Newspapers / The Alleghany News and … / Sept. 25, 1947, edition 1 / Page 7
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^MURDER I WOPGETFt/L CHAPTER Q | SYNOPSIS: — Johnny Saxon, | private investigator, maintained offices in New York City with hts| ancle, Moe Martin, literary agent. They had not been doing- too well i when Johnny received an as-| signment from the wealthy Hard ware Smith, to watch their daughter, Irene Smith. Irene’s husband had been murdered and and since Irene had suffered from amnesia, they wanted her under constant guard. When Johnny and gMpe arrived at the Smith estate wpey were met by a beautiful red headed girl and her Great Dane. “I heard you were coming,” the girl said. Johnny thought her eyes were about the nicest green he had ever seen. She held out her hand. “I’m Kay,” she offered. “Kay Smith. My mother is Irene Smith.” » “Oh,” said Johnny. Her fingers were cool. Then he said. “This is my associate, Mr. Martin. The girl looked back at Johnny Saxon. “You came here about mother,” she said. “Well, there are some things I ought to tell rWheiiyotim littie one catches 4 cold* As He Sleeps! At bedtime rub warming, “ soothing Vicks VapoRub on throat, chest and back. VapoRub’s special relief bringing action starts to work instantly to soothe irritation, ease coughing, relieve muscular soreness and tightness. And then— even while child sleeps— VapoRub keeps right on working to bring relief. Remember, it’s the best known home remedy you can use to relieve distress of __ colds. Try it I W VapoRub you.” Johnny’s * level eyes flickered slightly. “If £ou mean about her suffering from amnesia, I already understand—” • “It’s more than that,” Kay said. "She’s had a terrific shock, and so we have to be very careful. My goodness, she now thinks she is an actress. You’ll think she acts oddly, but please try to remem ber that she recalls nothing at all since that night two weeks ago . . .” Her voice faltered and her gaze dropped. “You mean,” Johnny asked gently, “about . . .your father?” Kay nodded. “Have you heard?” “Only a part of it.” said John ny. “If it’s all right, I’d like to hear the whole story.” The girl said, “Mother and fa ther were driving back from New York that night.” Her voice was low: “What exactly happened, no one knows. Father was found the next morning, shot, on a lonely side road near Little Neck. The police found the car in the same vicinity. It had gone off the road and was a total wreck.” Johnny said, “You mean, he was shot and then the car weitt off the road?” “They don’t'know. That’s it. The doctors think that mother must have been in the car though, when it crashed. Some sort of injury hurt her head. It explains loss of memory.” She paused, and John ny thought she did not seem like a very young girl then, but more like someone who had grown up overnight. “We didn’t locate mo ther until two days ago.” she went on. “She remembers nothing at all,” said Kay. Her voice was trembling a little.’“How she got there, where she’s been all this time since the accident, what she’s done . . mo one knows. The doctors say she might snap out of it suddenly, and then again it might be months. She merely considers us friends who have asked her out here. She does not even remember father.” Johnny touched the girl’s slim arm. He said quietly, “I’ll do all I can to help. The way I under SPARTA PIPES, INC. i i WE ARE BUYING WELL TRIMMED IVY AND LAUREL BURLS FQR IM MEDIATE DELIVERY AND CON TRACTING ONLY 1,000 TONS FOR 1947. Sparta Pipes, Inc, TEL. 15 — SPARTA, N. C. PEER—r*# Bevtraf of Moderation Better Beer Dealers Make A Request \ ■ - f .The overwhelming majority of beer retailers in North Carolina want their business operated strictly and totally within the laiw. They want this because they are straightforward, law-abiding citizens, and also because they know it is simply good business to keep their places clean and wholesome. ' Hence this request: Patronize only respectable dealers. Commend those noticeably careful ■bout the conduct of their establishments. stand it, tney ligure that if your I mother regains her memory she’ll1 be able to say who killed your father. That is, if it was anyone she knew.” , . j- I “Yes,” said the girl. “Helping1 mother to remember is part of it.! But that isn’t the only reason we need you. Uncle Thomas also employed you because of the notes." Johnny frowned. “Notes?” "iAne this one,” said Kay, ta king something from the pocket of her beach robe. Unfolding it carefully, she handed it to John ny Saxon. “It came in thf mail the day before yesterday, and was ad dressed to mother.” Johnny read the words that