Show I i 1 I I r 1 t 4 I- I d AlE I I I J leI d L C A t AI ANNE AUSTIN t iE THE BLACK PIGEON 1 I atc j THE iE L AVENGING p C Q PAw 4 SEI IN e MURDER BS I t I i B BEGIN IN HEBE HE TODAY DY The chief In 10 the tb murder o of Te at at a party are are cc Flora la to Nit ICi lOI reading nc R ft not which wilch she he thinks lafrom Is la he her her no Dexter e Sprague who foto od that hat ote note not ani I Iy Lydia l. l he her m maid le Lydia Ltd an ahe h he loved lOVe Nit Ni Uta and I Ii f howIng holn S Special Il Investigator Dundee Dundt ah eli Ih sty Ray h her r when Tracey Miles lu one of the xu l return i u. u to take take- taked Lydia homo home with him Dundee reads rs ma ita's I wilI leaving everything ever to o l which hoWs Nita's fear of death and gires lva Lidi J additional motive Ha Ire learns leuna that ta NIt Nil went out with wih Ralph Hammon and taw saw Sprague Fri hay I oar night the night she ah aw h made mad her wll wi will tells teUs Dundee that when h he h. call called caled caledon on Nita that that morning h he found P gIto am and Lia Lydia jane gone cae and Ralph there them Balph eare a little tto Jealous of his hi calling colling o on 00 Nits too to After Att Miles and Lydia L Ila lelve leave Dundee finds the kitchen kichen dor door ha h. hal b been buo e unlocked unlocked Searching tho the attic he ho ie linda find tru in the te b bedroom lom of ot a. a mans man's liar har It leg loir there thera tho the night before lie 11 le calls call Captain Strewn Strawn TV Who ho comes come cre with wih fingerprint men and and ana loams learns that it a I Ia a small mat grip which Is 1 Ila now ton gone wax was In that that room rom when I It was wa searched before Jl lie le belove s that tha oo D used the tho room rom and w was told by NUl Nit to clear ctr out came sup up to tel tell him hint to- to take ha his thin Sprague returned that evening and Ol the te grip X this Dan Dundee eo doesn't believe belier Sprague prague did it H OW GO 60 G ON OX WITH wI THE T TORT CHAPTER Bonnie onnIe Dundee's Dundo's first thought upon awakening g that Sunday mornIn mornIng morning morn morn- ing In was that it might prove provo to bo borther rather a a pity ply that his new bachelor ap apartment as ho loved t to call Cl alL his three rooms at n. n tho top of ot a 8 lodging hi houpo hou which had bad once been a fash fashionable private home faced race south and west rather than ea east At the tho Rhodes Rhodes' house whoso whose boarding boardinghouse boardinghouse h house use clamor camor and lack lck o of privacy i ih h he ho had a abandoned upon taking the I flattering Job joT and ad decent d elt salary sala of or 1 special Investigator attached cd to th the tho l district attorneys attorney's s office he had grown rown accustomed to using the hot morning sun upon his lIls reluctant e eyelids eyelids eye eye- e lids as an alarm alm clock cock I But But ho he continued the train trai of ot thought after t l' l discovering g by by Ills bI watch that it was only It was s 5 pretty darned nice having diggings diggings dig gf gings gs like Uke these Q Quiet et and private private For he was the tho only tenant now on on the top floor His J lazy eyes e es roved vcr over tox the plain severity but solid soUd co comfort of his bedr bedroom o m and on oi i past st tho open door to take tako tae in appreciatively appreciatively Uvel tho the equally comfortable and nd living room room Pretty nied nI That That leather upholstered couch and armchair l had l. l been ena a ral real bargain and ad 18 lie ie liked them all al the tha bettor betor for tor being rather scuffed and nd shabby h b Tl Then m his eyes halted d upon a 0 covered cage swung from a a ped ped- estal esta Poor Ioor old Must be wondering on wl when n the devil devi Im I'm going to get up and nd ho swung swung out of bed bC lounged loung d sl sleepily into the small smal living room and Tand whisked hl the square of or-bla or black k silk fi from the cage c f. f The Thc parrot