The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-05
Murder Al BRIDGE
I1EN Il ANNE A.sT!Na a4z1 of1ag BLACK PIGEON: q
HfE3 ~

And you really couldn't let even
a good friend like Mia Selim upset
those fine plans Of yours, could you,
Sprague?"
Even as he put the sinister ques-
ton, the detective was exulting TO
himself. Light at last! Now I
know why <llis Broadway bounder
was received into an exclusive
crowd like this Every last female
in the bunch hoped to be the star
in Spragues motion pictured"
Il don't know what you're driv-
ing at, Dundee" Sprague was on
his feet, his black eyes blazing out
Of a chalky face. IF you're accus-
ing me of-of-'
"Of killing Nita Selim2' Dundee
asked lazily. ooh, mol Not-yet,
Spraguel I vas just remembering
a rather pulling note Of yours 1
happened to read this afternoon.
That note you sent by special
messenger to Breakaway inn this
noon, you know"
He had little interest for the sud-
den crumbling of Dexter Sprague
into the chair from which he had
risen.
Instead, as he drew the note from
his coat pocket Dundee's eye swept
around the room, noted the undis
guised relief on every face, the al
most ghoulish satisfaction with
which that close-knit group Of
friends seized upon an outsider as
the probable murderer of that other
outsider whom they had rashly
taken into their sacred circle.
Even Penny Grain, thony little
stickler for fair play that she was,
relaxed with a tremulous sigh
"X/OU admit that this note,
I signed by what 7 take to be
your pet name was written by
your hand, Sprague?" Dundee asked
matter-of -factly, as he, extended
the sheet of blush notepaper.
Limoges, I wrote it," Sprague
faltered. But it doesn't mean
thing-not a damned thing! just
little private matter between Mia
and myself"
Rather queer wording for an I'M
important message, Sprague," Dun
dee interrupted. "Let me refresh
your memory: Mia, my sweet"
he began to read slowly, Forgive
your bad boy for last nights row,
but I must warn you again to watch
your step. You've already gone too
far.
"'Of course, I love you and I'M
derstand, but Be good, Baby, and
you won't be sorry!-Drexy.'
Well Sprague?"
Sprague wiped his perspiring
hands on his handkerchief. IT
know it sounds-odd, under the cir
cunlstances," he admitted desper-
ately, "but listen, Dundee, and I'll
try to make that damned note as
clear as possible to a man who
doesn't know his Broadway.
why, man, it isn't even a love
letter. Everybody on Broadway
talks and writes to each other like
that, without meaning thing!
AS I told you, Mia Leigh, or
Mrs. Selirn, remembered some little
kindnesses L had done her On the
Altamont lot, when she got here to
take up that Little Theater work
Mrs. Dunlap is interested in, and
found that the Chamber of Com
merce was interested in putting
Hamilton into the movies, in a big
booster campaign.
She wrote me and I thought it
looked good enough to drop every
thing and come. OF course, Mia
and I got to be closer friends, but I
swear to God we were just
friends"
And what was the friendly row
about last night, Sprague?"
There wasn't row really"
Sprague protested with desperate
earnestness. 1T was merely that
Mia insisted on my casting her for
the heroine of the movie-a thing
knew would ALLEVIATE the whole
crowd that's been SO kind to lis"
''Why-since she was profess
sional actress?" Dundee demanded.
Because she isn't a Hamilton girl,
of course, and the Chamber of Com
merce wants the cast to be all local
talent" Sprague answered, lapsing
into the present tense.
And just what were you warn
ing her against?"
I'D told her before to watch her
STEP" Sprague went on more easily.
You see, Dundee. Mia Leigh is
was-a first-class little vamp. And
I could see she was playing her
cards with the men here"-he indi-
Gated four of Hamilton's most
prominent Chamber of Commerce
members with a wave of his hand
ito get them all so crazy about her
that they'd vote for her as the star
Of the picture.
Il could see her point, all right
It would have been big chance for
her to show how she could act.