European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1948, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Which had paled beneath its,,dated the fourth Mccann evenly. Some   found the body to the Lake. Piot fas from Shore at nine in the morn and the overturned Rowboat was found later. The Coroner said he had dead about five hours from oing. His examination showed Al Cohol and some bruises. I got around atafternoon.",Mccann Laid the Papert Down and laced his Short fingers. I had a look at the Cabin and it was evident what had happened. There d. Been a party. When it broke  had decided to go fishing. He had changed into his old clothes and his hat with Trout flies on it was found in the t boat Mccann lifted his shoulders steady from drinking.". Keith leaned Forward in his chair. 3t who was at the party we did t find of we asked at Ake in the sky Lodge but when he left there he was alone. Martin had rented Cabin about a mile from the Lodge for honeymoon. He evidently had dinner  got into the spirit of the occasion and had a few too Many r drinks athe bouncer had to put him out forcibly i and that s the last we Knoot him Bill Keith was on his feet leaning. Across the desk. The bouncer Whatt. Mccann s keen Blue eyes narrowed slightly. Rick Martin did t drink Keith in listed. You said that Mccann remarked  voice. But Don t you see. The sheriff stood up too. You knew your Friend he said quietly. I did to there was a Short silence in the of flee and then Mccann sat Down again. Have you met anybody yet anybody at All slightly Keith admitted with sad irony. Just How much do you know about Routier he s from san Diego. Just took Over As manager at the sky this  How about Benson he s Routier s right hand. Idolizes him tries to copy him in everything f even clothes. Reminds me of a dressed up  in Keith s voice there was a grow ing  s Denise Rose Brunei thin sort of pretty ."yes.", i think she s the dancer and sing Erin the floor show. She s new too. Came. Up from san  a blonde named Alana Stevens Mccann Shook his head. She says she s Routier s new Secre-tary.". Say Mccann bobbed his head i approval you be been Busy since you  too Busy observed Keith an stood up reaching for his hat thanks Mccann anyway and i think til follow your suggestions he added shaking hands. " the interview with sheriff Mccann was Only part of the ordeal that Keith had dreaded to face in Reno re believed the worst was yet to Comein the deserted lobby of the courthouse he found a Telephone Booth and dialled the hotel at which Mary Gerard was stay ing.  that matched disown she finally agreed to meet him and suggested a nearby Corner. It was ten minutes before a new convertible Drew in toward the curb and the girl who was driving Slid across the mein own Knipf j. \ pc when the silence ended All tenseness seat to peer out at Keith had been dispelled. Keith sat Down too. " i m sorry he murmured. But Rick Martin would t do what you said. I v. Never knew him to take one drink. I because of a Promise he had made to the Uncle who raised him. He never talked about u much but Rick kept promises. He would t have  to Mary Gerard either. He loved her. He was going to marry her she identified the body Mccann i a it was Cal Routier the manager of the sky who told jus what had Hap-,.pened,". Mccann ?. Went on., the said. Benson had to use Force and that would account for the   _ Routier too there was a sickly smile on Bill Keith s lips. What do you k think happened la i had a letter from Rick written the night he went to the Lodge Keith said. He said he was going to do his last .7 gambling that night now he was mar %1rying. R gambling was one of the Lefew faults he had. I be watched him play a poker. When he Vas Lucky he Waisun believably Lucky i think  ,.and that someone waylaid 6 inv that s an old custom in t it?."the liquor could have been forced Down him by a big Man. Or two men and the whiskey could have been planted in the Cabin. With anyone  drowning would look like an Acci Dent. But Rick did t a Funk a and that s All you have to go on ,1mccann asked. Keith kept looking at Hojny Tevelly m Ccann sounded sad. Just Faith  \ a. Ituau what would you  you re registered at Lake in the sky Lodge now Mccann said. Does anyone know who you Are or Why you re there v -"-"no.". I d stay around awhile and keep Myes and ears open before i asked any questions. If you walk in Flat footed and begin an open investigation you wont learn any More than i did. I d get acquainted among the employees at the