A t •*â- I ♦ â- â- â- *- S X «• .i 4- m ♦ I t « T * 1 > t •4 « « * •• A * » 4 ♦ ! i * •« 4 « ^ * â- f « Jk • -* ♦ » * » â- • â- ♦ * A « • t .) A '^^^c^oud "SALAM TEA BAB 6Â¥N0P&]£> CHAPTER XVI: Victoria Biselow calls M llcC&le at hla office In the middle of tk« nlffht. She asks him to obtain some Icttcra from A'allalncourt's apartment. Chapter XVII She seemed suddenly drained of vitality. There was a thwarted look on her face. "So that's that." "Just that, I'm afraid. However, I think you'll hear from your let- ters." He followed her to the door, watching her down the. stairs. At the turn, she looked back at him. She stopped, waiting a moment un- til he became aware that she in- tended to explode a farewell bomb- â- hclL "If they don't turn up, Sherlock, I'll go to Shari Lynn for them, â- what?" She laughed insolently as •be coiitinuc'l down. McCale shook his head in utter weariness as he went back in. He was sure the interview had been a fiasco. At least his share of it. Things were piling up too quickly, too fast, one conclusion contradict- ing another. • • • The telephone was ringing in- sistently. McCale rolled over, opened one eye, swore, and finally grabbed the e.xtra pillow, bund- ling it under his head. He fumbled with the light, snapped It en, lifted the telephone off its cradle. "McCale speaking," he growled. ."Rocky, boss!" "Where are you?" "Corner of .^.spinwall. opposite the Vallaincourt den. Didn't you tell me to keep a lookout?" 'Oh, yeah. All quiet?" "All quiet now. Listen, boss, Hong about five this morningâ€"" "All right. What happened at five o'clock?'' Sleep still hugged him tightly and there was an unreasonable barb in his voice. "Okay, okay, .\round five, a girl showed up with a key to the Vallaincourt ron-day-voo." "What did she look like?" "Just my type, boss. Sort of dark and well-rounded, you know. Big eyes. .A. gorgeous damsel, she was trailing Persian lambs in the gutter. Very snazzy." "Come in a cab?" "Yeah. She left at the corner.'* "Did you get the cabby?" "Nah. 1 followed the girl." » • • McCale stifled a chuckle. -Well?" "1 cornered her in the apart- ment. She turned tough, but I only got a scratch here and there. "Who was it?" "Hold on to your hat. now. It was Victoria Bigelow." "Victoria Bigelow ?" Surprise jerked him wide awake. "Uh uh. She was after some letters of hers, she said." "Well, well." Victoria had cer- tainly had a busy night, he thought. "The place was clean, like you said. No secret panels, eithoi. 1 â€" that is â€" I finally helped her hunt for them." "Go home and grab yourself some grub and shuteye." said Mc- Cale. "Get here about one o'clock. I'm going to he busy this morn- ing." "Right. Signing off." • » ♦ The line went dead. McCale sat there, forgetting the telephone in his hand. His eyes were bright and exasperating as hi"; mind la- bored in a disturbing whirl of the' unexpected. At eight forty-five ho called Ann Marriott on the telephone. To her cool "hello", he said. "Good morning. This is your boss." "Oh, good morning, darâ€" boss. ••Anything important? I'm on my way in about five minutes." "No hurry. In fact, this is just to say you might shop for an hour if you want to and then do an •errand for me. \X eleven you might be around Broadmore." "Broadniore?" "Yes. The Baysrcuth, to be exact. I want you to drop in on Shari l.jnn- -"^uiic Wi." " , , . And pray what shall I BROWN wN.Ul FCATURCt use as an excuse for dropping in, as you say? Don't tell me you're sending nie along to smooth the way for you â€" a more subtle ap- proach, so to speak?" "No â€" and that's comedy enough for now, my girl " He grew serious. "I saw her myself late last night, for that matter. "I'd Hke a line on how she is this morning. Y'ou know â€" sad. gay, expectant? .\sk her for her autograph. Anything to get in. Talk about Vallain- court if you can without being thrown out." « « • "That all?" "Yes. Just a check-up to satisfy a point that's been nagging me. She's fairly transiiarcm. It ought to be easy." "Oh, yes. indeed. It sounds, too, too easy. .â- Ml right. I'll do my best. See you when?" ".\bout noon. Here. 'Bye, sweet." He knew that to solve this prob- lem, he had first to break down the buttress of tradition that sur- lounded the Bigelows. He knew he was up against something that even the overestimataed awe, or if you will, majesty, of the law could not upend. On impulse he dialed police headquarters and asked for Don- levy. .