New Britain herald., 1927-11-17
noble, don't V know

"I2ut he did give me the lmprcs- sion once or twice that he thought Miss St. Clair was guilty
 "Ah, There you have a shrewd intelligence taking advantage of an opportunity. The Major unques- ! fiona bly, planned the crime so as to cast suspicion on the Captain. Lea cock had publicly threatened his brother in connection with Miss St Clair; and the lady was about to cine alone with Alvin. "When, in the morning, Alvin was found shot with an army Colt, who but the Captain would be sus ,,ected? The Major knew the Cap tain lived alone, and that he would have difficulty in establishing an alibi DO you now see how cunning he was in recommending Pfyfe as q source of information He knew that if you interviewed Pfyfe. you'd hear of the threat. And don't ignore the fact that his sug- gCstion Of Ffyfc was an apparent after-t thought: he wanted to make it appear casual. don't y know Astute devil, what?"
 Markham. sunk in gloom. was 1 listening closely.
 NOW for the opportunity of ! which he took advantage" con- , tinued Vance.
 "When you upset his calculations 1>t t,,o 1-n n 1nO Alvin dined with. and that you had almost enough evidence to ask for an indictment. the idea appealed to him. He knew no charmin' lAy could ever be convicted of 1nuis CT 1 ir this most chivalrous city. no mat ter what the evidence; and he had 1 enough of the sporting instinct in | him to prefer that no one should actu'lly be punished for the crime.
 "Cons'quently, he was willing to switch you back 10 the lady. And he played his hand cleverly, mak- ing it appear that he was most reluctant 10 involve her"
 Was that why. when you wanted me to examine his books and to ask him 10 the office to discuss the con fcsson. you told me to intimate i that l had Miss St. Clair in mind ?'
 Exactly"
 And the person the Major was shielding-'
 Was himself But he wanted you to think it was Miss St. Clair"
 If you were certain he was guilty, why did you bring Colonel Ostrander into the case"'
 Tn the hope that he. could sup ply Us with ftggots for the Majors funeral pyrc. l knew he was ac- quaintcd intimately with Alvin Benson, I knew. too. that he was an cgregious quidnunc who might have got wind of some ermity be tween the Benson boys, and have suspected the truth. And l also wanted to get a line on Pfyfe, by way of eliminating every remote counter possibility
 "I}ut We already had a line on Pfyfe."
 "Oh, I don't mean material clues wanted to learn about Pfyte's na- turc-his psychology, y know,- particularly his personality IS a gambler.
 "Y' sec, it was the crim" of cal culating, cold -bloodcd gambler: and 10 one but a man of that particular type could possibly have committed it."
 Markham apparently was not in, terestcd just now in Nanccs the cries.
 Did you believe the Major," h. asked. 'when he said his brother
 Lad lied 10 him about the presence ol the jewels in the safo?"
 "rhe willy Alvin prob'bly ncycl | mentioned 'em to Anthony" re. joined Vance. An ear at the doc, , during one of Pfyfe's visits was : fancy, his source of information :, And speaking of the ajor' r suggested 10 me a possible motiv
 for the crime. Your man Stitt,
 hope, will clarify that point" s According 10 your theory, tn ,, crime was rather hastily con = ceived." Markham's statement wa . in reality a question.
 "The details of it's execution wer
 hastily conceived" corrected Vance ! "The Major undoubtedly had bee = contemplating for some time elim' = hating his brother. Just how o v when he was to do 1t, he hadn e decided. He may have thought ou 0 and rejected a dozen plans. |, Then, on the thirteenth. cam { the opportunity: all the condition = adjusted themselves to his purpose
 He heard Miss St. Clair's promis , to go to dinner; and he therefor l knew that Alvin would prob'bly b ? home alone at 12:50, and that { he were done away with at tha ? hour, suspicion would fall on Cap I fain TeacOck