by two dance numbers which Astaire created for himself and Paulette Goddard in his latest Holly wood production, “Second Chorus.” The addition of these two numbers makes Astaire’s own picture run more than four hours, and probably the world will never see it; a stickler for originality, he has accumulated it from the thirteen screen produc tions in which he has appeared. -rK Mary Anderson is Hollywood's newest Cinderella. One of the girls who was tested for the role of “Scar lett O’Hara” and didn’t get it, she did play “Maybelle Merriweather” in the famous Southern war picture, and then stayed on in Hollywood and worked for Warner Brothers. Now she has a difficult role in Rich ard Rowland’s “Cheers for Miss Bishop.” Only eighteen, she has a good start on what promises to be a highly successful career. -* About a year ago lovely Joan Blaine, featured in the NBC serial, “Valiant Lady,” was walking down Broadway when she slipped on the icy street and fell. A quiet young man picked her up, brushed her ofT, and disappeared in the throng. “Just my luck,” she told some of her friends later. “1 didn't ask his name, and I'll probably never see him again.” Recently Rikel Kent, director of “Valiant Lady,” told her she was acquiring a new man on the show. “His name is Lawson Zerbe,” Kent told her. "You don’t know him.” Then Zerbe appeared for rehearsal, and—you’ve guessed it. Out of all the actors in New York, he was the quiet young man who’d come to her rescue nearly a year before. -* Gary Cooper is dead set against anything that is unnatural; he in sists on letting nature take its course before the cameras, which is why you never see him curl his lips and show his teeth when he’s angry_watch him in "North West Mounted Police” and you’ll see him as he is in real life. He’s one of the few actors in Hollywood who de pends on a mirror only when he’s shaving, making up for work or combing his hair. -* ODDS AND ENDS—James Melton and Irene li’insley used to sing for nothing on a small station in Memphis, Tenn., yeurs ago—after a lapse of ten years they encountered each other in a New York night club, and discov ered that they were booked to sing on Raymond I’aige's “Musical Americana” on the same night . . . John Wayne and Ward Rond made a gallon of authen tic moonshine the other day for a scene in “Shepherd of the Hills,” us ing a real still, and when the scene had been shot the federal agent who represented law and order poured the “corn” on the ground, while various members ol the cast lamented. Follow These Rules When Addressing Christmas Cards IN ADDRESSING Christmas cards, * many questions are bound to arise with regard to correct form. The following tips on addressing Christmas cards will, therefore, be welcomed by all who have cards to send. Christmas greeting cards fall into two general classes, formal and in formal. If you use printed or en graved cards for formal use, the title Miss. Mr., or Mr. and Mrs. should preferably appear above the greeting. For instance: Mr. and Mrs. Frank Russell wish you a Mer ry Christmas,” rather than "A Mer ry Christmas from Mr. and Mrs. Frank Russell." Whose name should come first, the husband’s or the wife’s? Gen erally, the husband’s name comes first. On informal cards, signed in ink, it is quite proper to sign, "Bill and Shirley," or Bill and Shirley Adams, depending, of course, upon how well you know the acquaintance. A married woman, whether her husband is alive or not, should be addressed with "Mrs.” prefixed to her husband’s full name. Every card sent out should bear a Mr., Mrs., or Miss prefix. Failure to use this prefix is an unpardonable breach of courtesy. Do not address a divorcee by her maiden name, unless such name has been established by legal procedure. John Robertson may be a busi ness associate of yours, to whom you want to send a Christmas card, but you do not know his wife. What shall you do in a case of this kind? It is quite proper to send your card to Mr. and Mrs. John Robertson, al though, on the other hand, it is equally proper to send the card in his name only. It adds a little of the personal touch to learn the home address and send the card there, although directing the card to a business address is quite proper. Some question as to the proprie ty of sending out Christmas cards may enter the minds of the family in mourning. By the same token, some question may arise as to the sending of Christmas cards to them. If the bereavement is very recent— within a month—it may be better for the family to omit Christmas cards. And cards to be sent to the family should be selected with considera ble care. Superstitions About Christmas SIGNIFICANT meanings si to superstitions believed i C. In Holstein, Mistletoe is not only supposed to be a cure for all green wounds, but will insure success in the chase and give strength to the wrestler. C. Early Norsemen believed for cen turies that the Mistletoe would give protection against both bodily ail ments and evil spirits. C. A person who is born on Christ mas will have power to see and com mand spirits, according to a Scottish belief. C. French peasants believe that babies born on Christmas have the gift of phophecy. C. If a baby is born at sermon time on Christmas Eve in Middle Europe, it portends that someone in the house will die within the year. C. Daughters born in the Vosges, France, on December 25 will be wise, witty and virtuous. C. A baby born on Christmas in Silesia will become either a lawyer or a thief. C. Girls in the ancient Duchy of Swavia seldom missed the oppor tunity offered by Christmas to look into the future at their future hus bands. On Christmas Eve they would go to the woodpile to draw sticks. If a girl pulled