Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-03
Continued from Yesterdays starr

I'VE know where to find her, In
speetor," Heath fastened to add b,
way of forestalling the others inevita'
BILE question.
las to the cook" Markham Wen
on. she, too, is wholly outside of any
serious consideration. Shes tempera'
mentally untitled to be cast in the
role of murderer"
And what about the butler?" asked
O'Brien acrimoniously.
Hes been with the family 30 years
and was even remembered literally In
| Tobias Greene's WILL He's bit queer
but / think If he had had any reason
for destroying the Greenes he wouldn't
have waited till old age came on him
Markham looked troubled for mo.
ment. II must admit. however, that
there's an atmosphere Of mysterious
reserve about the old fellow. He
always gives me the impression oil
knowing far more than he admits"
What you say, Markham, Is true
enough" remarked Vance. But Sproot
certainly doesn't At this particular
saturnalia of crime He reasons toe
carefully: there's an immense cautious
ness about the man, and his mental
outlook is highly conservative. He
might stab an enemy II there was nc
remote chance of detection. But he
lacks the courage and the imaginative
reSiliency that have made possible this
present CORY debauch. He's too old
much too old. By Jovel"
Vance leaned over and tapped the
table with an incisivs gesture.
That's the thing that's been evad-
ing me! Vitality That's what Is al
the bottom of this business ire
mendous, elastic, self-confident vitality
supreme ruthlessness mingled with
audacity and impudence--an intrepid
and reckless egoism--an undaunted be-
lief in ones own ability. And they're
not the componentS of age. There's
youth in all this-youth with its am
bition and venturesonlcness - that
thought of risk. No. Sproot
could never qualify"
Moran shifted his chair uneaSily and
turned to Heath.
Whom did you send to Atlantic
City to watch Sibella?"
"Guilfoyle and Maliory-the two best
men we've got" The sergeant smiled
with kind of cruel satisfaction. "She
won't get away And she won't pull
anything. either"
"And have you extended your atten-
ton to DR.. Won Blon, by any chance?"
negligentiy asked Vance.
Again Heath,s caanv smile appeared.
Hes been trailed ever since Rex was
shot"
Vance regarded him admiringly.
I'm becoming positively fond OF you,
sergeant" he said. and beneath his
chatting note was the ring OF sincerity.
O'Brien leaned ponderously over the
table and, brushing the ashes from his
cigar, fixed sullen look on the ois-
trict attorney.
what was this story you gave out
to the papers, Mr.. Markham? You
seemed TO want to imply that the
old woman took the strychnine herself
Was that hogwash, or was there some
thing in it?"
I'm afraid there was nothing in
it. inspector" Markham spoke with q
sense of genuine regret Such
theory doesn't square with the poison
ing of Ada--or with any OF the rest
of 1t. for that matter"
I'm not SO sure" retorted O'Brien.
Moran here has told me that you
fellows had an idea the old woman
was taking her paralysis" He rear.
ranged his arms on the table and
pointed a short, thick finger ct Mark
ham. "Supposing she shot three OF
the children, using up all the cartridges
in the revolver. and then stole the two
doses of poison--one for each OF the
two girls left; and then srpposing she
gave the morphine TO the younger one
and had only one dose left. -. he
paused and squinted significantly.
ST see what you mean" said MARX.
ham your theory Is that she didn't
count on our having doctor HANDY
to save Ada's life. and that having
failed to put Ada out OF the way, she
figured the game was up. and tool
' That's iii" o'Prien struck thu
| table with his fist And It makes
sense. Furthermore. 1t means we've
cleared I'D the case--see|
Eyes, il unquestionably makes sense.
It was Vance's quiet. drawing voice
that answered. But forgive me Ii
suggest that 1t fits the facts much toe
tidiiy. It's q perfect theory, don't y
l know: 1t leaps to the brain, almost a
| though some one had planned 1t for oul
| benefit. / rather fancy that were IN
| tended to adopt that very logical ane
sensible point of vieN. But really now
| inspector, Mrs. Greene was not TIT
suicidal type. however murderous sh'
may have been"
While Vance had been speaking
Heath had left the room. A few min
utes later he returned and interrupted
tO'Brien in a long, ili-natured defens'
of his suicide theory.
we haven't got to argue any NOR
along that line" he announced i've
| lust had Doc Doremus on the phone
He's finished the autopsy; and he say
that the old lady's leg muscles max
wasted away--gone plumb fiabby--ans
that there wasn't chance In the worls
of her moving her legs, let alone walk
| ing on EN-"
"Good God!" Moran was the first q
recover from the amazement this new
had caused us. who was 1t, then, tina
Ada saw In the hall?"
That's just I'll" Vance spoke hur
riedly, trying TO stem his rising sens
of excitation. "If only we knewl That
the answer to the whole problem. !
may not have been the murderer: bu
the person who sat I'm that library nigh
after night and read strange books b.
candIelight is the key to every
thing. :"
but Ada was so positive In he
Identification" objected Markham. In
bewiIdered tone.
RESORTS.