The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-10-25
THIS HAS HAPPENED
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER XXXVI

- found one other woman in the
CASE Tracy said.e "she lives il
New York, and often tele ZONES Il
a drug store near Pfyfe's house
and leaves messages for him. lie
uses the same phone to call her by
He had made some deal with the
proprietor, of course; but / was able
to obtain her phone number.
As soon as / came back to the
city / got her name and address
from information, and made a few
inquiries. She's Mrs. Paula
Banning, a widow, and little fast
| should say; and she lives in al
apartment at 268 West Seventy
fifth street."
This exhausted Tracy's inforna
ton; and when he went out, Mark.
ham smiled broadly at Vance.
He didn't supply you with very
much fuel"
MY word! 7 think he did unbe-
licvablv WE'LL" said Vance. "He un-
carthed the very information We
wanted"
1--WE wanted?" echoed Markham
II have more important things to
think about than Pfyfe's amours."
"And yet, y know, this particular
amour Of Pfyfe's is going to solve
the prol lem Of Benson's MURDER
replied Vance; and would say nc
more.
Markham, who had an accumula-
ton of other work awaiting him
and numerous appointments for the
afternoon, decided to have his lunch
served in the office; so Vance and
! took leave of him.
We lunched at Elysee, dropped
in at Knoedler's to see an ex-
hibition of French Pointillism, and
then went to Aeoian Hall where
s'ring quartette from San Fran
cisco was giving program Of Mo-
Fart.
A little before half past five we
were again at the district attor.
ncy's office, which at that hour was
deserted except for Markham.
Shortly after our arrival Miss
Hoffman came in. and told the rest
Of her story in direct, businesslike
fashion.
II didn't give you all the par.
ticulars this morning." she said
land l wouldn't care to do SO nov
unless you are willing to regard
them as confidential, for my telling
you might cost me my position"
II promise you,' Markham as
sured her, that l will entirely re-
spect your confidence"
She hesitated moment, and then
continued.
"When I told Major Benson this
morning about Mr.. Pfyfe and his
brother, he said at once that
should come with him to your office
and tell you also. But on the way
over, he suggested that ! might omit
q part Of the story. He didn't exact
" tell me not to mention it; but he
explained that it had nothing to dc
with the case and might only con-
fuse you. | followed his suggestion;
but after / got back to the office
began thinking it over, and know.
ing how serious matter Mr.. Ben
sons death was, I decided to tell
you anyway.
I'm case it did have some bearing
on the situation, / didn't want ia
be in the position Of having with.
held anything from YOU"
She seemed little uncertain az
to the wisdom Of her decision.
II do hope l haven't been foolish
But the truth is. there was some.
thing else besides that envelope
which Mr.. Benson asked me to bring
him from the safe the day he and
Mr.. Pfvfe had their Quarrel. It was
. square heavy package, and. like
the envelope, was marked 'Pfvfe.
PERSONAL And it was over this
package that Mr.. Benson and Mr.
Pfvfe seemed to be quarreling."
"W6s it in the safe this morning
when you went to get the envelope
for the Major?" asked Vance.
"Oh, no. After Mr.. Pfyfe LET
last week. ! put the package bacl
| in the safe along with the envelope
BIT Mr.. Benson took it home witt
him last Thursday-the day he wa
killed.
Markham was hut mildly inter
ested in the recital, and was abor