New Britain herald., 1927-10-27
NOW BEGIN TIE STORY

l appOlHt tHltlll tul hdi M iidll WILL l Paula Banning.
 1 NOW BEGIN THE STORY CHAPTER NNNNIII
 Funny" murmured Vance. T thought Of that myself . . That's 1 why l 'phoned Pfyfe last night that he could return to Long Island.'
 You phoned him-..'
 lawfully sorry and all that ! Vance apologized. But you'd gone ] to bed. Sleep was knitting up your ravelfd sleeve of care; and ] i couldn't bring myself to disturb ou. . Pfyfe vas so grateful. too. Most touchin. Said his wife also would be grateful He was patheti- ! callv consid'rate about Mrs. Pfyfe. But I fear hell need his vel vety forensic powers to explain his absence"
 Tn what other quarters have you involved me during my ab- ] sencc?" asked Mark ham acrimoni- 1 ously.
 That's all,' replied Vance, rising and strollng 70 the window. He stood looking out, smoking ] thoughtfully. When he turned back i to the room. his ban1erine air had ! gone. He sat down facing Mark ! ham.
 1 "The Major has practically ad- mitted 10 us" he said, that he | knows more about this affair than ! he has told You naturally cant l push the point, in view of his i hon'rable attitude in the matter. And yet. hes willing for you to : find out what he knows, as long as he doesn't tell you himself,-that was unOuestionably the stand he 1 took last night. Now. I believe 1 there's way you can find out with i out calling upon him 10 go against i his principle. You recall Miss noffman's story of the eavesdrop- | ping; and you also recall that he : told you he heard q conversation 1 which, in the light of Renson's mur- ! der. became significant. l Its quite prob'ble, therefore, | that the Majors knowledge has 10 ! do with something connected with | the business of the firm. or at least with one of he firms clients"
 Vance slowly lit another cigaret. ! "My suggestion is this; call up , the Major and ask permission 10 send a man to take peep al his ledger accounts and his purchase and sales books
 Tell him you want 10 find out about the transactions of one of his , clients. Intimate that it's Miss St. Clair-or Pfyfe. if you like, I have a strange mcdiumiStic feeling that. in this way, you'll get on the track of the person he's shielding. And I'm also assaiIcd by the pr"monl- ton that he'll welcome your inter- est ,n his l"dger.'
 The plan did not appeal - Mark ham as feasible or fraueht with
 possibilities: and il vas evident he dislihcd making such request of
 Major Benson. But so determined
 vas Vance. so earnestly did he argue HIS punt '''"| ''' ''~
 Markham acQniesccd.
 "Hc was quite willing 10 let me send a man." said Markham, hang ing LID the receiver. Tn fact. he seemed eager to give me every ussistancc.'
 "I thought he'd take kindly to inc suggestion" said Vance. " See. if you discover for yourself whom he suspects, it relieves hlm of the onus Of having tattied.'
 Markham rang for Swacker.
 "Call up Stitt and tell him l want to see him here before noon-that l have an immediate job for him." "Stitt." Markham explained to Vance. lis the head of firm Of public accountants over in the New York Life building. I use him a great deal on work like this.'
 shortly before noon Stitt came. He was permaturoly old young man. with 2 sharp, shreWd face and perpetual frown, The pros- poet of working for the district at ,ornoy pleased him.
 Markham explained briefly what was wanted, and revealed enough of the case to guide him in his task. The man grasped the situation i'm mediatsly. and made one or two notes on the back Of q dilapdated envelope.
 Vance also. during the instruc- tons. mad jotted down some nota- lions on 9 piece of paper.
 Markham stood up and took his hat
 ] Now, I suppose, ] must keep the