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Show PvWuHUi iajMjr.il a .Mi&SiijMti-'- f Sl.cvAtti&kwtfw , ) THE RICH COUNTY REAPER. RANDOLPH, UTAH mm BROWN GERALD W.N.IL FEATURES Duke McCale, private detective, Is guarding the wedding presents at the Bigelow mansion. He senses that old Miss Adelaide Bigelow Is afraid of something more serious than theft. He meets the bride and groom-to-bVeronica and Curt Vallaincourt, and Veronicas mother, Sybil, and her brother and sister, Stephen made no remark when he told the driver to wait. As he fitted her key into the outside door, she spoke. Drink? CHAPTER V The flash of a million golden sparks went by their table. McCale looked out of the comer of his eyes and saw that a tall woman with hair the color of spun sugar was passing. He recognized her immediately. It was Karen Bigelow. She saw him, but gave no glance of recognition. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead in a cold, hard glaze at the table where Vallaincourt sat with the torch singer. She deliberately walked toward them. That your Karen? Ann whispered. Uh-hu- h. t ht -- and Victoria. There is a sinister undercurrent that McCale Is quick to catch. He discusses the situation with Ann Marrlot, bis secretary and fiancee, while they are dining at a fashionable night club. They are Impressed by the beauty and charm of the clubs featured singer, Shari Lynn. Shari goes to a table and Joins a big, handsome man Curt therell be no Well, I do hope trouble. said McCale. Hello, Jerry, Having your good-nigquart? Hi, sleuth, he said in a rasping voice. Where have you been all No. dressed up? Is there a convention What are you up to? Where are you had to attend? Out to dinner. you going? well. Times have Well, Places ladies dont grace with changed. their presence. Isnt it the truth! But you see, Im willing to forget Im a lady I havent forgotten the old days. I for tonight. come straight from the lap of luxury She had a secret yen for the to visit my old pals. seamier side, the substrata, the oball Im TJhe dark fellow , agog. scure. himself a finger of whisky poured We wont go into that now, he and swallowed it in one No gulp. said. He turned her head toward kidding, Duke, Im to see you. glad him. Here. However, youve probably got an He kissed her hard on the lips, axe to grind. So give while Im still noticing her complete calm indif- sober. ference. She was angry. As usual Im after information. So Thanks ever so. About a great big, husky, handOh, Lord, he groaned, dont some young man named Vallaingo giving me your impersonation of court. to the Bette Davis now. Im going Tate gave a low whistle Print Club to see Jerry Tate. Some- andJerry fixed McCale with a baleful thing tells me there is something glance. afoot. Its only breaking very dirty So theyve called in the Ogpu? out in little places here and there, Who? to an bound be but theres exploThe Bigelows. Who else? How sion of some kind in the offing. Im much you soaking them? short on information, baby, and a Now, see here, Jerry, I havent little late on the scene. What I do, said You dont have to. I dont have to be a detective not even a lousy reporter to put two and two together. What I cant get over is why theyve let it slide along to this late day. Youre a bit on the tardy If there was, it was remarkably well-bre- d and closely held. Karen reached the table and spoke quickHe looked ly to Vallaincourt. to Shari He shaken. turned amazed, Lynn once, blindly. But the Lynn girl only sat there, utterly relaxed; her mouth a sulky sneer. Karen took something from her bag and handed it to Shari. She looked once at Curt, a long, searching, smoldering look, and turned away. Vallaincourt made a move to follow her, but Shari caught his hand, drawing him back. He almost stumbled in the alcove. It was then that McCale, swiveling around to the startled Ann, had his secdnd shock of the evening. Not five tables away, almost hidden in a corner, sat Stephen Bigelow. There was a row of empty glasses in front of him as though he had ordered them all at one time. Yet he did not seem to be drunk. His eyes were sunken in that face so prematurely cadaverous but they glittered with a cold, sardonic amusement that was frightening. Ann Marriot gripped McCales hand in an imploring gesture. Lets get out of here. Maybe the fun is only just behe said, rising with ginning, alacrity. On the steps, a slight altercation was taking' place. Karen Bigelow, swathed in ochre wool, was trying to restrain a slightly bedraggled, McCale fussily dressed woman. saw that it was Sylvia Bigelow, bulging out of a sheath of satin. Karen was saying, You mustnt go in, Mother Bigelow, you just cant. Let me take you home. Get out of my way! the older woman 'said. I cant let you go in. Besides, hes not there, Sybil. He really isnt there. . side, Tate shrugged. Some other old gal, then. What about his antecedents? Dont know. Springs from Chi- cago, Im told. How did he get aboard the Mayflower that is, how did he burrow his way into the bosom of the Bigelow family? Well, now, lets see. First time Hello, Jerry, Having your Ive said good-nig- ht McCale. . they drew up before the apartment house where she lived, she kissed him lightly before they got out. Than quart? got to do quickly. He chuckled to himself as he got into the cab, giving the address of the Print Club. A Newspaper Man Gives the Lowdown Visitors Permitted At The Site Low Fixed Prices Surplus Bargains ABOUT 2,000 DIFFERENT ITEMS! 