The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-16

trusted me. Touchln'. wasn't It?
It's knotty problem, Van.
Something's amiss somewhere"
He was silent, smoking. for sew.
eral blocks.
"Mannix. =. Curious he should
crop up again. And he issued or.
dcrs to Alys to keep mum. Now,
why? Maybe tho reason he gavo
her was tho real one. Who knows?
On the other hand, was he with
his chcrc annie from halt past ten
till early morning? Well. well.
Again. who knows? Something
queer about that business discus.
sion.
"Then Clcaycr. Tic called up just
ten minutes before midnight-oh.
yes. he called UP. That wasn't a
fairy-talc. But how could he tele-
phone from q speeding car? lilo
couldn't. Maybe no really wanted
to have party with his rccalcitrant
Canary, don't y know. But then.
why the brummagcm alibi? Funk?
Maybe.
"But why the circuitousness?-
why didn't no call his lost love
direct? All. perhaps he did! Some
ono certainly called her by phone
at twenty minutes to twelve.
I'VE must look into that, Van.
Yes, no may have called her.
and then when man answered.
who tho deuce was that man, any.
way?-he may have appealed to
Alys. Quito natural. y know.
Anyway, ho wasn't in Boonton.-
Poor Markham! How upset he'll
be when he finds out.
But what really worries mo Il
that story of the doctor. Jealous
mania: it squares with Ambroise's
character perfectly. He's the kind
that does 60 OF his head. knew
his confession Of paternalism was
a red herring. Ny word! So tho
doctor was making threats and
fourished pistols, eh? Bad, bad.
! don't like It. With those ears OF
his. he wouldn't hesitate to pull
the trigger. Paranoia-that's It.
Decisions Of persecution. Probably
thought the girl and Pop-or may.
be the girl and Spotswoode-werS
plotting his misery and laughing
at him.
"You can't tell about those chaps.
They're deep-and they're danger.
Gus. The canny Alys had him
sized warned the Canary
against him. Taken BY and
large. it's devilish tangla Any.
way, I feel rather bucked. We're
moving-oh. undoubtedly we're
moving-though in what direction
I can't even guess. It's beastly
annoyin'."
Markham was waiting for as at
the Bankers Club. He greeted
Vance irritably.
what have you got to tell me
that's SO damned importantly"
"Now. don't get ratty." Vance
was bcaming. Flows your lode.
star. Skcel, behaving?"
so far he's done everything
that's pure and refined except Join
tho Christian Endeavor Society,""
Sundays coming. Give him
time. So you're not happy,
Markham dcar?"
WAS ! dragged away from an.
other engagement to report on my
state Of mind?"
mo need. Your state Of mind's~-
execrablc. Chccrio! I've
brought you something to think
about"
Damn It! I've got too much to
think about now"
Here, have some brioche.s Vance
gave the order for lunch without
consulting either Of us. "And now
for my revelations. pop Cleaver
wasn't In Boonton last Monday
night. He was very much IN the
midst OF our modern Gomorrah,
trying to arrange . midnight
party"
Wonderful" snorted Markham.
y lave IN the font of your wisdom.
His alter ego, ! take It. was on tho
road to Hopatcong. The super.
natural leaves mo cold"
You may b a pancosmic @ you
choose. Cleaver Was n New York
ct midnight. cravln9 oScitnn ~. \ N