The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-02-02
CHAPTER XVI
LIE hung up the receiver and
u Il rubbed bis hands together.


Nov we're sailing" he rejoiced.
Vance had gone to the window,
and stood staring down on the
Bridge of Sighs," his hands thrust
deep into his pockets.
Slowly he turned. and fixed Heath
with contenplative eye.
1T simply don't do, don't y
know" he asserted. "Your friend,
the Dude, may have ripped open
that bally box, but his head isn't
the right shape for the rest of last
evenings performance"
Heath was contemptuous.
mot being a phrenologist, I'm 60
ing by the shape of his f1ngerprints. :"
"A woeful error in the technic of
criminal approach, Sergeant" re-
piled Vance dulcetly.
'"The question of culpability in this
case isn't so simple as you imagine.
It's deuced complicated.
And this glass of fashion and
mold of form whose portrait you're
carryin' next to your heart has
merely added to its intricacy."
TUESDAY, September IL; p. m.)
| Markham dined at the Stuyvesant
Club, as was his custom, and at his
invitation Vance and 1 remained
with him.
He no doubt figured that our
presence at the dinner table would
act as bulwark against the in
truSion of casual acquaintances; for
he was in no mood for the
pleasantries of the curious.
Rain had begun to fall late in the
afternoon, and when dinner was
over it had turned into a steady
downpour which threatened to last
we'll into the night. Dinner over,
the three Of us sought a secluded
corner Of the loung-room and set
tied ourselves for a protracted
smoke.
We had been there less than
quarter of an hour when a slightly
rotund man, with heavy, forid
face and thin, gray hair, strolled up
to us with stealthy, Self-aSsured
gait, and wished Markham a jovial
good evening.
Though I had not met the new
conner, 1 knew him to be Charles
Cleaver.
Got your note at the desk saying
you wanted to see me-"
He spoke with voice curiously
gentle for a man of his size; but,
for all it's gentlenesS, there was in
it timber of calculation and cold
ness.
Markham rose ard, after shaking
hands, introduced him to Vance and
me-though, it seemed, Vance had
known him slightly for some time.
He took the chair Markham indi-
Gated, and, producing a cigar, he
carefully cut the end with gold
clipper attached to his heavy watch
chain, rolled the cigar between his
lips to dampen it, and lighted it in
closely cupped hands.
I'm sorry to trouble you, Mr.
Cleaver," began Markham, "but, as
you probably have read, a young
woman by the name OF Margaret
Odell was murdered last night in her
apartment in Seventy First st. =. :"
He paused. He seemed to be con-
sidering just how he could best
breach a subject SO obviously deli
cate: and perhaps he hoped Cleaver
would volunteer the fact Of his ac-
quaintance with the girl.
But not a muscle of the mans face
moved; and, after a moment, Mark
ham continued:
I'm making inquiries into the
young woman's life I learned that
you, among others, were fairly well
acquainted with her"
Again he paused. Cleaver lifted
his eyebrows almost imperceptibly,
but said nothing.
1.-THE fact is" went ON Markham,
trifie annoyed by the others de-
liherately circumspect attitude, my
report states that you were seen
with her on many occasions during
a period of nearly two years.
Indeed, the only inference to be
drawn from what I've learned is
that you we're more than casually
interested in Miss Odell."
"Yes?" The query was as nom
committal as it was gentle.
eyes," repeated Markham. "And
I may add, Mr.. Cleaver, that this
is not the time for pretenses or sup
preSSionS.
IT am talking to you tonight, in
large measure ex offlcio, because it