were typed on the single sheet of white paper. They said: You are not Irene Smith. Don’t try to remember who you are. If you do, there might be an other accident. There was no, signature. “Any idea what it means?” Johnny asked. “That’s just it!” said the girl, “We haven’t the slightest- idea.” j Kay’s eyes swept to Johnny Saxon’s, and she added tensely, “Her life’s m danger. That’s why we need someone like you. We understand you used to be a fic tion writer. Well, mother was working on a novel. And so we figure that if you keep reminding her about writing—talking shop, as it were—keep bringing up lit tle details that will make mother remember her book, it might help to restore her memory. But the book has disappeared!” They were interrupted by some one coming from the direction of the terrace. She was tall, and moved with a deliberate grace that reminded him of an actress coming on to a stage. As she came closer, John ny saw that the woman had fair and sensitive features, and that her hair was auburn-red. He knew immedately that -she was Irene Smith. She walked right past her daughter as though the girl were a total stranger. Her gaze was in tent upon Johnny Saxon, and now she was approaching him with outstretched hands. “Darling!” she said softly. ‘ I thought I’d never find you!” Johnny Saxon felt the woman’s cool, firm fingers upon his own. Her eyes could have been beauti fully disturbing except for the slight expression of vacantness that was now in their depths. He said, “Hello.” Irene said, “You’ve been away so long, Barton.” Her eyes shone. “I must talk to you. Alone!” Johnny saw the expression on young Kay’s face. There was a manner about her that told John ny not to be surprised by any of her mother’s actions. . . “Come,” suggested Irene, put ting her arm through his. She nodded toward several chairs near the swimming pool. “These people annoy'■me.” There were white metal chairs close to the pool’s edge, and they sat there. Irene Smith drew her chair close to his, reaching out to clasp his hands, v “Why didn’t you tell me you were going away, Bart?” Her gray eyes seemed to scold him. “Well . . ” “I had arranged to have dinner for you that evening, remember? And then, suddenly you had gone away. I felt terrible, Barton.” “So did I," Johnny hedged. He paused and wondered who Bar ton was and what approach he shoiTld take. “Is there something wrong, darling?” Her eyes watched the calm surface of the nearby water. “You haven’t called me Marie once since you’ve returned.” He said, “No, there’s not p thing wrong. I’ve missed you too.” “Hummm.” Her eyes were closed tficHtt TZexaU t* Sale CONTEST 3 GRAND PRIZES: 1. ROUND-THE-WORLD TRIPI 2. VACATION IN RIO I 3* HOLIDAY IN HAWA1II PAN-AMIRICAN CLIPPtR — All upMui paid far twe peuontl 635 OTHER THRILLING PRIZES (including 10 B^ndix ' Automatic Homo Laundries) Obtain contact niloc and official entry blank at year Recall Onto Star* during the Recall Original ,:'}U Sale - Oct. IS, U, 17, IS. 3* & T. Drug Co* “Tow KexsJl Store" ^ N. C. ‘1 said ... "He paused. Johnny suddenly thought it was too bad she had been in an accident. He imagined she’d had a very bril. bant mind. The nurse said, "She gets these drowsy spells often. They come over her suddenly.” Johnny stood up. The woman in the stiff white uniform had ap proached so quietly across the lawn that he had not heard her. "Who is Bart?” he asked. The nurse shook her head. “She has never used the name before.” Karen struck Johnny Saxon as being cool and efficient and reserved. Her hair and eyes were very dark, and there was enough coloring to her face to offer a nice contrast. “If you don’t mind . . ’’Karen moved toward Irene Smith’s chair. “I’ll take her to her room,” she said. “She seems to tire very easily. It’s time for her nap.” Johnny started toward the house. He opened one of two screen doors decorated with ex pensive bronze hardware and stepped inside the house. He found himself in a spacious hall way which ended at a wide: flight of stairs. I Johnny moved to the first doorway on his right and saw a long, book-lined library. He turn ed around as he heard rapid steps hurrying through the hall. A thin, little man went scurry ing down the length of the hall. He walked with the quick, ener getic steps of a woman, and John- ] ny caught a glimpse of a shock of white hair. The man bent down and*fitted a key into the lock of one door. He tried several keys; apparently he had a fistful. He went to work with determination, fitting first one key and then another into the door lock. The huge Great Dane appeared in one of the archways across the hall, stretched himself