The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-28

whats moro Jessup. who's I
shrewd, sound lad, told me this
woman Is q quiet. ladylikc sort, and
that shc and Odcll didn't even
know each other"
"You're SO thorough. Sergeant"
murmured Vance.
"Of course" put Ia Markham. 1T
would have been possible for some.
one from the other apartment to
have slipped In here behind the
operators back between seven and
eleven. and then to have slipped
back after tho murder. But Is
Sergeant Heath's search this morn.
ing failed to uncover anyone, We
can eliminate the possibility Of our
man having operated from that
quarter"
Il dare say you're right" Vance
indifferently admitted. "But It
strikes me. Markham old dear. that
your own atfectin' recapitulation
Of tho situation jolly we'll elimi.
mates the possibility OF your mans
having operated from any quarter.
=. And yet he came In. garroted
the unfortunate damsel. and depart
ed-eh. what? It's q charmins
little problem. I wouldn't have
missed it for worlds"
"lt's uncanny." pronounced
Markham gloomily.
Its positively spirituallstic,s
amended Vance. ut has the caress.
in odor of a seance. Really, y
know. I'm beginning to suspect that
some medium was lowering in the
vicinage last night doing some
rather tip-top materialixations.
! say Markham. could you
get an indictment against an ecto.
plasmic emanation?"
1T wasn't no spook that made
those finger.prints," growled Heath.
with surly turbulence.
Markham halted his nervous pac.
Ing and regarded Vance lrritably!
Damn it! This Is rank NON.
sense. The man got In some way,
and he got out. too. There's some.
thing wrong somewhere. Either
the maid is mistaken about some.
one being here when che left, or
else one Of those phone operators
went to sleep and won't admit it,
Vance shook his head. THE
maid. I'd say. IS eminently trust.
worthy. And II there was any
doubt about anyone's having come
In the front door unnoticed. the
lads on tho switchboard would. in
the present circumstances, be only
too eager to admit 1t. No.
Markham. you'll simply have to ap.
proach this affair from the astral
plane. 50 to speak"
Markham grunted his distaste Of
Vance's popularity.
"But, consider" protested Vance
banteringly. "You've proved con.
clusively-or. rather. you've dem.
onstrated legally-that no one
could have entered or departed
from this apartment last night:
and. as you've often told me. .
court Of law must decide all mat.
tiers. not in accord with the known
or suspected facts. but according
to the evidence: and the evidence
in this case would prove q sound
alibi for every corporeal being ex-
tant.
And yet. it's not exactly ten.
able. d 70 sec. that the lady stran.
gled herself. II only it had been
poison. what an exquisite and sat-
isfyin' suicide case you'd have!
s. Most inconsiderate Of her
homicidal visitor not to have used
arsenic instead Of his hands!">
SWELL. no strangled her." pro.
nounced Heath. Furthermore,
I'll lay my money on the fellow who
called her last night at half past
nine and couldn't get in. He's the
bird ! want to talk to-"
"Indecd?" Vance produced IN.
other cigaret. II shouldn't say, to
judge from our description Of him,
that his conversation would prove
particularly fascinatin.."
GRO BE CONTINUEDy