The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-22

CHAPTER ONE
DAVID BANNISTER
H. nodded IN tho waito,.


the table. Wasn't a scrap
of real evidence. Four or
five days later his cap
drifted ashore. Aside from
that-well, ne just disap-
peared and nobody knows
any more about it today
than they ever did. The
woman wasn't even ques-
toned. I've never under
stood that part of it. She
was mentioned in his will,
but not for a large amount"
Poor old Louiel" Bannister
raised the cup of coffee, then set
it down again. 1T happened that
fall I was IN Mexico" he said.
Never heard the whole story be-
fore"
And neither has any one else.
The whole story of what happened
that night on that yacht would
interest a lot of people. If Louie
Kane was murdered"
Il can't believe It'll" Bannister
interrupted. II simply can't be-
lieve any one would bump off old
Louie. 1t just doesn't seem like
ly."
do murders ever seem likely?"
"Of course. Lots of them do
when you know the facts. Inevit-
able! But 1 can't believe Louie
Kane was murdered, even if he
was double-dealing old pirate
with plenty of enemies" Bannis-
ter looked up suddenly. There
was something about the whole
sale cussedneSs of the fellow"
he went on. why, Louie would
stand and lie 30 you until he was
black in the face-and know that
you knew he was lying-and I'm
damned if didn't like him while
he was doing it! Say, do you re-
member the time Alex Schneider
was so sure he had the nomina-
ton for senator sewed up and
Louie got the boys together in his
room at O'Clock in the morn
ing?"
Sure I dol" Paxton grinned.
And I remember how Schneider
hit the ceiling when he found he
was beaten. But the best trick
Louie Kane ever pulled was that
time down in Pittsburgh"
They were at it then. For half
an hour the two men were lost in
"reminiscences. Stories about Louie
Kane, the ruthless local political
boss whose death on his private
yacht eighteen months before still
was surrounded by an aura of
mystery. Stories of the adventures
and such adventures of two
young newspaper reporters who
had followed run of the = mill
news, written about politics and
crime and the conventions of fra
ternal organizations. The two had
worked together some times; at
others they had been rivals. Dave
Bannister, still in his teens, and
Paxton year or two older. Both
OF them willing to break a leg to
give the fremont Evening Post
an exclusive banner line story.
A LII that had been ten years
4 n earlier, but as the mems
voices drifted on the ten years
disappeared.
Others in the room turned fire.
quently to glance at the table in
the corner, to nod and murmur
and then to look again. Always
the gaze of these men fingered
on BanniSter. They seemed just
a little in awe of this broad
shouldered young man with the
chestnut hair, slightly rumpled,
and the dark eyes. PaXton'S rather
square face was animated and his
words came nervouSly, with a
rush. 1t was Bannister who sat
back, listening intently, now and
then interrupting. Not a hand
some man.
fremont society enjoyed this
opportunity to inspect David Ban
mister. fremont society had known
him not at all in the old DAYS.
Now they were aware that, with
the publication of his first novel
year before, Bannister's picture
had appeared in newspapers and
magazines. There had been a
motion picture made from the
novel. There had been some short
stories, too, under his signature in
a weekly magazine boasting the
largest circulation in the country.
fremont society was glad to have
close look at this home town
boy who had made good in New
York and in Hollywood.
1t was the Hollywood phase of
BannlSter's career that seemed
most glamorouS to fremont, whose
100000 population patronized two
dozen motion picture houses. There
were those who wondered why,
after such triumphs, the young
man should be back in the home
of his boyhood. Looking at him
40 lac DdG dO JilG tdDl6 WlUl Jim
Paxton, it was hard to believe
BannlSter was making a visit to
his aunt because, as the Evening
Post had stated, he needed a rest.
David Bannister seemed the pic
ture of health.
Paxton was talking now-ierk-
lily, with that characteristic nerv-
Gus emphasis. Il think Burns is
in Guatemala" he said. AT least
he was the last I heard. And
SnodgraSs-remember Snodgrass.
don't you? Well. by George, he's
raising chickenS!"
Bannister smiled. "a worthy
enterprise" he commented. NAV
try it myself some day. Lord.
but that was a crazy gang we used
TO have on The POST 1 wish
there was single thing in the
world that could get excited over
nowadays as used to over Louie
Kane's political rallies or a three
alarm fire or an Oil station hold