The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-19
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
rIyA DTL,p "


After casual inspection Of the
gloves, Markham opened the hand
bag and turned it's contents out onto
the table. came forward and
looked on, but Vance remained in his
chair, placidly smoking :. cigaret.
The handbag was of fine gold
mesh with catch set with small
sapphires. It was unusually small,
and obviously designed only for eve
ming wear. IT, objects which it
had held, and which Markham was
now inspecting, consisted of Il flat
watered-silk cigarct-casc. a small
gold phial of Roger and Gallet's
Fleurs d'Amour perfume, Il cloisonne
vanlty-cO:npact, Il short delicate
cigaret-holder Of inlaid amber, a
gold-cased lip-stick, small en-
broidercd Frcnch-linen handkerchief
with IN. St. c." monogrammed in
the corner, and :. Yale latch-key.
"This ought to give US a good
lead" said Markham, indicating the
handkerchief. Il suppose you went
over the articles carefully, Ser
gcant."
Heath nodded.
''Ycs; and l imagine the bag be-
longs to the woman Benson was out
with last night. The housckeeper
told me he had an appointment and
went out to dinner in his dress
clothes. She didn't hear Benson
when he came back. though. Any
way, We ought to be able to run
down Miss M. st. c. without much
trouble
Markham had taken up the Gig
upside down little shower Of loose
dried tobacco fell onto the table.
Heath stood up suddenly.
"Maybc those cigarets came out
Of that case" he suggested. He
picked up the intact butt and looked
at it. Its "a lady's cigaret, all
right. 1t looks as though it might
have been smoked in a holder, too"
II beg to differ with you, Ser
geant," drawled Vance. you'll for
give me, I'm sure. But there's a
bit of lip rouge on the end Of the
cigaret. It's hard to see, on account
Of the gold tip"
Heath looked at Vance sharply;
he was too much surprised to be
rescntful After closer inspection
Of the cigaret, he turned again to
Vance.
"pcrhaps you could also tell us
from these tobacco grains, II the
cigarcts came from this case" he
suggested, with gruff irony.
Zone never knows, does one -
Vance replied, indolcntly rising.
Picking up the case, he pressed it
wide open, and tapped it on the
table. Then he looked into it close
ly, and humorous smile twitched
the corners of his mouth. Putting
his forefinger deep into the case,
he drew out a small cigaret which
had evidently been wedged flat
along the bottom of TIE pocket.
my olfact'ry gifts won't be neces-
s'ry now," he said. 1T is apparent
even to the naked eye that the
cigarcts arc, to speak loosely, identl-
cal--eh what, Sergeant?'
Heath grinned good-naturedly. .
"That's one on us, Mr.. Markham"
And he carefully put the 'garet and
the stub in an envelope, which he
marked and pocketed.
s.You now see, Vance," observed
Markham, "the Importance of those
cigaret butts"
"Can't say that / do" responded
the other. "Of what possible value
is a cigaret butt? You can't smoke
it, " know" :.
"Jt's evidence, my dear fellow"
explained Markham atiertly. Zone
knows that the o,?ner Of this bag
returned with Benson last night,
and remained long enough to smoke
two cigarets."
Vance lifted his eyebrows in
mock amazement.
Zone does, does one? Fancy that,
now"
ut only remains to locate her."
interjected Heath.
"She's q rather decided brunette,
at any rate-if that fact will facili-
tate your quest any" said Vance
easily; though Why you should de-
sire to annoy the lady, / can't for
the life Of me imagine-really ]
can't, don't y know"
"Wly do you say she's a bru-
nette ?" asked Markham.
"Well, If she isn't" Vance told
him, sinking listlessly back in his
chair, ''then she should consult q
cosmetician as to the proper way
to make Up. / see she uses Rachel
powder and Guerlain's dark lipstick
And it simply isn't done among
blondes, old dear"
II defer, # course, to your exper
opinion" smiled Markham. Thel