Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-26

Schuyler's and visits the Schuyler
home.
Mrs. Schuyler learns that vicky Van
not the terror some folk made her
out to be and would like h case to be
hushed up-she does not want publicity.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Lctter-Box.
TITS a queer case" said Mr.. Brad
bury to me, when l reached the office
that afternoon. "Of curse, /! know
Randolph Schuyler was no saint, but
l never suppose he was deep enough
in any affair TO have a woman kill
him. And so near~his own home, too!
He might nave had the decency to
choose his lady acquaintances in more
remote sections Of the CITY,"
That isn't the queerest part to
me-" I returned. What I can't un-
derstand is. why that girl stabbed
Now, now. Calhoun, she must
have known him. She didn't know any
Somers, We'll say, but she must have
known Schuyler.-A murder has to
have a motive. She had provided her
self with that knife beforehand, you
see, and she got him out Of the din
ing-room purposely."
sighed. II know vicky Van fairly
You can't say what a woman
would or wouldn't do. But it's not
our business to look after the Grim
inal part of it. we've got all we can
handle, attending the estate. And
here's another thing. 1 wish you'd do
all that's necessary up at the house.
l always got along all right with Ran
I-H1 A- >> ~~
those sisters of his. His wife / have
never met. But those old Schuyler
women get on my nerves So you look
after them. You're more Of a ladies'
man thar I am, so you go there and
talk pretty when they want legal ad-
vice."
I'm winning" I agreed. II don't
care such a lot for the sisters myself,
but Mrs. Schuyler is a young thing
old maids boss her like fury. I'm 60
ing to see that she has her own way
in some few things, at least. She in
herits half the fortune, you know"
Yes, and the sisters a quarter
each. That is, aftes &ome minor be-
quests and charitable donations are
settled. Schuyler was a good sort-as
men CO."
Then men go pretty badly! He
"ASo " ~ AAAo = oSSA
told he ruled her with a. f6d of iron,
and What he didn't bother her about
the old sisters did"
That's neither here nor there.
Don't you try to be a peacemaker In
that family. I know those two old
ladies, and they'd resent anything in
the way of criticism Of their treat
Schuyler didn't treat his wife hand
so1nely, she's rid of him now, at any
rate
You're a cold blooded thing
Bradbury" 1 informed him, land ]
am going to do all I can for that
young widow. She'll have a lot of un.
pleasant publicity at best, and if
can shield her from part Of it, SC
much the better"
like. but don't get in on the detective
work. I know your weakness for tina,
sort of thing, and I know il you be-
gin, you'll never let up"
Bradbury was right. I have a fond
ness for detective work-not the pc.
lice part Of it, but the inquiry int
mystery, the deduction from clues
ana the sitting of evidence. I had nc
mind to miss the inquest, and I had
become of Vicky Van. This was not
only curiosity, either. I. had q high
respect and genuine liking for that
little lady, and, as Mrs. Reeves had
put it. l was only too willing to give
her the benefit of the doubt.
Though I couldn't feel any real
doubt that she had killed Schuyler
AS Bradbury, said. she didn't know a
Mr.. Somers. but h may have known
the millionaire Schuyler. I had never
seen anything of a scamy side tc
Vicky's character: but then, 1 didn't
know her SO very well. and the mar
was dead, and who else could have
killed him?
I went around to the caterers or
my way uptown that afternoon. and
asked him as to the reliability OF
story.
THAT man." Fraschini told me, "is
as honest as the day. I've had hin,
longer than any of my other walters
and he has never said or done any
thing to make me doubt his accuracy
/ believe, Mr.. Calhoun. that Luigi saw
exactly what he said he saw"
Might he not have been mistaken
in the identity Of the woman!"
can question him"
: This was what / wanted, to ques.
ton the waiter alone, and I welcomed
the opportunity.
II know 1t was Miss Van Allen
wasLthe quiet response Of the Italian
to fny inquiry. II cannot be mistaken
I had een her many times during the
evening. /, therefore, recognized the
gown she wore, Of light yellow gaus,
stun and an over-dres Of long sold
bead fringes I saw her stand above
the fallen body, looking down at II
with a Mortified face. I saw stains OF
blood on her GOWN
Where's" interrupted. "wha,
part Of her gown !" ~
Luigi thought q moment. con the
lower hounces. as II her skirts had
brushed against the-the victim
when she stopped over him."
Did she herself observe these
stains?"
Eyes; she looked at them, and
looked frightened and then she rar
And you saw no other person
"And heard nobody"
II heard only the voices from the
parlor. There was much noise Of
laughter and talk there"
No amount Of questioning could
change or add to Lulgf's story. It WA
quite evident that he WAS telling Just
Whist he saw, and had no tntersst IN
scolorfng 1t to make ~ appear different
in any way He admired Miss Var
Allen, he said she wAs . pleasant lady
and not hard TO please u her orders
we're faithfully carried out. He ~,
;pyeessd 20 psssena4 tntefsse - ~