formerly the properly of ot murdered murder cl old airs Hogarth oC of tho the Rhodes h house but but for the past year car the young detectives detective's official Watson ruffled rute l his fet feathers feather poked is 15 green g en and ad yellow head hed be between ee t the e bas bars of ot his bl cage ce and Hullo Hullo HuliO croaked hoarsely hoarsely Hulo Iulo Watson Wat Wat- Hulo Hullo yourself my dear son Dundee retorted Your Tour va vacation vacation va- va a cation n is i over over old top It I Its It's back backon on cat the th Job for tor you and me m eboth both Which reminds 1 me that I o ought to tobe tobe tobe be taking a a. a squint at the Sunday Sunda papers to see how much Captain Strawn Strawn thought fit ft to tell ten the press press e S eH S C CHe ne He H found the Hamilton lamion Morning orning News in the halt hall just outside his living room door Listen Carn NITA SE SE- MM lAM MURDERED AT BRIDGE BRIGE probably bl the snappiest stream streamer er headline tho the News has ha had ha for many a a. a da day Now lets let's see see see- see He lie was Ws silent for tor two minutes while his eyes ees leaped down the lesser headlines and the tha story of ot the murder murde Then Good Goe old Strawn Not a word m my dear Watson about y your ur absurd masters master's absurd performance per per- pe- pe in having the death h hand nd at bridge replayed Not h. h n word about Hammond the tho missing guest guest Not Not a a. n word about about Mrs Tracey Miles being hidden away in tn inthe inthe the clothes cothes closet while her hostess w was waa being murdered In fact my mi deer dear Watson not n a word about Rn anything except except Strawns Strawn's own theory the the- cry ory Or that a hired gunman from New NewYork NewYork NewYork York or Chicago preferably Chicago preferably NHa's Nita's home hom town New York o of course course- sneaked up cr crouched in her window and bumped her off oft And size life dze photographs of tho the big footprints I und rte wh t pro prove roy his lila the the- pry pryl By golly I 1 clean cleM forgot forgot tort for tor got to tell tel chief that I id i'd Id found t Nilas Nila's will and ad note to out H Hell He'll think I I deliberately held beld ou cm him Well Well Well-I Wel-I Wel I cant can't sit Bit herall here her hee all aU day gossiping with o you Work ranch much work work work-to to be done then then or Sunday dinner with wit poop pr little Itlo r Penny nn Pour Four hours later Inter s. s tired And di- di dis- dis young detective was climbing the stairs of tho the story five walkup walkup walk alk up apartment In hi which Penh Penny Penny Pen Pen- h ny Grain Cram and her mother had been been bee living inco tho the financial failure sin nd flight of tho the husband J nd and and t father tu r Roger Grain Cram Crin Hello Helo there I It Iw was waa w p Penny Pennys friendly voice hailing him fro from t th the thet t topmost landing of oC the steep stairs All Al winded poor thing His Hla eyes drank por her in the in-the the in-the the freshness fresh frosh rh ness and sweetness of a. a domestic Penny Cram Crain so different from Hi the th thorny rny office Penny who prided prid ed herself on her efficiency aa as a sec see sec to the district attorney Penn Penny In i flowered voile vole with wih a a Mue saucy ruffled white le apron But thero there were purplish shadows und eyes eye and her ler gay Kay her ety lasted side only only until he had bad ha r reached i I 1 l Sh h Sh-h-h Sh Have they theY found Ralph O she whispered anxiously Ho could only answer answer No o o Mothers others other's all allot of a twitter at my hayIng having a 3 detective to dinner inner she whispered trying to bo be gay y again She Sho fancies youl you'll be wearing weing size 11 1 shoes and a a 3 six shooter hooter lx at at your belt belt belt- bel- bel Yes Mother Its It's Mr MI Dundee Dun- Dun dee dec She 1 did id n not t look all of ot a twitter hi this his pretty but rather faded d middle middle- aged