The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-11-07

Housekeeper for Alvin Benson
4URIEL ST. CLAIR .........
cxpTAiN PHILIP f 4 XZScS5c singer
, .;:;;;;::::.; Miss St Glars fianes
LEANDER PFYFE ............
Intimate Of Alvin Benson's
MRS. PAULA BANNING -.
.::.......:: A friend Of Pfyfs's
ELSIE HOFFMAN Secretary Of
the firm Of Benson and Benson
COLONEL BIGSBY OSTRANDER
.......... A retired army officer
WILLIAM II. MORJARTY -.
,,;o;::;: An alderman
80. -. Of the firm Of stitt
and Mccoy. Public Accountants
MAURICE DINWIDDIE .......
Assistant District Attorney
ERNEST HEATE ...... Ser.
geant Of tho Homicide Bureau
BURKE, SNITKIN, EMERY -.
Detectives Of Homicide Bureaa
BEN HANLON 49,. Command
ing Officer Of Detectives a.
signed to District Attorneys office
PHELPS, TRACY. SPRINGER.
HlCCINBOTHAM ...........
signed to district Attsrney's .ffie.
CAPTAIN CARL HAGEDORN =.
:.;.:::.::::.... Firearms expert
DR. DoREhus ..,;::; ::::;::
FRANK SWACKER :. Sec
Rotary to the District Attorney
c G Z ~ !. ;;. n,,;,,: yancs's valet
THIS HAS HAPPENED
Vance prevents Markham from
arresting Leacock when Pfyfe's
story duplicates the captain. II is
brought out that Pfyfc had been
in Alvin Benson's power because of
forged check. LeacOck cOnfesses
to the murder, but Vance exposes
the confession as lie to shield Miss
St. Clair, who had been with Ben
son the evening of the murder.
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER xLvI
Vance sighed.
Don't you want to be of any
helm at all in this case?" he asked
sadly.
what good did it do you to make
\ ass of me in front of that wom-
M" spluttered Markham. II can't
see that you got anywhere, with all
your tomfoolery."
What" Vance registered utter
amazement. "The testimony you've
heard today is going to help i'm
measurably in convicting the cul-
prit. Furthermore we now know
about the gloves and handbag, and
who the lady was that called at
Benson's office, and what Miss st.
Clair did between IL and I, and why
she dined alone with Alvin, and why
she first had tea with him. and how
the jewels came to be there, and
why the Captain took her his gun
and then threw it away, and why
he confessed. MY word!
Doesn't all this knowledge soothe
you? It rids the situation of SO
much debris"
AAC oCOPpVu 1IIu AL u Clk0IcL
"The really important thing the
lady told us was that her friends
knew she invariably departed at
midnight when she went out Of an
evening Don't overlook or belittle
that point, old dear; it's most pert
nent. l told you long ago that the
person who shot Benson knew she
was dining with him that night"
"You'll be telling me next you
know who killed him." Markham
scoffed.
Vance sent a ring Of smoke cir
cling upward.
"I've known al. along who shot
the Brighter"
Markham snorted derisivcly.
Indeed! And when did this rev.
elation burst upon you?"
"Oh. not more than five minutes
after entered Benson's house that
first morning." replied Vance.
"Well. we'll! Why didn't you con-
fidc in me. and avoid all these trying
activities?"
"Quite impossible" Vance explain
ed jocularly. "You were not ready
to receive my apocryphal knowledge.
It was first necessity to lead you
patiently by the hand out of the
vc~;ous dark forests and morssseS
Into which you insisted upon stray
ing. You're so dev'lishly unim-
ag'native. don't " know"
A taxicab was passing, and he
hailed it.
"Eighty-seven West Forty-eighth
street." he directed.
Then he took Markham's arm con-
fidingly.
"Now for a brief chat with Mrs.
Platz. And then-then I shall pour
into your ear all my maidenly Sc
cret :"
"wednesday, June 10: $3.50 p. mo-
The housekeeper regarded our
visit that afternoon with marked
uneasiness. Though she was large
powerful woman, her body seemed
to have lost some of its strength,
and her face showed signs Of pro-
longed anxiety.
Snitkin informed us, when we en-
tered, that she had carefully read
every newspaper account Of the
progress Of the case, and had ques-
toned him unfortunately on the SUBJ
ject,
She entered the living-room with,
scarcely an acknowledgment Of our
presence, and took the chair Vance
placed for her like q woman resign
ing he .self t. q dreaded but in
evi.able ordeal.
When Vance looked at her keenly,
she gave him a frightened g'en"e
ard turned her face away, as if, in
the second their eyes met, she had
read his knowledge Of some secret
she had been jealously guarding.