The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-20
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER vi

11e0tn, VINO mao IeW0luSO 0toHu-
ing on the threshold, seemed a little
impatient.
"There's only one other room on
this floor" he said, leading the way
down the hall. "lt's also . bed
room-for guests, SO the housekeep-
er explained"
Markham and I looked in through
the door, but Varc, remained loung-
ing against the balustrade 1t the
head Of the stairs. He was mani
testify uninterested in Alv; Benson's
domestic arrangements; and when
Markham and Heath and I went up
to the third floor, he sauntered down
into the main hallway. When at
length we descended from our tour
Of inspection he was casually looking
over the titles in Benson's bookcase.
We had just reached the foot Of
the stairs when the front door
opened and two mel with = stretch
er entered. The ambulance from
the department of walfare had ar
rived to take the corpse to the
morgue; and the brutal, business
like way in which Benson's body
was covered up, lifted onto the
stretcher, carried out and showed
into the wagon, i..ade me shudder.
Vance, on the other hand; after the
merest fleeing glance a. the two
men, paid no attention to them. He
had found . volume with beauti-
full Humphrey-Milford binding, and
was absorbed in its Roger Payne
tooling and powdering.
II think an interview with Mrs.
Plate is indicated now" said Mark
Ham; and Heath went the foot
Of the stairs and gave a loud, brisk
order.
Presently, q gray-haired, middle
aged woman entered the living
room accompanied by plain-clothes
man SIN king a large cigar. Mrs.
Platz was Of the simple, old
fashioned, motherly type, with a
calm, benevolent countenance. She
impressed me as highly capable,
and Is q woman given little to hys-
terra - an impression strengthened
by her attitude Of passive resigna-
ton. She seemed, however, to pos
sess that taciturn shrewdness that
is often found among the ignorant.
"Sit down. Mrs. Platz," Markham
greeted her kindly. "l'm the dis
trict attorney, and there are some
questions want to ask you"
She took . straight chair by the
door and waited, gazing nervously
from one to the other Of US. Mark
hams gentle, persuasive voice;
though, appeared to encourc &c her;
and her answers became more and
more fluent.
The main fact that transpired
from Z quarter-of-s.n-hour's exami-
nation may be summed up a. fol-
lows:
Mrs. Platz had been Benson's
for four years and was
the only servant employed. She
lived in the house, and her room was
on the third, or top, floor In the
rear.
On the afternoon Of the preced-
ing day Benson had returned from
his office 1T m unusually early hour
4 o'clock-announcing to
Mrs. Platx that he would not be
home for dinner that evening. He
had remained in the living-room,
with the hall ioor closed, until half
past six, and had then gore upstairs
to dress.
He had left the house about 2
o'clock, but had not said where he
was going. He had remarked cas-
ually that he would retur,. in fairly
good season. but had told Mrs. Platz
she need not wait up for him-which
was her custor whenever he intend
ed bringing guests home. This was
the last she had seen him alive.
She had not heard him when he re-
turned that night.
She had retired about half past
ten, and, because Of the heat, had
left the door ajar. She had been
awakened some time later BY Z loud
dstonation. II had startled her, and
she had turned On the light BY her
bed, noting that II was just half past
twelve by the small alarm.clock she
used for rising. Il was, in fact,
the early hour which had treasured
her. Benson, whenever he went out
Tor the evening, rarely returned
homo before two; and this fact,
coupled with the stiffness Of the
house, had made her conclude that
the noise which had aroused her had
been merely the backfiriue Of an
automobile 81 Forty-ninth Street.
Consequently she had dismissed the
matter f-c~. her mind. and gone
back to
A. n rtn1unl 49, r.e -