little m mOther tier of or Pennys A gentle dignity and patient patent sadness gente which Dundee w was waa sure was habitual habitual ha ha- of ot her lay In the faded blue blueeyes blueyes e yes eyes es and upon the soft sot sweet mouth stick to that being that being being frIends I me mean n no matter mater what happen won wont won't t you ou Penny Dundee Dundee Dundee Dun Dun- dee said In a low voice setting t the e fragile sad crystal dishes ho he carried cared of o upon the porcelain the sink te I knew you you had something bad bado to o tell tel kew r me- me th Its It's Is about about Ralph about Ralph I 1 suppose Her husky vol voice was as scarcely audible above the rush of oC hot fot jot water in the dishpan roud better tell me straight off oct Bonnie Donnie beter m not tel a a very patient patent person Are Aro e they going to arrest Ralph ph when they find him There w wasn't nt a a word in the tho paper bout about him this morning morning- morning morning- C C I Im rit m afraid fraid thc they are Penny enny Dundee told her miserably Cap tam aln Strawn Strawn has bas a warrant read ready but ut of or c course u e dont don't have hae to tell m me rue Oh Oh you OU teJ you ou U h hope pe Ralph isn't nt gui guilty she shecut he cut ut In with sudden sudden- n passionate o ye- 0 Dont I 1 know he lie couldn't have 4 done ne' ne I it 1 Th They y always alwa's arrest arrest the wrong person first the te blundering idiots Idiots- It was was was' t the thorny thory Penny again the he Penny with wih gUU glittering eyes which matched her nickname But But elt b t er able ble to cope with this his thi Penny Tm m afraid arid Im I'm Im the te chief Idiot ut you must believe that Im I'm sorry that hat it it sho should ld be bea bea a a friend of ot yours ours t be o told her and reached for for t iS 1 late she had haj rinsed d of ot is its suds BUds the hot water tap tP I Sho Shoot t the works she he corn com cm- cm Of or with wih hard flippancy course cirse corse I have known that Captan theory about a gunman was waa as Just dust In our eyes and ad that only a miracle could keep l you from fastening on po poor Ralph since he be and ad the gun are ae both missing Naturally it Jt wouldn't occur to jou ou that that it might be an outsider someone who had followed fol tol- fol- fol lowed towed Nita Nita and her lover Sprague from Crom Now York to kill kU her for having l left him for Sprague Oh no Certainly not noU she gibed to keep from bursting into tears An outsider would hardly have access to Judge Marshalls Marshall's Marshals pistol and Maxim Maim silencer he reminded her And nd Captain Captin Strawn Strawn re received ro- ro a wire from a a. ballistics expert cx- cx pert In Chicago this morning moring confirming confirming con con- firming our conviction that the same gun which fired fred the bullets against Judge Marshalls Marshall's Marshals Marshal's target fired tired the bullet bulet which Mch killed Nita ScUm Selm Youve You've washed that plate long enough Let Lt me mo dry dr it now now And Ad tl there r are ae other oter things Penny Penny- lenny- lenny aho Such as challenged Sprague admitted ito to me sue this after I had ha 6 confronted d hm him wih with profs ho som sometimes Ume 61 slept t in tb the upstairs bedroom I told you they were lovers P Fenny inny Interrupted But Mrs Cr Grain Cram was ushering him into the living room aa and ent Its Is charm ind made n d him forget for tor tho the moment t that It the tho grains crams w were r ro t to be pitied because of t their comedown in Ufer life Ufe For r t. t every piece of ot furniture seemed to bo boo au authentic e early JY American and lh tim tho hooked booked rugs and ad fine tine brocaded damasks allied themselves with wih the fine old furniture to defeat tle tho ugliness ness ness with wih which the Maple Court apartments apartments' architect had bad been fiercely ely determined to punish Its tenants tenants triO Ie met Gotta Gott dish dih up X P Penny ny flung