The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-03-14
) 81 7ng BENSON E9VRpeR CASE


broken piece Of corrugated card
board and large square dark.
brown envelope.
"Ah. to be sure! Photograph rec.
ords." He glanced about the apart.
ment. But, say, where did the
lady keep the bally machine?"
You'll find It in the foyer" said
Markham YEARLY, without turning.
He knew that Vance's chatter was
only the outward manifestation of
serious and perplexed thinking:
anc he was waiting with what pa.
thence he could muster.
Vance sauntered idly through the
glass doors into the little reception
hall. and stood gazing abstractedly
at q console. photograph of Chinese
Chippendale design which stood
against the wall at one end. The
squat cabinet was partly covered
with q prayer-rug, and upon It sat
polished bronze flower bowl.
AT any rate. It doesn't look
photographic" he remarked. But
why the prayer-rug?" He exam.
ined 1t casually. "Anatolian-prob-
ably called Caesarian for sale pur.
poses. Not very valuable-too much
on the Oushak type. Wonder
what the lady's taste in music was.
Victor Herbert, doubtless"
He turned back the rug and lifted
the lid Of the cabinet. There was !
record already on the machine. and
he leaned over and looked at It.
my word! Tho Andantc from
Beethoven's C-Minor Symphony"
he exclaimed cheerfully. lyon
know the movement, of course.
Markham. The most perfect IN.
dante ever written" He wound up
the machine. II think q little good
music might clear the atmosphere
and volatilize our perturbation.
what?"
Markham paid no attention to his
banter: he was still gazing defect.
edly out Of the window.
Vance started the motor. and
placing the needle on the record.
returned to the living-room. He
stood staring at the davenport, con.
centrating on the problem in hand.
l sat in the wicker chair by the
door waiting for the music. Tho
situation was getting OH my nerves,
and began to feel fidgety. A min.
ute or two passed. but the only
sound which came from the phono.
graph was q faint scratching. Vance
looked up with mild curiosity. and
walked back to the machine. In.
specting it cursorily, he once more
set It In operation. But though he
waited several minutes, no music
came forth.
Il say! That's dcuced oueer. =.
KNOW" he grumbled, as he changed
the needle and rewound the motor.
Markham had now left the win.
dow, and stood watching him With
good-natured tolerance. The turn.
table Of the photograph was spin.
ming, and the needle was tracing
its concentric revolutions: but still
the instrument refused to play.
Vance. with both hands on the cah.
met. was leaning forward, his eyes
hxed on the silently revolving rec.
ora with IN expression OF amused
bewilderment.
The sound box r. probably bro
KEN he said. "silly machines.
anyway
The difficulty. I imagine Mark.
ham chided him. ''lies In your patri.
clan ignorance of % vulgar and
democratic . Northumberland
me to assist you"
He moved to Vapce's side, and I
stood looking curiously over his
shoulder. Everything appeared 60
b In order: and the noodlo M
now almost reached tho end 90 the
record. But only . tnint acyatchlng
was audible.
MARKHAM stretched forth his
hand to lit the sound hox. But his
movement Was never completed.
AZ that moment the littje apart-
ment was 1rled with sevoral terri.
Tying treble screams. followed ~
two shrill calls for HELM. a eoll
chin swept my body. ana there 40
= tingling q IT, roots q NJ hair.
(TO m C0NI1MUEDl