New Britain herald., 1927-11-09
NOW BEGIN THF, STORY
CHAPTER NLIN

CHAPTER KILN
 Vance adjusted himself more comfortably in his chair.
 "Now for your judicial considera- tions. First, let us assume that at d little before half past twelve on the night of the thirteenth the villain came to Benson's house, saw the light in the living-room. tapped on the window. and was instantly admitted. What, would you say, do these assumptions indicate regarding the visitor?"
 Merely that Benson was ac- quaintcd with him. returned Mark ham. But that doesn't help us any. We cant extend the sus, per coll. to everybody the man kneW.'
 ''rhe indications go much further than that, old chap,' Vance re- torted. "They show unmistakably ! that Benson's murderer was q most i intimate Crony, or. at least, a per son before whom he didn't care how he looked.
 lIlt dDStIltt oi lllt lchp'r'- do J once suggested 10 you. was a prime essential of the situation. A toupce, don't v know, is the sartorial sine qua non of every middle-aged Beau Brummel afflicted with badness. You heard Mrs. PlatZ on the sub ject Do you think for a second l that Benson, who hid his hirSute 1 deficiency even from the grocers 1 boy, would visit with a mere aC- quaintance thus bereft of his crown / ing glory? And besides being thus ! denuded, he was without his full | com plement of teeth. Moreover, he l was without collar or tie, and at. tired in an old smoking jacket anG ' bedroom slippers,
 Picture the spectacle. my deal i fellow. .. X man does not look | fascinatin' without his collar anG with his shirt band and gold stuc exposed Thus attred he is thu 1 equivalent Of a lady in curl-papers How many men do you thinl , Benson knew with whom he would have sat down 10 a tete-a-tete 1T , this undress condition 9"
 Three or four, p"rhaps.' an swcrcd Markham. But l cant ar rest them all"
 I'm sure you would if you could But it won't be necessity
 Vance selected another cigarc from his case, and went on:
 "Thcrc are other helpful indica lions. V know. For instance, th' murderer was fairly well ac Quaiuted with BcnSons domcSti arrangements.
 "Ho must have known that tn housckccpcr slept good dis'anc from the living room and would no be startled by the shot if her doc was closed as usual. Also, h" mus have known there was no one els in the house at that hour.
 And another thing: don't forc" that his voice was porfectl familiar 10 Bcnson. If there ha recn the slightest doubt about Benson would not have let him 1T in view of his natural fear Of house urcakors. and with the Captain threat hanging over him"
 That's t"nahIc hypothesis What else? ?''
 "Thc jewels. Markham - thos orators O. love. Have you though Of them? They were on the center table when Benson came home tha night: and they were gone in 'h : morning. Wherefore, lt seems III cS'tablc that the murderer took '"1 --ch, what? . . And may they nc have been one reason for the muT lcrer's coming there that night?
 "If so. who of Bcnson's most in timatc friends knew of their pres "nce in the hoUse? And who want" 'cm particularly
 "Exactly, Vance" Markham nodded his head slowly. "iou'N hit it. I've had an uneasy feelin about Pfyfc right along. I was 0 the point of ordering his arrc' today when Heath brought word ( Lcac0ck's confession: and th" when that blew up, my suspicion reverted to him.
 "T said nothing this afternoon bC cause ] wanted 10 SC" where you ideas had led you. What you'v been saying checks mp pcrfectl with my own notions. rfyfc's on man
 He brought the front legs of hi chair down suddenly.
 And now, damn it, you've lo him set away from us.'