The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-12
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

MTOW, pending the apprehension
L y Of one Snake" Woman, it was
decided that the newspaper should
know nothing Of the missing Rick
woman or the red mask found in
her trunk. 1 mention this, because
it was the afternoon of that same
day that the city editor also reneged.
The police" he told the assistant
city editor, might get hot on the
trail and give the wrong girl z
scare, and we'd be to blame. YOU
and I will just follow this up by
ourselves for the present"
The G. E. (Which is not only the
popular abbreviation for city edi-
tor, but saves type) lived on Central
avenue, not many doors from West
Main street, and on this particular
Wednesday afternoon he had
dropped into the drug store on the
corner to wet his tonsils. And while
he was leaning against the marble
fount slipping some form of that
harmless and impotent liquid
known as soft drink" the drug
clerk provided an accompaniment
Of polite conversation.
You boys on the paper seem tc
be all het up about this Red Mask
mystery. Did you ever stop to think
somebody might be spoofing you?'
The G. E. held his glass up alb
sently and squinted through the re-
naming contents.
We've thought Of everything
brother. But the spoofing idea
doesn't fit. What about the stuff
the detectives found on the road
for example?"
4 can't make head or tail of any
of it. the drug clerk admitted
But there's that note the police got
in the mail. . 3D.. You know, I think
that was sent by some high school
girl who was looking for a thrill"
Its possible. What makes you
think that?" Talking to the assist
ant city editor days later, the c. E
said he wasn't even passively inter-
ested in what the clerk was saying
but as matter of courtesy was
simply trying to do his share to-
ward keeping the conversation alive
Well, for one thing" the
clerk answered casually, L think ]
saw the girl that sent that note just
before she sent it E"
The G. E. had turned has glass ur
for the last swallow, and he almost
choked. He took a handkerchief
from his pocket quickly and coughec
violently. Then he dabbed his
mouth, wiped his eyes and looked al
the clerk as if he hadn't heard what
he had said.
Excuse me-" he said quietly
went down the wrong pipe. Yol
say you"
"Oh, I don't know for sure, Vol
understand" The clerks expression
suggested that he regretted having
spoken: but it was difficult to re.
tract now. She came in here Sun
day night, about the prettiest kiC
I think I ever saw, wearing a greer
leather jacket and a frock tina
missed her knees by an each. Be
lieve me, she was a knockout, if In
any judge.
Said she wanted to buy an en-
velope and a 2-cent stamp.
Looked like she was a little nervou
about something, too, though
didn't think much about that a
the time. I told her we didn't sci
individual envelopes. but that Il
be glad to give her one. And
did. Then she put two pennies Oh
the counter and 1 handed her
2-cent stamp from the cash regis
ter"
THE c. E. was buttoning hi
i overcoat and fooling with hi
collar. Did she stick around u
write a letter."
No. When I gave her tn
stamp, she thanked me and wen
out. didn't think any more abou
it until Monday when I read abou
the police getting that note.
You're not going to put what In
telling you in the paper, are you?
I should say not" The c. E. wa
definite on that poin1. But it woulC
be interesting to know if that en-,
velope did carry the note to tht
police, wouldn't it?"
The drug clerk was enthusiastic
Wouldn't it. thought Here. II
show you an envelope out of TIT
same box" He reached under TIT
counter and pulled out a small
square box. I'VE usually keep {
broken box around to use here il
the store, you know. Decent stuff
too He lifted the lid from. fhI