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

tEANDCR PFYFE ..........,,
| Intimate Of Alvin Boneon'I
MRS. PAULA BANNING ...,..
ELSIE NORMAN Sse.sts1y ~ q
the firm o1 0sason and 6ensoq
COLONEL DlcSBY 0STRANOER
A retlte0 army offices
W1ILlAI q. HORJARTY &c..
.................. An alderman
GEORGE q. STIIr ............
........ o. The firm q Suit
and Mccoy, Public Accountant
MAURICE DtNWIDDlE .....,,.
-. Assietant DltSiet Attorney
seant q 10 Hom;eide er1ses
BURKE, SNlTxlN, EMERY -.
Oetsetives Of 8omieido .Busuae
BEN aANlON :.::.. Command.
ing Officer Of Detectives q.
aigned 70 District Attorneys offico
PHELPS. TRACY, SPRINGER
Hl00NDoTHA1 ............
............... Detectives a.
sieaed 70 District Attsyney's vffie>
CAPTAIN CARL HACCDORN !,
.SsssssSss.ssss G0okUno ORPU4
DR. Dosshus ~, u.. ;::;: :::.;:~
FRANK SWACKER :. Sc
Rotary 70 the District Attorney
CuRkiE .:::::..... vanee's vals'
s s. VAN DINE -. The Narrator
THIS HAS HAPPENED
Leac0ck confesses to the murder
but Vance exposes the confession
as a lie to shield Miss st. Clair
Vance tells Markham to como Ia
his apartment. and he will tell him
who killed Benson. When Mark
ham comes Vance hands him q doc
ument on which il outlined . strong
case against Mrs. Platx.
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER Ii
Markham read this precis through,
several times,-he was fully is
minutes at the task;--and when he
had finished he sat silent for ter
minutes more. Then he rose and
walked up and down the room.
"Not q fancy legal document
that" remarked Vance. "But
think even q grand juror could un-
derstand it. You, of course, car
rearrange and elab'rate it, and be.
deck it with innum'r able meaning
less phrases and reconcile legal
idioms."
Markham did not answer at once.
He paused by the French windows
and looked down into the street
Then he said:
eyes. ] think you've made out q
case. Extraordinary! I've won.
dered from the first what you were
getting at; and your questioning
Of Platz yesterday impressed me as
pointless. I'll admit it never oc-
Cured to me to suspect her. Ben
son must have given her good
cause"
He turned and came slowly to-
ward us, his head down, his hands
behind him.
II don't like the idea of arresting
her. ;. Funny l never thought
Of her in connection with it.
He stopped in front Of Vance.
"And you yourself didn't think
Of her at first, despite your boast
that you knew who did it after you'd
been in Benson's house five min
utes."
Vance smiled mirthfully, and
sprawled in his chair.
Markham became indignant.
damn it! You told me the next
day that no woman could have done
it, no matter what evidence was
addueed, and harangued me about
art and psychology and God knows
what"
"Quite right" murmured Vance,
still smiling. mo woman did it. y
mo woman did i'll" Markham's
gorge was rising rapidly.
"Oh, dear mol"
He pointed to the sheet Of paper
in Markham's hand.
That's just q bit Of spoofing,
don't y know. =. Poor old Mrs.
Plats!-shes as innocent . =
lamb"
MARKHAM threw the paper on the
table and sat down. / had never
seen him SO furious; but he con.
trolled himself admirably.
"Y' see, my dear old BEAM, ex.
planned Vance in ais International
drawl, II had an irresistible long
ing to demonstrate to you how ut
terly silly your circumst' initial and
material evidence is. I'm rather
proud, " know, Of my case against
Mrs. Platz. I'm sureeyou could con-
vict her on the strength Of it.
"But, like the whole theory Of
your exalted law, IT, wholly spe.
cious and erroneous. 49,. Circum.
st'ntial evidence. Markham, is thu
utt'rest tommyrot imaginable. tt
theory is not unlike that Of on,
present-day democrat.
The democratic theory is that 4
you accumulate enough Ignorance
ct the polls you ,roduce inteili'
gence; and the theory Of circunl.
st'ntial evidence il that Il you &C.
cumulats . sufficient number Of
weak links you produce = strong
chain"
ibid you got me here this morn
ing" demanded Markham colby
TO give me : dissertation on lesa
theory!"
"Oh, no." Vance blithely assuret
him. "But ! simply must preparl
you for the acceptance Of my reveal
ton; for haven't . scrap Of mate
rial or circumst initial evidence
against the guilty man. And yet
Markham, I know he's guilty o
vel! - I know you're sitting in tha'
chair planning how you can torturl
and kill me without being punished.
II you have no Avjdomeo, how ~
you arrive ct youe co0clusion1
4arkAam's tone was vindictfso.
stSololv By psycholoGicn1 analyst