The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-20

wei. the fellow might've tried
the poker, and then, finding it
wouldn't work, used his jimmy"
If he had the efficient jimmy"
countered Vance, "why did he 20
to the trouble Of bringing the silly
poker from the living-room."
The Sergeant shook his head
perplexedly.
"You never can tell why some of
these crooks act the way they do"
"Tut, TUT" Vance chided him.
There should be no such word as
never in the bright lexicon Of de-
tecting."
Heath regarded him sharply.
"Was there anything else that
struck you as queer?" His subtle
doubts were yelling up again.
swell, there's the lamp on the
table in the other room."
We were standing near the arch
way between the two rooms, and
'Ieath turned quickly and looked
blankly at the fallen lamp.
that"
1T has been upset = eh, what?
suggester Vance.
what if it has?" Heath was
frankly puzzled. damn near every
thing in this apartment has been
knocked crooked"
"Ah! But there's a reason for
most Of the other things having
been disturbed-like the drawers
and pigeonholes and closets and
vases. They all indicate q search;
they're consistent with raid for
loot. But that lamp, now, d. We
sec, doesn't fit into the picture. It's
q false note. 1t was standing on
the opposite end of the table to
where the murder was committed,
at least five feet away; and it
couldn't possibly have been knock
ed over in the struggle. No,
it won't do. It's got no business
being upset, any Lore than that
pretty mirror over the gate-legged
table has any business being
broken. That's why it's queer"
"What about those chairs and
the little tablet" asked Heath,
pointing to two small gilded chairs
which had been overturned, and a
fragile tip-table that lay on its side
near the piano.
"Oh. they fit into the ensemble"
returned Vance. They're all light
pieces Of furniture which could cas-
lily have been knocked over or
thrown aside, by the hasty gentle
man who rifled these rooms"
"The lamp might have been
knocked over in the same way"
argued Heath.
Vance shook his head. "Not ten
able, Sergeant. 1t has a solid
bronze base, and isn't at all top
heavy; and being set we'll back on
the table, it wasn't in any ones
way. That lamp was upset
The sergeant was silent for
while. Experience had taught him
not to underestimate Vance's OBJ
scrvations: and, must confess, as
l loo ed at the lamp lying on it's
side on the end of the library
table, well removed from any Of
the other disordered objects in the
room, Vance's argument seemed to
possess considerable force. l tried
hard to fit it into a hasty recon-
struction of the crime, but was ut
terly unable to do so.
"Anything else that don't seem
to fit into the picture Heath at
length asked.
Vance pointed with his cigaret
toward the clothes-closet in the liv-
ing-room. This closet was alongside
of the foyer, in the corner near
the Boule cabinet, directly opposite
to the end of the davenport.
"You might let your mind daily
moment with the condition Of that
clothes-press," suggested Vance,
carelessly. "You will note that,
though the doors ajar, the contents
have not been touched. And it's
about the only area in the apart
mcnt that hasn't been disturbed"
Heath walked over and looked in
to the closet.
"Well, anyway. I'll admit that's
queer" he finally conceded.
Vance had followed him indolcnt-
~, and stood gazing over his shout
der.
"And my word" he exclaimed
suddenly. "The keys on the in
side Of the lock. Fancy that, now!
One can't lock a closet door with
the key on the insidc-can one,
"The key may not mean any
thing" Heath observed honefuliv
Maybe the door was never locked.
Anyhow, we'll find out about that
pretty soon. I'm holding the maid
outside, and I'm going to have her
on the carpet as soon as the cap
tain finishes his job here"
He turned to Dubois, who, hav-
ing completed his search for finger
prints in the bedroom, was now in
specting the piano.
"Any luck yet?
The captain shook his head.
Gloves" he answered succinctly.
Same here" supplemented Bel
lamy grufflv, on his knees before
the escritoire.
Vance. with a sardonic smile,
turned and walked to the window,
where he stood looking out and
smoking placidly, as if his entire
interest in the case had evaporated.
At this moment the door from
the main hall opened, and a short.
thin little man, with gray hair and
q scraggly gray beard, stepped in
side and stood blinking against the
vivid sunlight.
MTN-ol saAA.s>s~~.