a thick stick, her hus band would be stout; if a long stick, he would be tall; if a crooked stick, he would be deformed. They would determine the business of their fu rround Christmas, according n various parts of the world. ture husbands by dropping melted lead into a pan of cold water. The molten metal would form various shapes in cooling, and thus resemble the insignia of his occupation: ham mer shape, a carpenter; shoe shape, a cobbler. Every piece of lead re sembled some occupation to the old wives. C. A maiden in Switzerland who ac cepts a bunch of Edelweiss at Christ mas also accepts the man who prof fers it. C. All animals in the German Alps can speak on Christmas Eve. C. It is believed in the Netherlands that nothing sown on Christmas Eve will perish. Even seed sown in the snow will live. C. A Bohemian wife will die within a year if she burns a Christmas cake. «. To insure an abundant harvest in Denmark, some of the bread baked on Christmas is kept un*il sowing time, when it is mixed with the seed. C. It is said that bread baked on Christmas in England never be comes moldy. fl. Ashes must not be thrown out on Christmas day in some sections of Europe, for fear they might be thrown into the Savior’s face. C. Some families in Scandinavia place all their shoes together on Christmas. This will cause them to live in harmony throughout the year. Christmas Tree Industry 4Aims to Please’ I highly developed industry, Christmas tree production aims to satisfy all types of customers. Here a workman after bundling his trees according to size and grade is sail ing the butts to even lengths. In cities where ceilings are high, as in old communities, taller trees are desired. For mod ern low-ceilinged living rooms, only medium anil shorter sizes find ready market. The most po/mlar kind of Christmas tree is the fir. It is generally pre ferred because it tends to hold its needles longer than any other evergreen tree. Spruces, pines, hemlocks and red-cedars are also used as Christmas trees. CHARM OF CHRISTMAS THE chief charm of Christmas is its simplicity. It is a festi val that appeals to everyone be cause everyone can understand it. A genuine fellowship per vades our common life—a fellow ship whose source is our common share in the world’s greatest Life which was given to the whole world.—Kimball. French Village Portrays Story of Christ’s Birth Les Baux in France, a village of shepherds, puts on one of the most dramatic Christmas celebrations in the world, and has done it yearly for over a thousand years. The peasants act out the whole Bethle hem story. Joseph and Mary drive into the “City of David” with real oxen. Thousands of visitors come every Christmas eve to see the event. Four-Po*ter Doll Bed For Santa to Bring By RUTH WYETH SPEARS KJOBODY knows better than I ^ ' how many willing helpers good old Santa has. Hundreds of you have written me that you have made gifts from directions in this column and in SEWING Books 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Book 6 is now ready and as it goes into the mail I want you all to know that I have a very real feeling of friendship for you I CIGAR BOX A CLOTHES PINS 4SPOOLS SCRAPS TO MAKE A PAD, PILLOW AND BEDDING GLUE THE CLOTHES PINS AND SPOOLS TO THE BOX THEN ENAMEL BLUE,WHITE OR PINK who find joy in making things with your hands. Your letters keep me posted about the things you want to know. Refurbishing old furni ture, curtaining difficult windows, new slip covers, rug and patch work designs, lamp shades, dress ing tables, smocking, gift and ba zaar novelties—you have asked for these and they are in the new Book 6. It also contains a description of the other booklets in this series. * • • And here 1* something that Is not in any of these booklets. This tiny four-poster doll bed will be Just the thing for Santa to leave beside some one’s big bed on Christmas Eve. After the cigar box, spools and clothes pins are glued together and enameled you will have a grand time making the bedding, pillow and coverlet. Send order to: MRS. RUTH WYETH SPEARS Drawer It Bedford H1U« New York Enclose 10 cents for each book ordered. Name ..... Address .. Wisdom a Coin Wisdom is the true and un alloyed coin, for which we ought to exchange all things; for this, and with this, everything is in reality bought and sold—fortitude, temperance, and justice; and, in a word, true virtue subsists with wisdom.—Plato. There’s a Good Reason You’re Constipated! When there’s something wrong with you, the first rule Is: get at the cause. If you are constipated, don’t endure It first and ‘‘cure" It afterward. Find out what's giving you the trouble. Chances are it’s simple if you eat the super-refined foods most people do: meat, white bread, potatoes. It's likely you don't get enough "bulk." And "bulk”doesn’t mean a lot of food. It's a kind of food that isn’t consumed in the body, but leaves a soft "bulky” mass in the intestines and helps a bowel movement. If this is your trouble, you should eat a natural “bulk” pro ducing food-such a one as the crunchy, toasted, ready-to-eat cereal, Kellogg’s All-Bran. Eat it often, drink plenty of water, and “Join the Regulars.” All-Bran is made by Kellogg's in BattleCreek. If your condition is chronic. It is wise to consult a physician. k V Welcome Beauty Beauty is God’s handwriting . . . welcome it in every fair face, ev ery fair sky, every fair flower.— Kingsley. Beware Coughs from common colds That Hang On Creomulslon relieves promptly be cause It goes right to the seat of the trouble to help loosen and expel germ laden phlegm, and aid nature to soothe and heal raw, tender, In flamed bronchial mucous mem branes. 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