The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-30
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER XIV


by your attitude you arc only
working dctrimcnt to yourself, =
Markham warned her, with a show
Of irritation. Cav you not sec the
seriousness Of your position
you are known to have dincd
with Mr.. Benson. to havs left the
restaurant at midnight, and to have
arrived at your own apartment after
o'clock. A. 1890, Mr.. Benson
was shot; and your personal articles
were found in the same room the
morning after"
ut looks terribly suspicious. |
know Miss st. Clair admitted
with whimsical seriousness. "And
III tell you this, Mr.. Markham: if
my thoughts could have killed Mr..
Benson, he would have died lony
ago. know shouldn't speal i'll
Of the dead-there' a saying about
it beginning de mortuis,' isn't
there but the truth is, had rea.
son to dislike Mr.. Benson exceed
ing!y.'
Then why did you go to dinner
with him."
"I'vc asked myself the same ques-
ton a dozen times since.' she con-
fessed dolefully. 1--WE women are
such impulsive always
doing things we shouldn't. But
! know what you're thinking If
l had intended to shoot him, that
would have been natural prclim-
mary. Isn't that what's in your
mind? l suppose all murdercsses
do go to dinner with their victims
first"
While she spoke she opened her
vanity-case and looked at her re-
Election in its mirror. She daintily
adjusted several imaginary stray
ends Of her abundant darl- brown
hair, and touched her arched eye
brows gently with her little finger
as if to rectify some infinitcsimal
disturbance in their peneilcd con-
tour.
Then she tilted her head, re-
garded herself appraisingly, and re-
turned her gaze to the district at
torncy only as she came to the end
of her speech.
Her actions had perfectly con-
veyed to her listeners the impress
sion that the subject Of the CONVEX
sation was, in her scheme Of things,
of secondary Importance to h.r per-
sonal appearance. No words could
have expressed her indifference SO
convincingly as had her little pam
tomimc.
Markham was becoming exasper-
ated. A different type Of district
attorney would no doubt have at
tempted to use the pressure of his
office to force her into more
amenable frame o. mind. But Mark
ham shrank instinctivcly from the
bludgeoning, threatening methods of
the ordinary public prosecutor, es-
peeially in his dealings with women
In the present case, however, had
it not been for Vance's structures at
the club, he would no doubt have
taken more aggressive stand. But
it was evident he was laboring un.
der burden Of uncertainty super
induced by Vance's words and aug.
mented by the evasive department OF
the woman herself.
After a moments silence he asked
grimly:
you did considerable specializing
through the firm of Benson and
Benson, did you not?"
A faint ring of musical laughter
greeted this question.
Il see that the dear major has
been telling tales. -. Yes, I've
been gambling most extravagantly
And / had no business to do it. I'm
afraid I'm avaricious."
"And is It not true that you've
lost heavily of late-that, in fact
Mr.. Alvin Benson called upon you
for additional margin and finally
sold out your securities ?"
Il wish to heaven it were moi
true." she lamented, with look Of
simulated tragedy. Then: "Am
supposed to have done away with
Mr.. Benson out of sordid revenge
or as an act Of just retribution 2"
She smiled archly and waited ex,
pectantly, as II her question has
been part Of q guessing game.
Markham's eyes hardened as b.
coldly enunicated his next words.
rs It not = fact that Captain
Philip Leacock owned just such ,
pistol as Mr.. Benson was killed
with--a As army Colt automatic p
At the mention of her fiance'
name she stiffened preceptibly ant
caught her breath. The part sh,
had been playing fell from her, an,
a faint flush suffused her cheek
and extended to her forehead. Blu