The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-11
CHAPTER FORTY

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- In pencil upon the torn back
Of an old envelope:
Dundee" the note began, your
at17usty' has broken parole. For
Gods sake don't hunt me down and
drag me back. I'll turn up soon
enough. but by then it won't make
much difference where I am. Sorry.
Dick"
Dundee stared at the penciled
Bcrawl until the words grew enor-
NOUS.
"Suicide?" he whispered. d.
Fifteen minutes later, in the blue
twilight Of the late September day,
the weary and shaken young de-
tectiye turned the roadster's nose
toward Hillcrest. Fortunately Dick
had left the key in the ignition
switch.
He had done all he could, Dun
dee argued with himself. It would
have been foolish to conduct the
search personally. The police de-
partment had the matter in hand,
and could be relied upon to make
y thorough Job of it.
And as Strawn had assured him
eeliously, those who threaten to
commit suicide seldom go through
with It. Besides, the alarm had
been given so quickly that the des-
perate boy had not more than
fifteen minutes start on his small
band Of uniform, c i lrsuers.
Yes, he had cone all he could,
but it was hard to meet Gigi's eyes
when that ubiquitous child sprang
upon the running board of the car
as it passed between the open gates
OF Hillcrest.
"Hello!" she greeted him blithely.
''I've been lonesome. The reporters
have just left, the last of 'em,
mean. They kept coming and COM
ing, and Abbie gave 'em tea and
let 'em take all the pictures they
wanted.
-She wouldn't let me be inter-
viewed. Afraid I'd spill something,
I shouldn't. Where's Dick? I
saw you and him drive off to-
gether."
Dick deserted me-" he said, as
lightly as possible.
But Gigi was lot deceived. She
leaned over and stared into his eyes
for a moment, then cried reproach-
fully: why didn't you keep an eye
on him, for heavens sake? If you
hadn't rushed off without saying
goodby I'd have warned you not to
let him out Of your sight"
"Why?" he asked, startled.
Because all day he's been bent
on getting drunk again." Gigi re-
torted, as If surprised at his OBJ
tuSeneSS.
nUNDEE drew a sharp breath.
- Stopping the car abruptly, he
drew Dicks note of apology from
his pocket and passed it to the
girl
~It's too dark to read. Hop into
the car and I'll turn the dashlight
On for you"
To hold the soap Of paper under
the weak little bulb she had to
crouch close against him, and in
voluntarily he put his arm about
her shoulders.
"JuSt as I thought The pigl"
Gigi snorted contemptuouSly when
her quick eyes had taken in the
scrawled lines. "I suppose 1t is
worse for him than for the rest OF
as, because he was in love with
Doris, or thought he was, but-Oh
why can't he be a mani"
you think that's what the note
means2-that he's merely sneaked
OF to get drunk?" Dundee asked, as
casually as possible.
~Of Counsel What did you think
-. O-o-o-ohl I Seel" and to
plndee's amazement she laughed
sYou thought that this was sort
Of cryptic confession and advance
notice that Dick was going to COM
init SuicideI II you knew Dick as
well as dol
Nobody loves life better than my
beloved brother. and nobody ha'
less physical courage. A month
from now he'll be crazy about an
other girl, and-Say, did you sic The
police onto him2" she broke of K
demand with sudden amazing
turbulence.
'Yes," Dundee admitted CURLY.
ooh, dear! He'll probably bt
brought home dead drunk in tht
Black Maria, and what chance vii