Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-28
SYNOPSIS,

Sturgis, h tells the story. is invited
to the country home of an old school
sweetheart. Anne VanWyck, whose hus-
band. David VanWyck, a man Of i'm
mense wealth. is many years her senior.
He soon perceivcs that VanWyck is in
clined to treat his wife ~tyrannically.
Flemming Stone, who has wonderful
abilities as a detective. is also one of
he guests.
Stone gives a marvellous exhibition of
his powers of deduction.
Van Wyck, 1t deVelopes, is determined
to give away practically his whole for
tune to a village library. The transfer is
to be made that evening. and Van
Wyck'S son and daughter are bitterly op-
posed to the scheme.
The library trustees call to complete
the transaction. s
not signed. The next morning VanWyck
is found in his study, shot through the
breast.
Investigation as to his death is start
The dramatic attitude of the house,
Keeper, Mrs. Carstirs. before the arrival
of the coroner, seems a bit unusul, she
declaring positively hat the man COM
mitted suicide. Upon the arrival Of the
coroner a search reveals no Weapons in
the room, no clues showing how a burg
lar might have entered the room but a
pearl necklace. valuead at 500, 900, is
missing from the safe.
CHAPTER vI-Continucd.
They must have been there tenn
porarily." said Morland. as if puzzling
the matter out himself. And, too,
I've no doubt my father intended to
lock the safe before he left the study.
Eut he was murdered first"
Have o any theory. Mr.. Van
Wyck. how a murder could have been
effected"
No" said Morland: II haven't. I
know, even better than the rest of
you. how absolutely this room is pro-
tected against forcible entrance. And
that is n reason why my father was
sometimes careless about locking the
safe. He knew no n could get into
this roo from outside. OF course,
upon leaving it at night, he always
with the house, and kept the key
himself" u
"There is no duplicate key asked
Mr.. Mellen.
None" said Morland positively.
Then Barbara Van Wyck made a sug-
e%estion. "If Father did-did kill
himself she said hesitatingly, pos
sibly he himself had taken the pearls
from the case and hidden them."
I realized at once what she meant.
If David Van Wyck had taken his
own life, it would have been quite in
keeping with his cruel nature to hide
them.
b. CHAPTER VII.
THE MYSTERIOUS MOTOR CAR.
mol" cried Mrs. C~arstairs, i'm.
~petuously; David Van Wyck would
not do that" ~
You seem YER certain" said Nor.
land. looking at her coldly.
at am cartaip - Sho ratortad with q
flush Of her dark eyes. D you sup
pose I've lived under David Van
Wyck's roof all these years. without
learning his nature fairly we'll? He
was a hard mar and severe-but he
was just, and above such meanness
as you ascribe to him."
But" said /, you have already
Wyck died by his own hand. Now, ii
the pearls were stolen by a burglar
it is a strange coincidence that the
two crimes should occur the same
night" -a@se .5lE7
Mrs. Carstairs looked at me with
her face full of baffled rage. Her
theories were indeed at variance. II
an intruder took the pearls, undoubt-
edly David Van Wyck had been muir.
dered. If, on the other hand. he had
committed suicide, he would seem to
be himself responsible for the disap.
p~earance OF the jewels.
For a moment Mrs. Carstairs ga,
m%otionless. though 1t was evident hel
mind was working rapidly. The res
OF us sat watching her, and l., at AM
rate. began to feel a dawning hope
that what she might say next would
throw q little light on the mystery.
At last she burst out, in a vote.
low, but tense with feeling: IT an
sure David Van Wyck killed himself
I am sure that II before his death h,
secreted that valuable pearl necklace
he wa entirely justified In doing 3d.,
u what do you mean by that?'
demanded Archer, angrily.
I think you all know. without be
and her lips CURED unpleasantly.
"Neverthe1ees, you shall ftell!" ans
Archer.s voice fairly quivered Will
i~ndignation! Speak out before Vi
AL. and say what you masn By YOU