lazily, then trotted over to investigate what the little gray-haired man was doing. The man said, “Go away, Mi chael." His voice was inclined to be shrill and sharp. He certainly was no youngster. The little, old guy was still try ing keys in the lock. He kept mut tering to himself. Johnny saw that his pockets were pulled out of shape by the weight of the keys. “Maybe the door’s open," sug gested Jqiyiny. The man straightened. "How’s that?” asked the oldster, squin ting out of small bright blue eyes. “I said, maybe the door’s al ready open.” Stepping forward, he started to reach for the door knob. “Of course it’s open!” snapped the man, reaching out and open ing the door ahead of Johnny. Johnny’s dark brows arched above his eyes. He said, “My name is Saxon. I’m. . .’’ “Your partner’s upstairs,” said the old man. Then he turned and hurried down the service hallway that ‘ was beyond the door. “The devil,” murmured John ny. Later, Johnny found himself in a room floored with pale green tile. Plants and flowers grew everywhere. Somewhere water trickled over stones. It was a nice pleasant sound. Kay was lying on a wicker lounge, her head buried in her arms. Her tunned legs were straight and slim. Johnny sat down and lit a cig arette. “It was tough about your father,” he said. “1 can under stand how you feel.” Kay murmured her thanks. “It wasn’t father.” The remark surprised him. You know what I mean. Mother doesn’t re member us. She thinks she knows you. Yet she recalls nothing. No thing at all!” Hdr lip trembled slightly. She had a nicely formed, determined mouth. Johnny reached out .and pulled a chromium ash tray toward I him. “I understand your mother was examined by one of the beat doctors in New York. What did the doctor think about her case?” i He added, “It really is loss of memory?” “Oh, yes!” There was some slight concussion, too, but the specialist said it was nothing ser ious. | They even took X-rays. All they can surmise is that mother must have driven the car off the road, crashed and was knocked unconscious for some time.” “Then the accident wasn’t dis covered right away?” “No.” “So your father wasn’t found in the car at all?” She shook her head. “He was discovered some distance back down the highway . . Which proves that someone must have ordered mother to drive on alone.” (To be continued) For best results use the New? Classifieds. Topia News Mr. Edison Fields, of State Col lege, spent the week end with his mother, Mrs. Paul Fields. Those visiting Mrs. Belle Blev ins, Saturday night were Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Jenkins, of Ports mouth, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Sturgill, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Sturgill, of Forest Hill, Md.; Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Pugh and son, Fred, of Sparta; also Mrs. Effie Fields and children, Grace, Beulah, Edison and Ray. Mrs. Eugene Black visited her sister, MiSs Ollie Caudill. Sun day. Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Sturgill, Piney Creek, visited Mr. and Mrs. Oscar E. Moxley, Sunday. Mr. Ray Fields returned home from Maryland, Saturday, where he has been employed for a few weeks. The current outlook for North Carolina’s commercial peanut crop is exceptionally good. EXperiewe is the Ekstleacher/ # Remember that wartime cigarette shortage? The many different brands people smoked? As a result of that experience . . , those comparisons .. . more people are smoking Camels than ever before! YOUR'T-ZONE* WILL TELL YOU... T for Taste... T -for Throat.. That’S your proving ground tor any cigarette. See rf Camels dont- suit your*T-2one*to aT." ^better hot-foot it over here .FOR TODAY'S HOTTEST DEAL! Bel OH' AII'OIIT ALLOWANCE! FOR YOUR PRESENT TIRES ON ^ B. F. Goodrich Silvertowns We’ll never get rich on a deal like this but it’s a sure cinch plenty of cars in this town will soon be riding on safer rubber. Look how you save! You get (1) longer than prewar (2) greater safety than prewar (3) lower price than prewar and TODAY we are offering a special "All-Out” allowance for your weary old casings on new B. F. Goodrich Silvertowns, best in the long run for mileage, safety and value. «• -ii EVERY B.F. GOODRICH TIRE CARRIES ^Uui JdifjetUM Qua/uaiiee Every tire or tub* of our manufacture bearing our name and MfU number is guaranteed to be free from defects in workmanship and material without limit as to time or mileage. NORTH CAROLINA
The Alleghany News and Star-Times (Sparta, N.C.)
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Sept. 25, 1947, edition 1
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