The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-10-24
CAST OF CHARACTERS

CAS- VI NElHNfN~ k~ANS
MYRNA .DOMBEY heroine
Wife of the sensational swing
band leader. ,..
ROBERT TAlT-hero. News
paper ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
ANNE LESTER-Myrna's clos
est friend
DANNIE FREELEY-offieer as
signed to investigate Ludder
Dombeys murder.
Yesterday: TAFT theories thai
George Weeks, who wrote The
Cats Meow" murdered Dombey
in revenge. Feeley and TAFT re-
turn to the factory district for
cle~s.
CHAPTER NIX
The Millbav district looked
much less fantastic to Talt IN the
early morning than it had in the
moonshadows when the taxi driver
had almost given his life IN the
discord of a cats cry-and when
TAFT had detecvted that haunting
odor of perfume. But even IN the
light of day it was an evll-looklng
area, and the factory in which
TAFT had fruitleSSly pursued an
attacker wa sthe worst building
of the lot.
This is it," TAFT said to Dan
ME Feeley as the latter drove his
car alongside.
Fecley eyed it with distaste: "A
fine spot for murder, all right.
D'you know, Bob, if you'd come
here alone. and they'd done you
in il might have been days betote
ANYBODY found out about it. No
body comes down here but the last
of the buns, and it hasn't been on
the patrol chart for five years.
Yeah. | owe my HE to
that taxi driver, all right" TAFT
stepped out of the car. Come on,
let's 60"
Take it easy, son. There's
nothing to tell US that the bird
isn't still up there. If it's the
goofy musician he may not have
sense enough TO scfam.
Cautiously they climbed the
narrow staircase, and TAFT showed
Feeley where the candle had been
burning. The Irishman nodded.
"I don't think it could have been
your fancy blond, TAFT. A woman
doesn't usually carry the stub of
a candle around" -
"But how do you account for
the perfume?"
az don't" said Feeley. "At least
not yet" He started elomping up
the stirway to the big machine
room, These your tracks,"
ayes. And those marks in the
dust are where the others were
swept up -
Feeley looked. They go to the
window, all right. How do you
explain he had the time to man.
age that" --- 49,;
81 figured / was covered. That
light on the landing worried me.
There was plenty of time before
got the nerve to make the sec
ond landing"
(Which" said Dannie Feeley,
twas lucky for YOU"
They went to the window,
climbed down TO the roof next
door. Gravel on tar, it showed no
trace of a recent occupant. The
knife wielder could have walked
for block over the ancient roofs,
or could have gained the street in
a dozen places down fire escapes.
There's nothing we can get out
here" Feeley said. TAFT followed
him back to the factory room,
watched while Dannie went over it
practically foot by foot. At length
the detective Strengthened YEARLY
and shook his head. 81 don't see
anything / can tie to. It's certain
~ a cinch that nobody's been
using this room for very long. But
I'll send Dunphy down with a
squad to look over all the ada
cent buildings. We might find
where this guy Weeks has been
lodging since he skipped his board
bill lat Old Lady Sourpuss'.
As they went down the stairs
again, Feeley ipined dourly, "You
know, it beats hell. In all the de-
tective stories | ever read a couple
of guys in our position up there
would have found something-a
busted match, or a hunk of hair,
or cigaret butt. All We find is
dust"
"You keep forgetting that there
was a noise like a cat meowing,
and the odor of perfume.
Il don't keep forgetting it
even if I'd like to. Feeley shot
TAFT look of disgust. "I'm talk
ing about tangible clews. All you
give me is smell and a sound. A
fine couple of clews" Feeley
yawned prodigiously. 1--WE got to
get some sleep, and have an idea
you could use some"
"Iou said it, Dannie. Drop me
off at the apartment, will .you?"
At the apartment Bob ,tele-
pn9neu MyTna. hS neafI nlIeQ al
her voice. He was sure there was
relief in it. Bob, where have you
BEEN"
"Just around. Pm getting some
sleep right now. But I'd like to
take you and Anne; to dinner to-
night. How about it?''
WED like to-" Myrna said.
s:&
In the days that followed, din
ner for the trio became regular
thing, And sometimes, when TAFT
noticed that Myrna's spirits were
mp, they would drop into the Pa
cific-PIaza to hear the band. AT
first Myrna obviously steeled her
self against the memory that came
r1lshinO whom Shp nptprad tho