The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-15
THIS HAS HAPPENED
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
pTED rr

NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER II
n, As we passed through the massive
earved-Oak front door into the main
hallway, we were met by Assistant
District Attorney Dinwiddie, u seri-
Gus. swarthy young man with pre-
maturely lined face, whose appear
ance gave one the impression that
resting upon his shoulders.
"Good morning. Chief he greeted
Markham, with eager relief. "I'm
damned glad you've got here. This
casc'll rip things wide open. Cut
and-dried murder, and not lead"
At that moment tall, massive.
mddle-aged man with pink com
plexion and closely cropped white
mustachc, appeared in the doorway
Of the living-room. On SEEING Mark
ham he came forward stiffly with out
= at once as Chief Inspector O'Rrien,
who was in command Of the entire
notice department. Dignified greet
ings were exchanged between him and
Markham. and then Vance and were
introduced to him. Inspector O'Brien
!. save us each curt, silent nod, and
turned back to the living-room, with
Markham, Dinwiddie, Vance and my
self following.
The room. which was entered by
wide double door about ten feet
down the hall, was spacious one,
almost square, and with high ceilings.
Two windows gave on the street; and
on the extreme right of the north
wall, opposite to ths. front Of the
house, was another window opening
ON a paved court. To the left of
this window were the sliding doors
leading into the dining room at the
rear.
The room presented an appearance
Of garish opu1encc. About the walls
hung several deliberately framed
paintings Of racc-horscs and a num-
ber Of mounted hunting trophies. A
hi2hly-colored oriental rug covered
nearly the entire floor. In the mid
die of the east wall, facing the door,
=. was an ornate fireplace and carved
marble mantel. Placed diagonaily
in the corner on the right stood Il
walnut upright piano with copper
trimmings. Then there was ma
hogany bookcase with glass doors
and figured curtains, a sprawling
tapestred davenport, squat Vene
tian tabouret with inlaid mother-of
pearl, lockwood stand containing
large brass samovar, and a buhl-
topped center table nearly six feet
long. At the side Of the table near
est the hallway, with its back to the
front windows. stood large wicker
lounge chair with Il high, fan-shaped
back.
In this chair reposed the body of
Alvin Benson.
Though | had served two years at
the front in the World War and had
seen death in many terrible guises.
could not repress a strong sense of
'Aevulsion at the sight Of this MUIR
dered man.
Bensons body was reclining in the
chair in an attitude so natural that
enc almost expected him to turn to
US and ask why we were intruding
upon his privacy. His head was rest
ing against the chairs back His
right leg was crossed over his left
in position of comfortable relax
alton. His right arm was resting
easily on the center-tablc, and his
left arm lay along the chairs arm.
But that which most strikingly gave
his attitude its appearance of nat
uralness, was small book which he
held in his right hand with his thumb
still marking the place where he had
evidently been reading.
He had been shot through the
IOIcHcdu lTOIli Ill lTOHLs anu Tile
small circular bullet mark was now
almost black as result of the
coagulation Of the blood. A large
dark spot on the rug at the rear of
the chair indicated the extent of the
hemorrhage caused by the grinding
passage of the bullet through his
brain. Had it not been for these
grisly indications one might have
thought that he had merely paused
~momentarily in his reading to lean
back and rest.
He was attired in an old smok-
ing-jacket and red felt bedroom
slippers, but still wore his dress
trousers and evening shirt, though
he was collarless, and the neck band
of the shirt had been unbuttoned as
if for comfort. He was not an attrac-
tive man physically, being almost
completely bald and more than
little stout. His face was flabby,
and the puffiness of his neck was
filming collar. With slight shuddcr
of distaste ended my brief con-
temptation Of him, and turned to
she other occupants of the room.
Two burly fellows with large hands
and feet their black felt hats pushed
far back on their heads were minute
ly inspecting the iron grill-work
over the front windows. Another
man, of medium height and dapper
appearance. with small blond mus.
tache, was bending over in front of
the crate looking intently. so it
seemed, at the dusty gas-logs. On
the far side of the table thickset
man in blue serge and a derby hat,
stood with arms akimbo scrutinizing
the silent figure in the chair. His
eyes, hard and pale blue, were mar
rowed, and his square jaw was rigidly
set. He was gazing with rapt inten-