The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-10-29
CHAPTER XII.


"wednesday, June ~; l p. N.Y.
When we were again outside
Markham asked:
SLOW in heavens name did you
know she had put up her jewels to
help Pfyfe?"
"My charmin' metaphysical de-
auctions, don't v know" answered
Vance. "As | told you, Benson was
not the open-handed, big-hearted al
TRUST who would have lent money
without security; and certainly the
impecunious Pfyfe had no collateral
worth $4,000, or he wouldn't have
forged the check. Ergo: someone
lent him the security.
"Now, who would be so trustin'
as to lend Pfyfe that amount of Sc
curity except a sentimental woman
who was blind to his amazin' de-
fects? Y'know, / was just evil
minded enough to suspect there was
a Calypso in the life of this Ulysses
when he told us of stopping over
in New York to murmur au rcvoir
to someone.
"When a man like Pfyfe fails to
specify the sex of person, it is
safe to assume the feminine gender.
So / suggested that you send a Paul
Pry to Port Washington to peer i'm
to his ns-matrimonial activities !:
felt certain q bonnie annie would be
found. Then, when the mysterious
package, which obviously was the Sc
curity, seemed to identify itself as
the box Of jewels seen by the in
quisitive housekeeper, ! said to N.Y.
self: 'Ah! Leander's misguided Dull
cinea has lent him her gewgaws to
save him from the yawning dun
geon.'
"Nor did overlook the fact that
he had been shielding someone in
his explanation about the check.
Therefore, as soon as the lady's
name and address were learned by
Tracy, ! made the appointment for
you. ;"
We were passing the Gcthic-Ren-
aissance Schwab residence which ex-
tends from West End avenue to
Riverside drive at Seventy third
street; and Vance stopped for mo-
mcnt to contemplate it.
Markham waited patiently. At
length Vance walked on.
.. Y'know, the moment I saw
Mrs. Banning ! knew my conclusions
were correct. She was a sentiment
al soul, and just the sort of profess
sional good sport who would have
handed over her jewels to her amor
osO.
"Also, she was bereft Of gems
when we called-and a woman of
her stamp always wears her Jewels
when she desires to make an i'm
preston on strangers. Moreover,
she's the kind that would have jewel
ry even If the larder was empty. It
was therefore merely q question of
getting her to talk"
ION the whole, you did very
WE'LL" observed Markham.
"Sir Hubert is too generous-But
tell .me, didn't my little chat with
the lady cast !. e !. CLEAN into your
Naturally" said Markham. "I'm
not utterly obtuse. She played un-
consciously into our hands. She
believed Pfyfe did not arrive in New
York until the morning after the
murder, and therefore told us quite
frankly that she had 'phoned him
that Benson had the jewels at home
1.-THE situation now is: Pfyfe
knew they were in Benson's house
land was there himself at about the
time the shot was fired. Further.
more, the jewels are gone; ant
Pfyfe tried to cover UP his tracks
that night"
Vance sighed hopelessly.
Markham, there are altogether
too many trees for you in this case
You simply can't see the forest, y
know. because Of 'em."
"Therc Is the remote possibilit,
that you are 50 busily engaged il