The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-10-10
THIS HAS HAPPENED
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER XIII

Vance walked indifferently to the
window and looked out.
Il am happy to learn that YOU arc
capable OF accepting such evidence
as the human mind could not pos
siblc deny"
| had always noticed, in the re-
lationship of these two men, that
whenever either made a remark that
bordered on generosity, the other an
swered in a manner which ended all
outward show Of sentiment. 1t was
as if they wished to keep this more
intimate side Of their mutual regard
hidden from the world.
Markham therefore ignore
| Vance's thrust.
Have YOU perhaps any enlight-
enlng suggestions, other than mega
tive ones. to offer as to Benson's
murderer" he asked.
Rather" said Vance. "No end
of suggestions.
Could you spare me a good one %
Markham initiated the others play
full tone.
Vance appeared To reflect.
swell, should advise that, as a
beginning, you look for a rather
tall man. cool-hcaded, familiar with
firearms and a good snot, and fairly
we'll known to the deceased IA man
who was aware that Benson was go
ing to dinner with Miss st. Clair. or
who had reason to suspect the fact"
Markham looked narrowly at
Vance for several moments.
II think ] understand. Not
a bad theory, either. You know, I'm
going to suggest Immediately to
Heath that he investigate more
thoroughly Captain Leacock's activ-
tiles on the night Of the murder
"Oh, by all MEANS" said Vance
carelessly, going to the piano.
Markham watched him with an
expression of puzzled interrogation.
He was about to speak when Vance
began playing a rollicking French
cafe song which opens, l believe,
with
Ills sont dams les vignes les moin-
eauX."
(Sunday. June 16; afternoon.)
The following day, which was Sun
day, we lunched with Markham at
the Stuyvesant Club. Vance had
suggested the appointment the even
ing before; for as he explained to
me, he wished to be present in case
Leander Pfyfc should arrive from
Long Island.
ut amuses me tremendously" he
had said, 'the way human beings
deliberately complcate the most
ordin'ry issues. They have down
right horror Of anything simple and
direct.
"The whole modern commercial
system is nothing but a colossal
mechanism for doing things in the
most involved and roundabout way.
If one makes 10-cent purchase at
a department store nowadays, COM
plete history of the transaction is
written out in triplicate, checked by
a dozen floor-walkers and clerks,
signed and countersigned, entered in
to innum'rable ledgers with various
colored inks, and then elab'rately
secreted in steel filing-cabinets. And
not content with all this superfluous
chinoiserie, pur business men have
created large and expensive army
Of efficiency experts whose sole
duty it is to complicate and befud-
die this system still further. :.
It's the same with everything else in
modern life. Regard withe insup'
rable mania called golf. 1t consists
merely Of knocking a ball into hole
with a stick. But the devotees of
this pastime have developed unique
and distinctive livery in which to
play it. They concentrate for 20
years on the correct angulation Of
their feet and the proper method
of entwining their fingers about the
stick.
Moreover, in order to discuss the
Observation-Disclosures Of this idiotic
sport, they've invented an outlandish
vocabulary which is unintelligible
even to an English scholar"
He pointed disgustedly at pile
of Sunday newspapers.
''Then here's this Benson murder
"a simple and incons'quential af-
fair. Yet the entire machinery OF
the law is going at high pressure