Evening star., 1928-06-18

ton that grew out of old Tobias's pat
riarchal ideas"
we might manage to put some one
in the house to keep an eye on things"
suggested the inspector. "Or. there's a
possibility of prevailing upon the men,
bers of the family to separate and move
to other quarters"
Vance shook his head slowly
"A spy in the house would be useless.
Isn't every one there spy now. watch
ing all the others, and watching them
with fear and suspicion? And as for
dispensing the family: not only would
you find old Mrs. Greene, who holds
the purse strings. an adamantine OBJ
stacle. but you'd meet all manner of
| legal complications as result OF
| Tobias's will. No one gets a dollar. l
| understand, who doesn't remain in the
mansion until the worms have ravaged
| his carcass for full quarter of a GEN.
tury And even If you succeeded in scat
| tering the remnants of the Greene line
and locked up the house, you wouldn't
have stamped out the killer And
thereW be no end of this thing until
a purifying stake has been driven
through his heart"
Are you going in now for vampir-
ism, Vance?" The case had eXacerbated
|
enchanted ring around the house and
hang garlic on the door?"
Markhams extravagant comment of
harassed encouragement seemed to ex-
press the hopeless state of mind of all
Of us. and there was a long silence II
was Heath who first came back to a
practical consideration Of the matter
in hand.
You spoke, Mr.. Vance, about old
man Greenes will. And I've been think
ing that, If We knew all the terms of
that will. we might find something to
help US. There's millions in the estate
all Of 1t left, / hear. to the old lady
What I'd like to know is. has she full
right to dispose of it any way she likes?
And I'd also like to know what kind OF
will the old lady herself has made
With all that money at stake, We
might get on to motive of some
kind"
"Quite-quite!" Vance looked al
Heath with undisguised admiration
That's the most sensible suggestion
that's been made thus far. I salute you
sergeant. Yes. old Tobiass money may
have some bearing on the case. Not a
direct bearing, perhaps; but the in.
f1uence of that money-tl1e subter.
ranean power it exerts-is undoubtedly
tangled up In these crimes. How about
1t. Markham? How does one go abou
finding out about other peoples wills?'
Markham pondered the point.
IT don't believe there'd be any grea
difhculty in the present instance. Tobia:
Greenes viii Is a matter of record, o.
course. though 1t might take some little
time to look 1t up In the Surrogate;
files; and happen to know old Buck
way, the senior partner OF Buckway 8
Aldine. the Greene solicitors. SCI
him here at the club occasionally. ant
I've done one or two small favors fol
him. think could induce him to tel
me confidentially the terms Of Mrs
/. Greene's will. I'll see what can be don,
tomorrow"
Half an hour later the conference
! broke up and We went home.
II fear those wills are not going Il
help much" Vance remarked as HI
slipped his highball before the firt
late that night. Like everything els
in this harrowin' case. they'll posses
some Significance that can't be graspet
until they're fitted into the final pic
; ture"
He rose and. going to the bookshelf
YES. took down small volume.
: And now think I'll erase tn
Greenes from my mind pro tempore
and dip into the 'Satyricon.'
He settled himself and turned tn
pages of his book But there was M
!. concentration In his attitude, and hi
eyes wandered constantly from th'
!, text
Two days later-on Tuesday. Novem.
Der 30-Markham telephoned Vance
shortly after 10 O'Clock in the morn
ing. and asked him to come at ones
to the Office. In less than half an houl