New Britain herald., 1927-11-03

afraid" Markham reached for the telephone. 'Td better see to the formalities now"
 Just a moment" Vance put forth a restraining hand. Don't end his rapturous martyrdom just yet. Let him be happy for another day at least. I've a notion he may be most useful to us. pining away in his lonely cell like the prisoner of Chiffon"
 Markham put down the telephone without a word. More and more, l had noticed. he was becoming in Clined to accept Nance's leadership. This attitude was not merely the his mind though his uncertainty probably influenced him to some extent; but it was due in large measure to the impression Vance had given him of knowing more that he cared to reveal.
 Have you tried to figure out just how Pfyfe and his Turtledove fit into the case" Vance asked.
 Along with a few thousand other enigmas-yes, was the petu- lant reply. But the more I try to reason it out, the more of mys- tery the whole thing becomes"
 Loosely put, my dear Mark ham," criticized Vance. "There are no mysteries originating in human beings, y know; there are only problems. And any problem origi- mating in one human being can be solved by another human being. It merely requires a knowledge of the human mind. and the application of that knowledge to human acts. Simple, What?"
 He glanced at the clock
 T wonder how your MT. Stitt is getting along with the Benson and Benson books. I await his report with anticipat'ry excitement"
 This was too much for Mark ham. The wearing down process of Nance's intimations and yelled in nuendoes had at last dissipated his self-control. He bent forward and struck the desk angrly with his hand.
 I'm damned tired of this supe- rior attitude of yours," he com plained hotly. Either you know something or you don't. If you don't know anything, do me the favor of dropping these insinua- tions of knowledge. If you do know anything, it's up to you to tell me.
 "You've been hinting around in one way or another ever since Ben son was shot. If you've got any idea who killed him, l want to know it"
 He leaned back. and took out cigar. Not once did he look up as he carefully clipped the end and lit it. I think he was little ashamed at having given way to his anger.
 Vance had sat apparently uncon- ccrned during the outburst At length he stretched his legs, and gave Markham a long contempla- tive look.
 "Y' know, Markham old bean ] don't blame you a bit for your un- scelnly cbullition. The situation has been most provokin'. But now, l fancy, the time has come to put an end to the comedietta. I really haven't been spoofing, V know. The fact is, I've some most intrestin' ideas on the subject
 He stood up and yawned.
 ITS q beastly hot day but it must be done-ch, what?
 So nigh is grandeur to our dust,
 So near is God to man.
 When duty whispers low, Thou
 must,
 The youth replies, I can
 'I'm the noble youth, don't v know. And you're the voice of duty-though you didn't exactly W Whispcr, did you? Was aber ist doine Pflicht? And Goethe an- S"ered; Die Forderung des Tagcs But-dcu2c take it,-I wish the de- maNd had come on cooler day"
 He handed Markham his hat. :.
 "Como, Postumc. TO everything there is a season. and q time to every purpos" under the hcaven.4 You are through with the office for today,-inform Swacker of the fact will ou?-thcre's dear, We at tend upon a lady-Miss St. Clair, no less"
 Markham realized that Nancc's testing manner was only the mas qucra'c of a very serious purpose. Also. he knew that Vance would tell him what he knew or suspected only in his own way and that, no matter how circuitous and unrea- sonable that way might appear, Vance had excellent reasons for following it.
 Furthermore, since the unmask- irg Of Captain Leacock's purely fictitious confession, he was in