Lodge and see who i could Trust an might give me. A line on Routier. Wbb Abmd mat a us Well Bill hello after four years the attempted lightness in her voice was a nervous note too High. Keith moved toward the curb. "hello,Mary." /. Even in the Uncertain Light from a nearby Street lamp Keith could see How she had changed in four years. Or wait he thought sadly in two weeks that hollowness around her Large dark eyes the whiteness of her round face. I m sorry i did t return your phone Call this afternoon she was saying rapidly but when i came Back from lunch i Felt tired and i 1 had a rest and then i i shall i drive Keith suggested. Please said Mary Gerard. S swinging around the gleaming Hood of the car Keith climbed in behind the wheel. He drove Down a Side Street lined with modest Frame houses and it might have been any Street in the Middle West on a summer evening except that the thick growing Shade tree were cottonwoods instead of Elm and Maple. The,.girl moved restlessly  and  in a Sharp voice from which pretence had  s not waste any time Bill. Why Are you Here surely not to console me. ,. You never liked me and i never liked you. The Only thing we had in common ,., Ever. Was Rick Martin and now he s  Rush of words ended with the one that echoed Holloway and deliver. Italy  it. She was right heh adn t liked Mary Gerard i came to see you about Oscar he i said. Oscar was the  key the carved speak no evil member of the famous Trio the worthless Little Good Luck trinket that Mary had Given to Rick Martin and that Rick with allow his wealth had treasured More than anything. I thought you might want him As Keepsake said Mary. Because you did t want him  that s  then said Keith i need to talk to you about Rick s death Toa what about it asked mar sharply. I sent you the newspaper clipping about the Accident that Walsall there was to it. The funeral was in san Francisco because he had a Distant Cousin there. I did t  you did t Gol it was a moan fro Bill Keith. He swerved the car toward the curb stopped and switched off the ignition. Now he wished More than Ever that he did t need Mary Gerard s help to be continued next week East Side Rodeo i f some eager youngster fresh out of journalism school should ask me i that grading sour old hand on the copy do who insists when sufficiently ginned up to speak at All that there has t been a real1 news Story since Evelyn Nesbit shot Harry thaw if some such Tyro were to ask me what sort of assignments he might run into in covering the big City i d growl chasing cattle in the East River and go Back to my hateful labors the kid probably would regard it As a Rebuff which is perfectly All right with me but i be chased cattle or a cattle if there is such a term fro East 42nd Street in new York yippee ing up the flood tide around the Northend of welfare Island Clear to Astoria and i be earned the right to be Short with people whose fives have been less Replete. I got the assignment  phoned in the office from grand Central and the City editor told me to hop Over to the East River. This editor always told re porters to hop places. Once when i telephoned him from Coney Island retold me to hop up to Crater lakes Maine and it took me two Days there s a cow Loose outside the Wilson & company slaughterhouse he said. It s raising hell with traffic on first  it was quite a scene there under the loom of Tudor City s , consisting mostly of heavy trucks had come to a standstill and the Drivers. Were standing on the motor hoods or. Sitting atop the truck cabs thoroughly enjoying the  Center of the excitement was a compact White rated and Sassy Heifer standing1 with lowered head facing a.,. Semicircle of nervous cops from Emer gency squad no. 403, who were obviously out of their element. It must have been going on for sometime because i noticed the cops had Al ready dubbed the Heifer Whitey an were  reason for forms of coercion f a. ,.  to them. 1 s a Mon Whitey a -sergeant., in a Frog voice. A Mon Over. Ats Anice feller.". Whitey made a feint toward the sergeant and the whole cordon of new York s finest leaped backward. This brought Down the House. Sic pm Whitey yelled a truck Driver. Bring Imback  shouted an  were shrill whistles whoops and loud derogatory noises from the spectators. The police department was losing face and obviously something had to be done about it. The Heifer waited until the signal for the close in came then kicked up her Hind legs and took off. She headed straight for the sergeant who appeared to be her favorite Toreador and that worthy tripped Over his own feet and. Fell Flat in her path. There was breathless moment when it looked As if the sergeant was about to receive  weight of Whitey right in the Small of his Back but within two feet of him the Gallant Jittie cow leaped in the air.  