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-BAFFLING MURDERS •J'HE most entertaining moments can be spent in following clever, well 1 constructed detective stories with plenty of suspense. They make the blood tingle as well as furnish the mind with delightful action in fol lowing the unexpected maneuvers of arch criminals. Gruesome crimes and the most ingenious tricks provide the unusual thrills of “Baffling Murders.” It will be genuine pleasure to read the clean-cut, sophis ticated. true murder mysteries related by Hubert Holcomb, master detective. This is an exclusive Illustrated Feature Section feature provided for your entertainment. Look forward each week to “Baffling Mur ders.” THE CARLISLE MURDER CASE By BROWNING STREAT 'SYNOPSIS BEGIN READING HERE: Spending my vacation at a place called Eagle Rest, in the Shenandoah Valley. I became acquainted with two very interesting men—Ralph Miles, a feature writer for a syndicate of Negro newspapers, and Hubert Holcomb, former crack member of the Chicago Police Department Naturally, since crime detection is much more interesting than the selling game, or feature writing, our conversations would always drift around to criminals and crime. , He. Miles and I began to meet on the north veranda evenings, a seldom used part ol the little hotel, there to listen to Holcomb’s versions of the Carlisle Murder Case, the Simmons Murder Case, the Mitchell Murder Case, the Collins Murder Case, and the Griffin Murder Case—all of which 1 shall in due time record for you in these columns. Briefly, the first part of Holcomb’s experience with the Carlisles was thus: One cold January morning some years ago, Mrs. Jasper Carlisle, wealthy, about forty-nine years old, the wife of one of the wealthiest Negroes in and about South Park way at the time, culled at headquarters and sought out the Missing Persoas Bureau— where she suddenly broke into tears and stated that her husband had disappeared. He was last seen by their chauffeur when he put him on the sidewalk in the downtown section about four o’clock the preceding evening. Hubert Holcomb was given this case. As a first step he decided to call on Mrs. Carlisle and arrived at her luxurious apartment about two hours after her dismissal at headquarters. He found tier deud sprawled on her own living-room floor in a pool of blood: a gash at her temple, ar.d a heavy nietal book end on the floor bsside her, bloody! NOW FINISH THE STORY LAST INSTALMENT « After telling Miles and me about the body he had round sprawled on the floor, Holcomb had lapsed into a dra matic silence. But nov; he stirred, discarded his pipe, and plunged into the narration again I say “plunged” ^because I commenced to see ... . • • • • Holcomb suddenly lifted his eyes from the lifeless body of the woman and swung around t-oward the door. | * He had become aware of a faint movement. Automatic in hand, he listened and was drawn toward what appeared to be a coat closet. As he neared it, the movement grew more distinct, and the door itself began to open slowly — then suddenly it j swung entirely open! Holcomb stooped and frowned. A man — a little brown-skinned man — stood half stooped, with his hands caressing his forehead and terror m j his reddened eyes. ‘ Who are you?” Holcomb spat the! words. The man seemed to suddenly jerk! himself from out of a trance. With out uttering a word, he immediately passed the detective into the living room and fell heavily upon the wo man's body, weeping and pounding the floor madly. ‘‘The dog!” he groaned. “_ the dirty dog! Oh, Annie - Oh, God, Annie - *f you’d only stayed away a little long er!” And then he collapsed. For a minute Holcomb just stood j there and pitied the poor devil. He had to. He then started a series of questions — and it was one sor ry story! Mr. Carlisle — and It was he — pulled himself to his feet,, then ha if stumbled, half fell into a convenient chair, as wretched a figure as one would ever see. His hands covered his face; his body slumped forward. “I’m the victim of the rottenest deal imaginable,” he told Holcomb between convulsions. “— kidnapped — held prisoner all night — and how this!” For a split second his eyes focus- [ ed upon his wife. Holcomb waited in silence. “I left my club abcut ten o’clock,” he started afresh, “and was stand ing on Indiana Avenue waiting for a taxi — our chauffeur goes off around eight — when suddenly a car drew , swiftly up and stopped directly in front of me. As quick as a flash, a tall man, his hat pulled low over I his eyes, his hands stuffed into his overcoat pockets, got to the sidewalk | and whispered gruffly, ‘You’re cov I ered. see? Get into the car. Squawk | an’ I’ll drill you. Move!’ “•I got into the car to save my life. ! As soon as the door slammed, it shot 1 forward and at least three men pro | ceeded to bind and gag me, cursing ! and threatening me all the while.” “Where did they take you?” Hol i comb questioned impatiently. “Which direction did they take?” “I don’t Know',” Carlisle said, “— I I’ll never know', because the dogs j chloroformed me! The next thing II remember I was sitting in a poorly | furnished, ugly room, bound to a ; squeaky chair, with the three cut throats pacing the floor in front oF I me, whispering among themselves, [ smoking cigarettes, and cutting at I me with malicious glances three brown-skinned men. they were, with the mark of the underworld upon their faces.” The bereaved man's words sud SICK HEADACHE? Get Overnight Results With LAX-ANA or Get Your Money Back The 60c Bottle Contains Twice the Quantity of the 35c Size LAX-ANA (Double Strength) RHEUMATIC PAIN ? ? 7 7, ASK FOR PRESCRIPTION C-2223 If you want to banish rheumatic aches and pains quickly, try this well-known doctor’s prescription. Based on years of medical practice and registered as Prescription C-2223, this effective formula has brought relief to thousands of rheumatic sufferers. Prescription C-2223 attacks rheuma tism, g<5ut and neuralgia at the source. It tends to remove tfee cause by helping to clear the system of accumulated waste matter and poison acids. Ask your druggist for the large size bottle of Prescription C-2223 today. If you fail to get relief after taking this prescription as directed, return the bottle to the druggist from whom you purchased it and your money will be refunded. 1 Hubert Holcomb unearths the gruesome solution of the Carlisle murder denly ceased. His body drooped ev en further forward; his feet twitch ed nervously unon the carpet; his fingers stiffened and relaxed like a man itching for blood. Inaudible curses escaped his lips. Holcomb compressed his lips; took to pacing to and fro. Carlisle sud denly sat-upright and glared at him, insanity in his eyes thunder in his voice. “Stop it!” he rasped. “I say stop it! That’s the way that dog hounded me — stand still!” And then ne beat his fists upon the arms of the chair, lurched forward again and groaned. The detective caressed his chin and frowned, yet his response was sympathetic enough. “I can ap- j predate your feelings, Mr. Carlisle,” [ ho said, standing over the man; “but j - • try, if you can, to let me have the rest of the story.” Carlisle remained silent for a min ute, then went on ironically: “One of the dogs,” he said, “— apparent ly the leader, made their position clear. They wanted money — lots of it — at least five thousand. When I refused, he cursed me, threatened, vowed to stuff my body into a gunny sack and toss it into the Lake. And I believe he would have.” Carlisle suddenly staggered to his feet and, avoiding the body on the floor, crossed the room to the mas sive library table. From a drawer i he took something, • then recrossed ! the room and handed it to Holcomb, j ‘Tf I could have gotten to it!” he : said grimly. It was a little Colt automatic. Hoi comb examined it, then folded hb arms, Carlisle sank dejectedly into (Con .ued on page 7) sprained anklet Sloan’s Liniment PICTURE YOU RSELFwithl *£*mo 0 N-: r,\ I '!*'. I . .. ‘-r..-.I The magic of Pluko’s effectiveness is its special hair oils. These fine oils, scientifically combined, soften and straighten each strand and beautify your hair—naturally. No wonder thousands of women and men use it regularly! SOFT STRAIGHT HAIR. It’s easy to make your dream of beautiful hair come true. A remark able preparation—Pluko Hair Dressing —brings you quick, sure results. Tonight—apply this delicately-per fumed hair dressing to your hair accord 1 ing to directions and massage it well : into the scalp. Do this for several nights and then note the results. You will be amazed! For Pluko works wonders with coarse, stubborn, unattractive hair. It changes it to soft, smooth, straight hair and brings out all its natural lustre and beauty. Give Pluko a trial. 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