New Britain herald., 1927-10-08

How elSa could she have changed into an evening gown? Really, y know, ladies don't go about decollotces in the afternoon"
 You assume. then. that Benson himself brought her gloves and handbag back here that nighl""
 Someone did.--and it certainly wasn't Miss St. Clair.'
 "All right" conceded Markh ham. And what about this Morris chair?
 What other chair could she have sat in, and still throw her cigar,ts into tho fireplace? Women are otoriouslv poor shots, even if they were given to hurling their cisaret stubs across the room."
 "That deduction is simple enough" admitted Markham. "Rut supposo you tell mo how you knew she had tea here unless you were priHv to some information on the point ."
 Tt positively sham"s mo 10 ex- plain 1t. But tho humillatinE truth is that I inferred the fact from the condition Of yon samoVar. l noted v stcrday that il had been used, and had not been cmpticd or wiped off"
 Mark ham nodded with coutcmp~ tuous olation
 You seem 10 have sunk to th" despiscd legal level of material cluos.'
 "That's why I'm hlushinr so furl- ously. However, psychological deductions alone do not determine facts in cssr, but only in posse. Other conditions must. Of course, Lo considered. Tn the present in sIanc" the indications of the s2mo- Var served merely as the basis for an assumption. or aE"ss, with which to draw out the house. keeper"
 Well. won't deny that you sue cceded." said Markham. I'd like 10 know, though, what Nou had in mind when you accused the woman of a personal interest in tho girl. That remark certainly indicated some knowledge of the situa- ;ion.'
 NanCo'S fac" became serious. "Markham. ! sivo you my word. le said earnestly. "I had nothing in mind. I made the accusation. think ing it was false, merely 10 trap her into denial. And sh" fell into the trap. But--dcuCo lake it,--I seemed to hi, some nail squarely on the head what? I cant for the life of mo imagine why she was frightoned.- it really doesn't matter"
 "Perhaps not" agreed Markham. but his tone was dubious. "What do you make of the box of icwolry and the disagreement between Ben son and the %irl?"
 Nothing yet. They don't fit in, | do they?"
 He Was silent a moment. Then he spoke with unusual seriousness. Markham, take my advice and l don't bother with these side-issucS. I'm telling you the girl had no part ir tho murder, Let her alone youll ho happier in your old age ! if you do"
 Markham sat scowlng, his eyes in space.
 1'm convinced that you think you know something
 "Y' know" murmwcl Vance, the naturalistic philosophy Of . DoecartcS has always rather ap- 1 pralcd 10 me. T. was a departure from universal doubt and seeking for positive knowledge in sclt-con- sciousness. Sninoza in his nanth"- ism. and Berkeley in his idoalism, quite mIsundcrStoo6 the sientfi- canCo of their precursors farOritc ,nthymem".
 "Even Doscartos' errors wor, brilliant His method of rNason- ing. for all its sci"nu>c inaccur- acies. gave new signit'Cation to the symbols of the analyst. Tn" mind after all, if it is 10 function cffec, lively, must combine the matho. matical precision of natura science with such pure speculation as astronomy. For instance, Dcs cartos' doctrine of Nortices-"
 "Oh, be quiet" growlod Mark. ham. 'I'm not insisting that yo, reveal your precious information So why burden ne with disS"rta' tion on seven,eenth-cc century phil osophy?"
 "Anyhow. you'n admit, won you." asked Vance lightly, that, 1T clim mating those disturbing cig arct butts. so 10 speak, I've elim' mated Miss St. Clair as a suspect? Markham did not answer at once There was no doubt that the de velopments of the past hour ha6 made q decided impression upo1 him.
 He did not underestimate Vance