The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-11-09
NOW BEGIN THE STORY
CHAPTER XIX

/
Vance adjusted himself more COM
fortably in his chair.
Nov for your judicial considera.
lions. First, let us assume that
at a little before half past twelve
on the night of the thirteenth the
villain came to Benson's house, saw
tho light in the living-room, tapped
on the window and was instantly
admitted. -. What, would YOU
say, do these assumptions indicate
regarding the visitor ?"
Merely that Benson was &C.
quainted with him." returned Mark
ham. but that doesn't help us
any. We can't extend the sus. per
coll. to everybody the l-:n knew"
"The indications go much further
than that. old chap" Vance re-
torted. "They show Enthusiastically
that Benson's murderer was a most
intimate crony, or, at least, a per-
son before wht n. he didn't care
how he looked.
THE absence Of the toupee, as
once suggested to you, was a prime
essential Of the situation. A toupee,
don't y know, is the sartorial sine
qua non Of every middle-aged Beau
Brummel afflicted with badness.
You heard Mrs. Platz on the SUBJ
ject. Do you think for second
that Benson, who hid his hirsute
deficiency even from the grocer's
boy, would visit with mere ac-
quaintance thus bereft of his crown
ing glory? And besides being thus
denuded, he was without his full
complement Of teeth. Moreover, he
was without collar or tie, and at
tired in an old smoking jacket and
bedroom slippers!
"Picture the spectacle, my dear
fellow. -. A man does not look
fascinatin' without his collar and
with his shirt-band and gold stud
exposed. Thus attired he is the
equivalent of a lady in curl-papers.
-. How many men do you think
Benson knew with whom he would
have sat down to a tcte-a-tete in
this undress condition ?"
"Three or four, perhaps" an
swered Markham "But l can't ar
rest them ALL
I'm sure you would if you could.
But it won't be necessity
Vance selected another cigaret
from his case, and went en-:
There are other helpful indica-
tons, y know. For instance, the
murderer was fairly we'll acquainted
with Benson's domestic arrange
ments.
"He must have known that the
housekeeper slept a good distance
from the living-room and would not
be startled by the shot if her door
was closed as usual. Also, he must
have known there was no one else
in the house at that hour.
"And another thing: don't forget
that his voice vas perfectly familiar
to Benson. If there had been the
slightest doubt about it Benson
would not have let him in, in view
Of his natural fear Of housebreakers,
and with the Captains threa hang
ing over him."
THAT'S 9 +; hypothesis.
"The jewels, Mar.iham-those
orators of love. Have you thought
Of them? They were on the CENTER
table when Benson came home that
night; and they were zone in the
morning. Wherefore, it seems in
ev'table that the murderer took 'em
-eh, what? And may they not
have been one reason for tn MUIR
derer's coming there tfat night?
IF SO, who of Benson's most in
innate friends knew Of their pres
ence in the house? And who wanted
'em particularly"
Exactly, Vance" Markham
nodded his head slowly. you've
hit It. I've had an uneasy feeling
shout Pfyfe right along. was on
the point Of ordering hi arrest
today when Heath BROUGHT word Of
Leacock's confession; and then,
when that blew up. my suspicious
reverted to him.
q said nothing this afternoon h.
cause wanted to see where your
ideas Ind led you. What you've
been saying checks up perfectly
with my own notions. Pfyfe's our
He brought the front legs Of his
chair down suddenly.
"And now, damn It, you've let
him get away from us!"
"Don't fret, old DEAR" said
Vance. "He's safe wit Mrs. Pfyfe,
fancy. And anyhow, your friend
Mr.. Ben Hanlon, is well versed IL