ung O C over her ber shoulder a ashe as asslie s she slie ran away and left him alone atone with wit her another mother C C S e Dundee liked Mrs Mr Grain Cram for tOl making making ma- ma mak mak- ig ing no ex excuses about a 3 maid maid they couldn't afford ifford liked the te way she settled into a. a love lovely ancient rockI rock- rock I chair and 8 set t herself to elt entertain enter enter- r- r tain tam him While her daughter made made ready redy the dinner r. r Not a a word was wa 8 said d about tho the tragedy which had ha occurred which the day before in tho the house bouse bore had hd once been her tome home They talked of Pennys Penny's work and ard the little lit lit- t tle gentlewoman listened terl eagerly with wit only the faintest of ot sighs as D Dundee nd humorously described Penn Penny's Pennys Pen Pen- and District t n ny's nys fiercer efficiency ke keen delight Attorney Sanderson's n in her work Bill fl Sanderson is f a a. nice boy the woman of or perhaps 48 said of ot Hamiltons Hamilton's Z- Z year old eai district at at- at torne torney It It is Js nice for Penny to work with ih an an old friend of ot tho the family family fam fam- ily iy or or was until wa was until And that that was as the nearest she ahe came ame to mentioning the murder before be- be fore bro Penny summoned them to the littie dining room Because Penny was waa 3 watching him ad and waa a obviously proud of ot her skill kill as a a a cook cook kl Cok-kl skill recently acquired acquired ac ac- ac- ac ho was was' as' as sure sure Dundee Dundee ate ateos as heartily as his carefully concealed con- con os coaled caled depression would permit There was a beautifully browned roast roast ot of beef beet pa pan browned po poa- poa a a- toes oes new peas pea escalloped tomatoes and a. a for for dessert dessert a gelatine pudding which Peny Penny proudly a announced was wa a Spanish cream cream the secret secret of ot which she had l id mastered m st stOred red only that morning it I uI was up p almost at dawn to tomake tomake make mao it it i. i so that it it would set In n time Ime she old him Dundee knew that hat it was not Spanish cream which had got gother her up Im Im going to to h help lp wah wash dishes he 10 announced ed firmly and Penny with wih a a quick intake of ot breath breth greed agreed you yot better tak take tk a a nap Mother sho ho added a minute later aa as a Mrs Grain Cram with wih a slight flush lush lushon on n her faded cheeks began to stack the he dessert dishes You mustn't lay av a abandon hand bad on these dishes or orBon- orBon B BonIe Bon Bon- n- n 1210 nl Ie and I t will wl have our dishwashing t- t ing picnic spoiled now how ow You need steep sleep dear dea t 1 Not any mor more than you do poor baby aby Mrs Cram Crain quavered and then hen hurried out of the roomI roomI room ot I caned called you Bonnie onnie so so Mother would ko know we vre a are aie realy really friends trends Perny Penny explained her cheeks red as s she preceded him through the winging swinging door int into the miniature kitchen kichen u-nd u and and that that he slept there Friday night Ight aft after r ho and NUa Nita had quai quai He Ho still tl contends th that t t the therow row ow was over oyer that Ham of Hamlton Ham Ham- Iton business Dundee went on ons s if ehe sh had hd not sp spoken k n. n He Ie lG admitted ad ad- also that Nita Nit had told him himo Im to o take his things away away when he left eft Saturday Saturday morning but he ho s says S 'S SIt It was as only because she ehe didn't want yant Ralph Hammond to find nd a mans man's belongings there if H ho no had occasion to go into the upstairs rooms in making g his estimates for tho the finishIng finish finish- Ing up of ot the tho other side But he contends and Lydia Carr Cart whom I also saw ag again ln this morning supports supports supports sup sup- ports him in it H. H that he ho stayed in inthe Inthe il the house occasionally when Nita was particularly nervous oUS ner |