The times-news., 1938-10-25
o SERIAL STORY
MURDER TO MUSIC Ss;':';%' :::Ss'' '''' "'
BY NARD JONES
BY NARD JONES

began studying the picture ne ma"
taken just after the fatal shooting
of I.udden Dombey. Suddenly ne
noticed something that he had not
seen in the print itself, something
that in the blowing up" neces-
sary for the magazine reproduc-
tion stood out in startling reliel'
1t was a slender, wisp-like plliar
of smoke. TAFT held the page
nearer to his eyes. He went TO
his desk and took out an engraV-
er's magnifying glass, studied the
reproduction again. That snake
like wrath was not, he discovered
from a cigaret or cigar. In the
first place, it's character was not
that of a spray of smoke from TO-
bacco. In the second, the photo
graph showed quite clearly that
nobody directly beneath that wlsp
of smoke was engaged in smoking
tobacco in any form whatsoever.
Excitedly TAFT tore out that
page and showed it in his pocket.
An hour later he was at the Gol-
den Bowl in the Paciflc-Plaza
hotel. The early crowd of swing
fans was just drifting in. TAFT had
no need to refer TO the crumpied
photo in his pocket. His MINDS
eye. through long practice, was his
cameras eye. In the photograph,
that wisp Of smoke had been Just
in front Of palm which fianked
the bands platform. Unerringly
TAFT found the spot, and found,
too. the position from which the
picture had leen taken. He saw
that the smoke had been at point
not more than two tables away
from the one at which he had sat
with Myrna and Anne and Harris
Rogers. But his memory did not
tell him the appearance Of the oc-
cupants of that neighboring table.
He signaled to one of the Golden
Bowls head walters and the man
hurried forward smiling. Good
evening, Mr.. TAFT. You're early"
"Yes. I'll sit right here if it's
not reserved, Fred"
"There is no reservation until 8
o'clock, Mr.. TAFT"
Bob nodded. "Do you suppose,
Fred, you could find out who oc-
cupied that table over there on
the night Lud Dombey was
killedw
The waiter looked disturbed.
TAFT could see that there. had been
instructions from the management
that the murder Of Dombey was
not to be discussed, and Tait's
question had come as q sort OF
shock. 's
"Tabie "a? Perhaps l can, Mr..
TAFT. Of course, sometimes there
are no reservations. The tables
are simply occupied early and the
party stays through until we close.
Then often the table will be re-
served under one name for a num-
ber of people. Occasionally"
Fred smiled automatically. "ocea-
sionally the name will be a ficti-
Gus one" g.. :
II understand"
TAFT waited, listening idly to
The Swingateers. There was no
question about it, the band was as
good as always. "Torchy" Ste
phens was all right. Perhaps he
did not have quite the glamor Of
Ludden Dombey-but that would
come later, after "Torchy" was
sure of himself. At any rate, the
jitterbugs who were here tonight
seemed to be enjoying themselves
quite as much as though Lud ,
Dombey were up there waving, the
baton or; piping into his clarinet;
TAFT turned from the band and
saw Fred weaving his way toward
him. "I'n have to -disappoint you,
Mr.. TAFT. There was no reserva.
ton on that night for Table "a:
Thanks, Fred. i was afraid
there wouldn't be-" TAFT sighed.
"You see" .
n