The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-23
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER TX


Mrs. Platz, 1T was learned. had
been born III a small PEI nsylvania
town, Of German parents both Of
VIII m were dead; and had been a
widow for over IL years.
Before coming to Benson, she had
been with one family for II years,
anC had left the position only be-
cause her mistress had given up
housekeeping and moved into a
hotel. Her former employer, when
questioned. said she thor Int there
had been a daughter, but had never
seen the child, and F1ew nothing
of it. In these fa IS there was moth
in. to take hold Of, and Markham
had merely filed the rcpor. as a mat
ter Of form.
Heath had instigated city-widc
search for the gray Cadillac, al
though he had little faith in its
direct connection with the crime:
and in this the newsr apers helped
considerably by the extensive adj
vcrtising given the car
One curious fact developed that
fired the police with the hope that
the Cadillac might indeed hold some
clue to the mystery. A street-clcan-
cr, having read or heard about the
fishing tackle in the machine, re-
ported the finding Of two jointed
fishing-rods, i'll good condition, at
the sit Of one of the drives in Cen
trial Park near Columbus Circle.
The question was: were these rods
part of the equipment patrolman
Mclaughlin had seen in the Cadil-
lac? The owner Of the car might
conceivably have thrown them away
in his flight; but, on the other hand,
they might have been lost by sone-
one else while driving through the
park.
No further information was forth
coming. and on the morning of the
day following the discovery Of the
crime the case, so far as any definite
progress toward q solution was con-
cerned, had taken no perceptible for
ward step.
That morning Vance had sent Cur
RE out to buy him every available
newspaper; and he had spent over
an hour lerusing the various ac-
counts Of the crime. 1t was unusual
for him to glance at a newspaper
even casually, and | could not re-
fram from expressing my amaze
mcnt at his sudden interest in sub
ject so entirely outside his normal
routine.
mo, Van. old deal," he explained
languldly, Il am not becoming SEN
timental Or even human, as that
word is enormously used today.
can not say with Terence, Homo
sum. humani lihll a me alienum
ruto', because | regard most things
that are called human as decidedly
alien to myself. But, v know, this
furry in crime has proved rather
int'restin', or, as the magazine
writer's say, intriguing = beastly
word! Van, YOU really should
read this precious interview with
Sergeant Heath. He takes an en-
tire column to say 4 know nothing.
A priceless lad! I'm becoming
positively fond Of him."
1T may be-" he suggested, 'that
Heath is keeping his true knowledge
from the papers, as a bit Of tactical
diplomacy"
mo" Vance returned, with a sad
wag Of the head. mo man has so
little vanity that he would delibr-
atcly reveal himself to the world as
creature With no perceptible pow
ers Of human rcs soning-as he does
in all these morning iournals-for
the mere sake Of bringing one muir
derer to justice. That would be
martyrdom ,:one mad"
Markham, at any rate, may
know or suspect something that
hasn't been revealed" ] laid.
Vance pondered a moment.
That's not impossible" he adj
mitted. "He has kept himself mod
estly in the background in all this
journalistic palaver. Suppose we
look into the matter more thorough
ly-eh, WHAT"
Going to the telephone he called
the district attorneys flee, and ]
heard him make an appointment with
Markham for lunch at the Stuyves-
ant club.
"What about that Nadalmann
statuette at Stieghtz's," / asked
remembering the reason for my pres.
ence at Vance's tat morning.
II ain't% in the mood for Greek
simplifications today" answered
turning again to s newspapers.
To say that / was surprised a.
his attitude is to express it mildly