Evening Star Newspaper, September 20, 1936, Page 82

fiel% THIS WEEK of the DRAGON A weird campfire, a primitive Tahitian Drum — danger, and a cry of warning! Part Two of a colorful new serial by ERLE STANLEY GARDNER THE STORY SO FAR night before their ship was due in I Tahiti, Lynn Downey and Tracy Burke, chatting after midnight at the railing, were startled by a woman'’s screams and sounds of a struggle on the boat deck above. A dagger flashed past them into the ocean, and a sheet of note paper fluttered down and whipped against a post. Burke, believing that someone had been stabbed, rushed to the deck above, in a fruit- less search. Lynn soon joined him and re- ported that the paper had blown out to sea. Turning detective, they took a stroll about the ship. They came upon Roscoe Browning, a collector of primitive drums who lived in Papeete, prowling about one deck and upon Alton Clegg, apparently searching for the note paper, on another deck. After Burke had left Lynn and informed the rather uninterested captain of what had taken place, he went to his cabin. He found it in disorder and realized that it had been searched. Going into the corridor, he met Lynn, now very much upset, and she led him to her stateroom on the same deck. It, too, had been ransacked. A revolver lay on the floor, and be- side it — the body of adead man! From Lynn's cabin Burke sent word of the murder to the captain. Immedi- ately the deck lights, turned off at mid- night, flashed on. Tracy stared out on deck incredulously. The sudden illumina- tion had caught Lynn sheet of note paper like that which had fluttered down from the boat deck! PART 11 APTAIN Por- LARD, a few minutes earlier, had lounged indolently in his cabin and had listened to Tracy Burke’s story with yawning composure. Now he took one look at the body in the stateroom and galvanized instantly into the competent executive who is accustomed to shouldering responsibility. “Whose room is this?”’ he asked. Lynn Downey, who had followed him in through the door said, “It’s mine, Captain.” “Who killed this man?” “I don’t know.” “How did he happen to be in your state- room?” “I don’t know, but you can see for yourself, the room has been searched.” “Do you know him?” “Just as one of the passengers, that’s all. He’s Gregory Jackson. I talked with him only this afternoon, just a casual chat in the smoking room. I understand he is a banker from Pittsburgh.” THE STEADY BEAT OF THE DRUM, THE FLICKER OF THE FLAMES, AND BROWNING'S CEASELESS MONOTONE HELD THEM SPELLBOUND “Where were you ‘when he was shot?” “I don’t know.” “Why don’t you know?” “Because I don’t know when he was shot.” “Is that your gun?*’ “Yes. It was in one of the drawers in the dresser.” “What right have you to carry a weapon?’’ She frowned, started to say something, then shook her head and said nothing. “Can’t you answer that?” *“No,"” she said shortly. The captain locked eyes with her for a moment, then whirled to Tracy Burke. “Where were you at the time of the shooting?”’ “I don’t know,” Burke said, “for the same reason Miss Downey doesn’t know. I have every reason to believe, however, that I was in your cabin reporting what we had heard taking place on the deck above.” “Do you know this man?” he demanded. “I've seen him, of course, but I've never talked with him.” Captain Pollard stepped to the telephone, said to the operator, “Captain Pollard speaking. Send the first officer down here on the jump.” He turned swiftly to Lynn Downey. “Why was your room searched?” “I don’t know.” “Have you any valuables here?"” “Nothing to speak of.” “Do you think this matter has any con- nection with what you heard on the upper deck?” “I don’t know, I'm sure,” she said with dignity, and, watching her, Tracy felt a vague uneasiness. Was her sudden coolness an attempt to forestall questions concerning that bit of paper? Captain Pollard stepped to the foot of the bed, stood looking down at the figure on the floor. “This man,” he said, “was in your stateroom when he was killed, Miss Downey. He was not dragged in here afterwards.” lllystration by Marshall Frantz * lar restrictions?” Magazine Section g “Obviously,” she said coolly and easily. | Knuckles sounded in a perfunctory knock on the door. It was opened without waiting for a response, and the first mate’s husky frame loomed on the threshold. Captain Pollard said, “Mr. Swanson, take Miss Downey to my cabin, take Mr. Burke to yours and return here at once.” The captain turned to stare meaningly at the two passengers, and his gaze struck Tracy Burke with a force amounting almost to physical impact. “It is my wish,” he said, “that you two don’t try to compare notes. Is that satisfactory?” Lynn Downey's eyes were indignant. “Do you mean that I am being accused ——"* “I mean,” Captain Pollard said, “that I’'m going to be busy. Obviously you don’t want to stay in thss stateroom. I want you where I can find you, and I don’t want you talking this thing over with Mr. Burke. May I count upon your co-operation?’’ She hesitated a moment, then said, “Very well.” Tracy Burke nodded and said, “You may count on my co-operation, Captain.” *“This way,” the mate told him. Burke had been waiting in the mate’s room for more than an hour when the mate opened the door and said, “You may 'go now, Mr. Burke. The captain says thanks for your co- operation.” : “Did you find out anything?"”’ Burke asked. “I didn’t discuss the matter with the captain.” “What I meant was had — has the guilty party been discovered?” . “As to that, I couldn’t tell you. The old — m-m-m — Captain Pollard is a peculiar chap. You should see him in a poker game to under- stand him. Good night, Mr. Burke.” Burke said good night and turned back to ask, “Am I supposed to be under any particu- There was the ghost of a smile on the mate’s lips. “I think not,” he said, “only don’t try to leave the ship before it docks in Papeete.” Burke managed to grin, and walked out (Continved on page 10) e KT ST — o o PP OR N LD 2D ® A A O . e