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FULLER COMPANY Under Contract With WAA For Surplus Disposal fC 1710 SOUTH REDWOOD ROAD I remember him around the Gay White Way, he had Victoria Bigelow in tow. Vicky seemed to have the upper hand there for a while. Then there were whispers very soft but whispers, my friend, that Mrs. Stephen Bigelow was interested in a purely platonic way, we hope. The beauteous Karen. OWNED SURPLUS J I doubt that. , woodpile. - ' I should say so. Ann smiled As our good pal, Rocky, wearily. would say everyone seems one )eap ahead of a fit. It was still quite early. Another night, they might have gone on to one or another of the nightclubs, but McCale was in no mood for it. He knew Anns evening was prob- ably spoiled, though she said nothexing. He reached for her hand, flipincurable of more her pecting pancy, but she, too, seemed sunk in a thoughtful depression. When More Oh, come now. Well, rumor has it that it comes from the Bigelows mostly. self-derisi- Let me by, she said, her voice rising hysterically. There was a limousine at the curb. Karen walked to it, moving like a sleepwalker. She got into it without a backward glance. It rolled away into the dark. McCale spoke as Well, well. into their taxi. I back settled they am more than ever convinced that there is a nigger in the Bigelow you? The wedding is next GOV'T AND PRIORITY . GROUPS ONL Y! Vs NO. 8 me about him? Very little, Im afraid. He hits the high spots, does a lot of gambling, plays around fast and loose. Spends lots of dough. Where does he get it? Search me. . The Trail Becomes A Little Plainer say. SALE week, so Im running around in circles but fast. What can you tell He lit a cigarette and sat with his feet up on one of the adjustable seats of the taxi as it bumped along Cambridge street. He thought he had done rather well in the time he had spent in Boston, in spite of obstacles such as his decision not to take divorce cases, not to hold out on the police, not to get in the way of rival agencies. He had managed to keep his head above water and had acquired a reputation of How do you know? honesty and discretion besides. His I looked. as he lip curled in You came here to see him? of his own exin face the laughed here. he but isnt Yes, yes pansive ego. Come home with me, Sybil. No sense being so damned comThe grotesque Sybil hesitated a He was talking to boy. placent, moment, her bright feverish eyes himself like uncle. So far, Dutch a searching Karens face. Then she you havent got much forrader on pushed her forcefully aside with crushing arrogance. arent Ill VETERANS GAFCO fc SALT LAKE CITY 14, UTAf P. O. BOX 2549 DIAL 8-- 1 Farm .Population h of the peoLess than States live on United the in ple farms. one-fift- Soil-Build- Sweet clover and alfalfa prove to be the best legumes. soil-buildi- Stephen Bigelow Extremes in Population Is Discussed If you like that type pardon tne. Oh, well, , if I had to be cast away on a desert island or if some rainy afternoon or Thats it just or To proceed. That little romance was short-liveDont ask me why. "Maybe Stevie got wind of it. Stephen Bigelow? That washed-u- p Romeo. One look from Karen or Mother Sybil would squelch him. Ive seen them all together. It was like a peek at the motive behind Lysistrata Oh, my Lord. If youre going to d. quote Ill spare you. Speaking of Mama though, she had her day in He sighed unhappily as the cab the sun, too. She was here and drew up with a screech of brakes there giggling and gooing over him before a tall, gray office building. for quite some time. Nice set-uBetween this and another older eh? structure was a narrow alley, at Young Tate surveyed the table the back of which could be seen a top with wise old eyes. He shook faintly lighted doorway. McCale his head. He finally did get around made for this. From behind the to Veronica. Right through the stark walls on each side of him, he family to the pot of gold. could hear the rumble and roar of Kind of roundabout, you think? machinery, for the presses of the Now, I dont know. It may be biggest newspaper in town had their he thought he was being clever. home there. You dont McCale rose to go. The Print Club, where pressmen know of any tie-u- p between him and reporters gathered to drink and and Shari Lynn, the singer thats converse throughout the night, was doubling at the Abbey and Latin on the third floor of the narrow Quarter shows? edifice at the end of the alley. Duke Nothing I can vouch for. They opened the door and went up the seem to be on pretty good terms. winding iron stairs to the bare, unthe way, I do know that presdecorated rooms which were fur- By was brought to bear somesure wooden tables nished with square where along the line over a bit oJ! and chairs of the kitchen variety. Watts printed ii his column. gossip McCale went over to the bar and Orders went through .to squelch asked for Jerry Tate. The barman anything more of the sort that nodded in the direction of the third might come under the snoopinj room, raising a quizzical eye at eye. McCales formal attire. McCale Which only shows that the grea'; threw him a hard, deliberate scowl, can buy protection. and made for the door. Just inside Oh, well. Come the revolution. ' nervous-looking a young, irascible, it, Just. Well, thanks, old boy. man sat alone at a table, For what? playing solitaire. He did not look (TO BE CONTINUED) up as McCale sat down facing him. 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