-Kfter a slight delay, the curt, incisive vaice of the lieu- tenant came through. "Donlevy here.' "McCale. lieutenant." "Oh â€" sure. Not out yet liunt- ine the foul, criminal?" . ♦ • * "On the way. I'd like to know what the Bigelow women were wearing when they they came in yesterday â€" outside the green ihingmajig \'eronica sported.' "Of course. Didn't I mention that?" "No." "Well, here it is. Victoria, an oiled-silk affair, yellow; Karen, a black velvet suit, black cape; Sybil, a light brown raincoat. That help?" "Uh uh. It was Sybil, then, who walked away into the fog." ''Vou think so? She claims to have been at the drugstore." ".Vot for my money." "I kind of think not. That family! It's almost impossible to get them to admit anything. They're all protecting one another. What? I've had a devil of a time and got nothing so far." "You"ll get less, very likely, now they've had a chance to compare notes. " There was a pause. Then Don- levy said, almost cheerfully, "I guess \ eronica's our girl.'' "Vou really think so?" "The l.ynn woman's evidence will put the finish on it." "Oh." McCale pondered over that for a moment, then decided to add, "I'd keep a sharp watch on the Lynn woman.'' « * • ''Why?" [')onlcvy"s interest was immediate. "1 would. That's all." "Now, Duke, you must have a reason. Why be mysterious?" "I'll drop in to see you later in the day. Okay?" "By all means." The body had been removed to the morgue and laboratory for full- er examination. Lieutenant Don- levy and liis squad had finished with the preliminaries. The hun- gry press bad been thrown a bone to nibble on. .Men had been sent to \'alIaincourt's apartment to look over papers and belongings for a possible clue. Then, at nine this morning, a plainclothes man had interrupted breakfast with an urgent request for \ cronica. He was politely in- sistent that she must come at once to the office of Lieutenant Don- levy for further questioning. She was not to be alarmed. It was a matter of routine. But â€" To Be Continued 16 BeKsâ€" All's Well The only time during the year when more than eight hells ?rc sounded on shipboard is at mid- night New Year's Eve, when 16 bells are sounded ALL ONTARIO AIDS FLOOD RELIEF DRIVE Today, under the auspices of the Provincial government, every Ontario community is collecting food and clothing for the Ontario British Flood Rehef Campaign, whose chairman is the Hon. Russell T. Kelley, Ontario minister of health. Shipments will shortly proceed overseas to aid people in areas such as Maidenhead, Berk- shire (above) where a pohceman is seen aiding a woman who got into deep water. The Ontario campaign continues until May 15 under the executive directorship of Christie A. McDonald. Head- quarters are in the Parliament Buildings, Toronto. I ANN£ KIRST 1 You Must Decide Your Own Future DEAR ANNE HIRST: Shall 1 re- * marry my first husband, or an * older man who loves me now? .\t 17 I ran away and got married to a boy the same age, and both our parents demanded it be annulled. H e went off to school, I had a child and stayed home to care for her. Now 1 * am 2S, and engaged to tnis man a dozen years older. I admire him, * and he can give me and my httle * girl everything. She loves him as * though he were her own father. * But recently I met my first hus- * band. Not knowing [ was engaged, * he came the next day, and he * wants us to marry again ! 1 know * now that is what 1 want, too. My * little girl, however cried when I * told her and said she would never * stay with him. (She doesn't know * ,he is her real father). My fiance * is away so I haven't talked w-ith * him. Do you think my child will * learn to love her father? (He * can't provide for us as well). Or * shall I go ahead and marry my * fiance? â€" Kitty. « * * * WAIT You are indeed in a dilemma. Un- lit vtiM sazv your first husband again, you felt you could be a good tcife to this other man ezxn though you did not love him. But nozv you reat- i:e where your heart really belongs â€" and you knozv that marrying him leould HOi be fair. I'm afraid you would find it imfossible to be a loyal wife, with your nature calling out to this first love you knew. And you ivouldn't want to marry any man merely to giz'e your child a home. I'm sorry you sprung the idea of marrying your first husband so suddenly on this child of yours He is a stranger to her. i'he had al- ready accepted the older man as her stepfather, and naturally she resents anyone else Had she met her real father merely as a friend of yours, she might have grown fond of him. That can happen, even yet // you lun'e niaae .ip your mind you can marry no one but your first husband, tell your fiance. He knows life well enough to understand, I e.rpect. 7 hen bring your child and her father together naturally, dispel the idea of an immediate marriagi from her mind, and let him win her friendship and her trust. Once the older man is out of the pict'ure. she may transfer her affections. Chil- dren do. you know. Only you can decide your oion future. .Vt> one cl.te has the right to influence you. lake your limeâ€" and all my good w-ishes. * » » .\nne Hirst helps yx>u choose the wise course to follow. If you want her opinion, write her Bo.x "A", 73 Adelaide St. West, Toronto. A COSY HOME is cosier still when you serve Max- well House Coffee. So deli- cious it satisfies completely. Expert blending assures you coffee that^s faniou^i for smootli, mellow flavor. Sonday School Lesson Struggle For Social Justice Amos S:6-13, 21-24. Golden Text. â€" Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live. â€" .