As a Gazelle and cleared the guardian of Law and order by several inches. I have never seen a cow do anything like that before but then i have a pts seen Many cows. The cops were developing a certain dexterity in Bull ring technique i avoiding her charges but As far As corralling her went Whitey. Awas the pursuer not the pursued. First Avenue at this Point is the very Eastern Marge of Manhattan or was before the hew Highway was built and Whitey with the True actress s sense of showmanship made use of this for her finale. Plunging through a scattering Wall of spectators she galloped straight for the River s embankment landed in the water with a magnificent splash. Her defiant head surfaced a moment later headed North born along swiftly on the incoming tide. Some Quick thinking cop called the Marine division which in turn radioed the nearest cruising police launch by,.coincfdence,. This happened to be very near by but its skipper a seagoing Fiat foot who probably had performed Many a strange Mission evidently ddn t be Lieve his ears. He brought the launch Over to the string piece where the frustrated emergency squad were standing helplessly and yelled to the  the hell is this about a cow in the River the said with the ton of a Man who suspects a practical joke. While the sergeant briefed him  my press card and jumped  launch. Seconds later still unconvinced the skipper ordered full Speed ahead in  the hell did this cow get in the River the Pilot cop asked me accusingly As we headed North. It s not a cow it s a Heifer i.said.,rather inaccurately. Of and what s a Heifer if i Mayas said the Cap whose name As i. Remember was. O Donoghue i m damned if i know isaid except that you get steaks from it aft Rall i d never been any nearer the great Plains than the policeman. I went up to the Bow where the other three cops of the launch Crew were acting As lookouts. Whitey had had a ten minute Start on us and in that Swift current might reach the maelstrom of hell Gate before we caught up Wither but soon one of the patrolmen sighted her Gallant head steaming along a few Hundred Yards ahead. We. Were catching.,up rapidly on Whitey and the three patrolmen were scrambling around the launch gather ing up ropes grappling Hooks squares of Tarpaulin and other Odd. Gear in a frenzy of indecision. " " what the hell will we do when we catch up to him said one of them. I her i corrected him. A he looked at me suspiciously. How the hell do you know he-,asked." /. A a ".,you could rope her and Tow her ashore f said. Is. Of i could could the  newspaper Fellers got All the answers Ain t you nevertheless he took length of rope and.  Forward. We were-1-/ now Only a few Yards fwd Whitey and closing fast the cop up Forward. His name was Wolski had fashioned a Hangman s noose at brie endow his  suppose he did t know How to make1 ,. A Lariat and neither did 7 i but there was some thing a Littie disturbing about his proficiency in tying a noose. -. 4 to we edged alongside Whitey who was too winded for swimming but was Mak ing Good Tinie with the current and. Wolski leaning far out Over the Guri Twale slipped the Loop. Over Whitey s  ,. Of. Her  to Call on her restored Energy and take off at a Rig tangle to our course. Wolski who was holding tie rope went along with Whitey. Before we could veer around. This brought a terrific outburst of pro Fanity from o Donoghue mostly directed at me. One would think i Lia pushed the Man overboard. We caught up to Wolski who  along in Whitey s Wake and be Jet go the rope As , him aboard. Whitey had rounded the tip of welfare Island and was swimming hard for a Promontory on the Astoria Shore. He s going to land said o Donoghue. A few minutes later Whitey hit the Beach trudged a few Steps from the water s Edge and stood there exhausted while we came ashore. Wolski using the rope already around Whitey s neck,.tethered her to a nearby Post and went off to cad the a. S. P. C. A. She had Anair of resigned tired Triumph. That s How i left her standing there waiting for her Fate. I had to return to Manhattan by subway because the cops would t let me Back on their old boat.11 but i often think fondly of Whitey. I Hope she never turned up on my dinner table. Morton Gudebrod 17