New Britain herald., 1927-11-04
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHATTER NLN


 "Wednesday. June 19: 4:30 ?. m)
 "The quest for enlightenment upon which We are now embarked" said Vance, as we rode Up town, "may prove bit tedious. But you must ey ert your will-power, and bear with ne. You can't imagine what a tick fish task'I have on my hands. And Jfs not q pleasant one either. I'm q bit too young to he sentimental, and yet, q yo know, I'm half inclined to let your culprit go.''
 Would you mind telling me why NO are calling on Miss St. Clair ?" asked Markham resigncdly.
 Vance amiably complied.
 Not at all. Indeed, l deem if best for you to know. There are several points connected with the lady that need clue dation. First, there are the gloves and the hand bag. Nor poppy nor mandragora shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep which thou oW'dst yesterday until you have learned about those articles-ch " 'i'~S ! 4l'Ilt VII l fNdil, 4'i l-S I1bl - man told us that the Major was lending an ear when a certain lady called upon Benson the day he was shot. l suspect that the visitor vas Miss St. Clair; and I am rather curl ous 10 know what took place in inc office that day, and why she came back later.
 Also, why did she go 10 Benson's for tea that afternoon? And what part did the jewels play in the chit chat?-But there are other items. For example; Why did the Captain take his gun 10 her? What makes him think she shot Benson ?-hc really believes f, V know. And why dId she think that he was guilty from the frst?"
 Markham looked sceptiCal.
 You expect her to tell us all thieo
 My hopes run high" returned Vance. With her verray parfit gentil knight jailed as a self-con- .oseed murderer, she will have noth- ing 10 lose by unburdening her soul. But we must have no Clustering. Your police brand Of az gresSive crOss-eXamination will. I assure you, have no effect Upon the lady"
 Just how do you propose to elicit your information
 with morbidezza, as the paint CTS say. Much more refined and s'ntlcuanly, v know"
 Markham considered a moment.
 T think I'll keep out of if, and leave the socratIc elcnctus entirely to you"
 "An oztr'ordinrily brilliant sug- gestion," said Vance.
 When we arrived Markham an nouncod over the housc-tclephoDe that he had come on q vitaIlv i'm portant mission: and we were re ceired by Miss St. Clair without Il moments delay. She was aprro- nfnslTe, l imagine, concerning the whereabouts Of Captain Lcacock.
 A she sat before us In her lit.le ura"lug-rOom overlooking the INId on, her face was quite pale. and her hands, though tightly clasled 'r'mbloa T little. She had lost much of her cold reserve. and there were "nn1stakable signs of sleoplcss worry about her eyes.
 Vance went directly 10 the point His tone was almost flippant in ifs h@h'noss: it at once relieved tF,, tension of the atmosphere, and gave 'u air bordering on inconscnucn. .Ilj'y 10 our visit.
 Captain LoacocIl has, regret tc ufornn you, very fooIshly con ',Escd 10 the murder of MT Benson Eut we are not entirely satisfied with his bona fidos We are, alas, awash between Scylla and Charyb- dis. We can not decide whether the Captain IS d deep-dyed villain or q chovGlIcr sans peur ct sans reprochc His story of how he plishcd the dark deed Is a bit skctchy: he is vague on certain essential details and-what's most confusin'-h' turned the lights off in Benson'' hideous living room by a switcl which positively doesn't exist.
 "Consc' 'quently, the suspicion ha. crept into my mind that he has con cocted this tale of derring-do IT order to shield someone whom h'