â- \mos 8:14. Nowhere, perhaps, in all the history of nations are there to be found more indealistic regulations for the prevention of social injustice than among the Jews in their an- cient homeland. One recalls the Cities of Refuge, the land laws, the provisions for the protection of debtors, the Year of Jubilee and other regulations all designed to safeguard human rights and welfare. Yet, in spite of all this, injustice and oppression were prevalent. Then, as now, there were grafters and exploiters. • * * Imagine some thoughtful, intelli- gent, hard-working farmer who un- derstands the conditions upon which our life and welfare depend coming into one of our modern cities. He would observe the ease and luxury of those making no real contributic>n to society, not to men- tion the evil and corruption that are so flagrant. Then you can un- derstand something of what the Prophet Amos was to his times in ancient Israel. Amos was a herdsman, accus- tomed to clean living. He was roused to indignation by what he saw . . . "the dust of the earth on the head of the poor . . . the righteous sold for a pair of shoes." He saw the gross immorality of fathers and sons, the turning of judgment to wormwood, and the abandonment of righteousness. He saw the very acts and rites of reli- gion perverted. « * « Amos represents God as saying, "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies." But he calls for re- pentance: "Let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream." Don't we need that call today? The association of righteousness with peace is not accidental. It reminds us of the only true foun- dation upon which peace can be built, whether it be domestic peace, industrial peace or international peace. Cheer Up! The doctor was visiting a patient. "You're getting along nicely, Mrs. Brown," he said, cheerily "Y'ou'U soon be up and queueing." Do I Enjoy Ueals CJf.E. BDlLETDf Best Kitchen Plan Takes $100 Prize They say a woman spends more time in her kitchen than in any other room in the house. If that's the case, then a well planned kit- chen can solve many a home- maker's difficulty. Did you ever stop to figure out how you could save steps in your kitchen, how you could accomplish more with less effort by moving the kitchen furniture, by altering the fixtures? Put down the plan of your present kitchen and then draft one containing your own ideas for improvements. The Canadian Na- tional Exhibition is offering $100 in prize money for the best re- modelled kitchen plans sent in. Kate .-Mtken, Director of Wo- men's Activities, makes it clear that every contestant must be a bona fide homemaker. Architects draw- ings or professional layouts will not be considered by the judges. Two plans must be sent â€" one of the old kitchen, showing its size, openings and working difficulties. The second plan would show the kitchen as it could be re-modelled, done to scale, with a list of the changes and their appro.ximate cost. Kitchen plans must be received by July 25, according to .Mrs. Ait- ken. They will be judged by com- petent judges and the prize winning kitchen will be set up in the Coli- seum. Entry forms are now avail- able by writing direct to: Women's Section, Canadian National E.xhibi- tion Grounds, Toronto. Meet Jonathan Jonath.in, a 200-ycar-old tortoise which was on St. Helena when Napoleon passed on tliere in exile in 1821, had his photo.graph taken by the Royal Family when they broke their journey home from South Africa by visiting the island. The Queen fed Jonathan a banana. Churchill, the Artist Winston Giurchill went to the head of the art class recentlyâ€" tw« of his paintings were selected for exhibition in the Royal Academy. The former Prime Minister bu been painting for years but this ia the first time bis work has been selected for Britain's foremost gal- lery. Rheumatic Pains? I* The moment you feel tile tirsT twinges of 'rheumatic pain â€" start r.iking Kruschen. Thousands of people who have suffered irota rheumatic paina have vvTJtten to tell us how Kruschen has helped them. Why not let Kruschen help you? By taking ICruschen regularly each morning, the system ia benefited by tlie mineral salts in this fine old remedy. The organs of elimination are helped to act normally and that leads to an improvement in health and ease- ment of rheumatic pains. So try the Kruschen treatment, according to direc- tions on each bottle for the neit few weeks. At all Druggists: 25c and 75c. KRUSCHEN Helps fo keep you smiling ! . PARKER HOUSE ^c/Zs- Better Bake Plenty Add 1 envelope Royal Fast Rising Dry Yeast and 1 tsp. sugar to 1 c. lukewarm water. Stir; let stand 10 min. Scald 1 c. milk, add 5 tbs. sugar; add 2 tsp. salt, cool to luke- warm. Add to yeast muiture. Add 3 c. sifted flour, beat until perfecdy smooth. Add 4 tbs. melted shortening and 3 c. more sifted flour, or enough to make easily han- dled dough. Knead well. Place in greased bowl. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about lJ-2 hours. Punch dough down in bowl; let rise agaia in «'arm place until nearly doubled in bulk, about 40 fflin. When light, loU out J4" thick. Brush over Ughdy with melted shortening. Cut with 2" biscuit cutter, crease through center heavily with dull edge of knife, fold over in pocketbook shape. Place on â- well-greased shallow pans 1" apart. 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