The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-10-08
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER XXI

&IiAI FL - all
She shot Markham a ques iioning
glance. She was not sure whether
Nancc's remark was to be taken
seriously; but his casualncss of
voice tended to put her at ease.
'Now that we understand each
other, Mrs Platz," he was saying,
was there anything else you par
ticularly noticed when the young
lady was here? You will be doing
her good service by telling us,
because both the district attorney
and ] happen to know she is inno-
cent
She gave Vance Il long shrcwd
look, as if appraising his sincerity.
Evidently the results Of her scru-
tiny were favorable. for her answer
left no doubt as to her complete
frankness.
Il don't konw If it'll help, but
when ! came in with the toast Mr.
| Benson looked like he was arguing
with her. She seemed worried about
something that was going to hap
pen. and asked him not to hold her
to some promise she'd made. | was
| only in the room Il minute, and |
didn't hear much. But just as !
was going out. he laughed and said
it was only q bluff, and that nothing
was going to happen
She stopped, and waited ANXIOUS
ly. She seemed TO fear that her
revelation might, after all, prove
injurious rather than helpful to
the girl.
"Was that all ?" Vance's tone in
Dictated that the matter was Of no
consequence.
The woman dcmurred.
THAT was all | heard; but =.
there was a small blue box OF jewel
ry sittin; on the table
"My word.--a box of jewelry!
Do you know whose il vas
"No, sir. l don't The lady hadn't
brought it. and | never saw it in
the house before"
Glow did you know it was jewel
ry?'
"Whcn Mr.. Benson went upstairs
to dress, came in to clear the tea
things away, and it was still sitting
on the table"
Vance smiled.
"And you played Pandora and
took Il peep-eh, what? Most nat
ural-Pd have done it myself
He stepped back, and bowed po-
litely.
"That will be all, Mrs. Platz.
And you needn't worry about the
Young lady Nothing is going to
happen to her.
When she had left us, Markham
leaned forward and shook his cigar
at Vance.
"Why didn't you tell me you had
information about the case unknown
to me?
my dear chap!' Vance lifted
his eyebrows in protestation. ITO
what do you refer specifically"
"How did you know this st. Clair
woman had been here in the after,
noon?"
II didn't; but surmised it
There were cigaret butts Of hers II
the CRATE; and, as knew she hadn''
been here on the night Benson was
shot. l thought it rather likely she
had been here earlier in the day.
"And since Benson didn't arrive
from his office unit 4, whispered
into my ear that she had calico
sometime between a and the hour
of his departure for dinner
An element'ry syllogism, what p
SHOW did you know she WASH
here that night ?"
"The psychological aspects 0.
the crime left me in no doubt. A:
told you, no woman committee
Tiny metaphysical hypothesis
again; but never min,.. -. Fur
thermore, yesterday morning
stood on the spot where the muir
derer stood, and sighted with m!
eye along the me Of fire, using Ben
sons head and the mark on tn
wainscot as my points Of coin
c'dence. 1t was evident to me then
even without measurements. tina
the guilty person was rather tall
Every well. But how did yo1
know she left here that AFTERNOON
before Benson did," persisted Mark
ham.
"How else could she have change
into an evening gown? Really, !
know, ladies don't 60 about deco
letees in the afternoon.
"You assume, then, that Benso
himself brought her gloves al
handbag back here that night"