Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-20
VICKY VAN ~; e:
"A CHIN q Evidence. n. Clue !: he Maxwell My.sery:. Etc,


"By cheque!"@
Yes, SIR"
And there ere no servants here
but the maid Julie?"
II have often seen others. But I
fancy they do not live in the house.
Madame Julie superintends and d.
reefs us always. Miss Van Allen
leaves much to her. She is most ca
pable."
When did you see this woman.
|. "A short time before-before that
happened" Luigi looked toward the
oody. She was in and out Of the
ted the guests. she acted as ladies'
maid, and she arranged the favors in
the pie. 1t was, l should say, ten
minutes or so since she was last In
the pantry, when I peeped In at the
Where was Julie them"
-! don't know. I did not see her.
Perhaps upstairs. or maybe in the
! word to serve supper"
Tell me something distinctive
about this maids appearance. Was
she sood-looking?"
Eyes. a good-looking woman. But
nothing especial about her. She had
That's something" and Lowney
But Luigi seemed to know nothing
else that differentiated Julie from her
sisters In service, and Lowney changed
his questions. -,
How could Miss Van Allen ret
that knife Of yours?" he asked.
Il don't know, sir. It was. I sup
pose, in the pantry. with u other
knives" ..
What is its use?"
ut is q boning knife. but doubtless
one Of our men used it in cutting
pose"
ASK them"
Inquiry showed that a man. named
Palma. had used the knife for maxi
ing a salad, dnd>had left it in the
buffers pantry an hour or SO before
could have taken the knife without Its
being missed, as the salad had been
completed and put aside.
I'm that case. Miss Van Allen must
have secured the knife some little
time before it was used. al Luigi was
in the pantry just previously" OBJ
As.o ~ 0A1A Aol1O Wall q "SoPOl1
picked up at the moment"
|. Then it couldn't have been done
by Miss Van .Allen!" exclaimed Mrs.
Reeves triumphantly, for Vicky had
no reason to ~premeditate killing a
man she had never see BEFORE"
"Vicky didn't do it," walled
Ariadne. II know she didn't"
But she will be found. If she's in
nocent, she will return herself. II
guilty, we must find her. And we
will. A householder cannot drop out
Of existence %pnnottced' by any one.
Does she own this house?"
II think So" said Mrs. Reeves.
I'm not positive. but it's my impress
sion that she does: .vicky Van never
boasts o r talks Of her money or Of
herself. But 1 know she gives a good
deal in charity, and is always ready
to subscribe to philanthropic causes.
I tell you h is not the criminal, and
I don't believe she ever left this
house in the middle Of the night in
evening dress! That child is scared
to death, and is hiding-in the attic
Suppose, Mrs. Reeves" said the
coroner, you 90 with. Mr.. Lowney,
and look ove the house. again.
Search the bedrooms and ,store-
rooms"
II will" and Mrs. Reeves seemed
to welcome an opportunity to help.
She was a good hearted woman, and
a staunch friend of vicky Van. I
for the girl. for I confess things
looked, to me. pretty dubious.
Come along. too. lMr. Calhoun"
said Mrs. Reeves. There's no tell
ing what we may find. Perhaps
there's Enthusiastically" !
i knew what was in her mind.
That If Vicky had done the thing,
morse, taken her own life.
Thrilled with this new fear, I fol-
lowed Lowney and Mrs. Reeves. We
went downstairs first. We examined
all the basement rooms and the small
city back yard. There was no sign
of Vicky Van or Of Julie. and next
we came back to the first floor.
hunted that. and then on upstairs.
The music o was soon searched,
and I fell back as the others went
into Vicky's bedroom.
Come on. Mr.. Calhoun" said
Lowney, I'VE must make q thorough
job OF it this time"
The bedroom was, it seemed to me.
like a fairy dream. Furniture Of
white enameled wicker. with pink
satin cushions. Everywhere the most
appointments VI o1lVC4 - SIS -
tai and embroidered fabrics, and a
proclamation ~for the little detective
to poke and pry around in wardrobes
and cupboayds. though I knew it
must be done. He was not only look
ing for Vicky. but noting anything
that might bear on her disappearance.
was in order. and all just az a we'll
bred, refined woman would have her
belongings.
The bedroom was over the dining
room, n back Of this, yer the
pantry extension, was vicky Vans
dressing room.
This was a bitou boudoir, and Dress
jewel-caskets were all in keeping
with the personality Of their owner.
The walls were pSnelled in pale rose
color. and q few fine pictures were
In absolute harmony. A long mirror
was in Florentine gilt frame. and a
|chaise Tongue, by a reading table. be.
spoke hours of ase
Ruthlessly. Lowney pried into ev-
erything, ran. his arm among the
looked into the carved chests.
Again no clue. The perfect order
everywhere, showed. perhaps, prep
aration for guests. but nothing indi-
Gated flight or hiding. The dressing
table boxes held some bits Of jewelry
but nothing of really great value.
An escritoirel vas full Of letters and
put the key in his pocket.
IF It's all right" he said, there's
no. harm done. And il the lady
doesn't show up. We must examine
the stuff"
Ion We went to the third floor Of