The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-11-03

"Just q moment!" Vance put
forth u restraining hand. Don't
end this rapturous martyrdom just
yet. Let him be happy for anCthex1
day 1T least. I've notion he may
be most useful to us, pining sway
in his lonely cell like the prisoner
Of Chillon."
Markham put down the telephone
without q word. More and more. II
had noticed, he was becoming IN.
clined to accept Vance's leadership.
This attitude was not merely the
result of the hopeless confusion in
his mind, though his uncertainty
probably influenced him to some
extent; but it was due in largo
measure to tho impression Vance
had given him Of knowing more
than he cared to reveal.
"Have you tried to figure out just
how Pfyfe and his TurtledOve fit
into the case 2" Vance asked.
"Along with a few thousand
other enigmas-ycs," was the petu-
liant reply. "Cut the more try
to reason it out, the more Of q mys-
terry the whole thing becomes"
Loosely put, my dear Marks
ham," criticized Vance. There are
no mysteries originating in human
beings, y know; there arc only
problems. And any problem origi-
mating in one human being can be
solved by another human being. II
merely requires q knowledge Of the
human mind, and the application
Of that knowledge to human acts.
Simple, what?"
He glanced ut the clock.
II wonder how your Mr.. Stitt is
getting along with the Benson and
Benson books. / await his report
with anticipat'ry excitement"
This was too much for Markham,
The wearing-down process of
Vance's intimations and yelled in
nuendoes had at last dissipated his
sclf-control. He bent forward and
struck the desk angrily with his
hand.
"l'm damned tired of this supo-
rior attitude Of yours" he com-
planned holly. "Either you know
something or you don't. If you
don't know anything, do me the fav-
or of dropping these insinuati0ns OF
knowledge. If you do know any
thing, it's up to you to tell me.
you've been limiting around I'M
one way or another ever since Ben.
son was shot. If you've got any
idea who killed him, ! want to
know it."
He leaned back, and took out
cigar. Not once did he look up rs
he carefully clipped the end and
lit it. | think he was = little
ashamed at having given way to hia
anger.
Vance had sat apparently uncon-
cerned during the outburst. At
length he stretched his legs, and
gave Markham long contemplative
look.
"Y' know, Markham old bean, I
don't blame you q bit for your UNI
seemly cbullition. Tho situation
has been most provokin'. But nov,
! fancy, the time has come to put
an end to the comedietta. ! really
haven't been spoofing, " know. The
fact is, I've some. most int'restin'
ideas on the subject"
He stood up and vawned.
"lt's beastly hot day, but it must
be done-eh, what?
so nigh is grandeur to our dust,
So nearsis God to man.
When duty whispers low, Thou
must,
The youth replies, I cam
I'm the noble youth, don't y
know. And you're the voice of duty
though you didn't exactly. whis-
per. did you? Was aber list
define Pflicht?. And Goethe an
swered: Die Forderung DIES Tages.
But-deuce take It'll wish the de-
mand has come on a cooler day.
He handed Markham his hat.
"Come, Postume. To everything
there is a season, and time to every
purpose under the heaven You are.
through with the office for today
inform Swacker of the fact, will
there's Il dear! We. attend
upon lady-Miss st. Clair, no less"
Markham realized that Vancc's
testing manner was only the mas
querade Of very serious purpose.
Also, he know that Vance would tell
him what he X .cw or suspected only
in his owr. way, and that, no matter
how circuitous and unreasonable that
way might appear, Vance had excel
lent reasons for following it.
Furtherr. ore, since the unmasking.
Of Captain Leacock's purely ficti-'
tious confession, he was in q state IF
mind to follow any suggestion that
held the faintest hope of getting at
the truth. He therefore rang ut
once for Swacker, and informed him
he was quitting the office for the
day.
In ten minutes we were in the SUBJ
way on our way to "a Kiverslde
drive.
.This quotation from Ecclesfastes
reminds me that Vance regularly
read the Old Testament. when I
weary cf the professional iter.ry
man." he once said, II find stimulas
ton in the majestic prose OF the
Bible. If the modern, feel that they
simply rust write. they should b.
made to spend at least two hours
day with the Biblical historians"
Ito Be Continued)
The United States has $4,000, 600
of the $1,000, 900 automobiles II the
world. i.