The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-10
IN 80 UB0G 90 esSSs r..
'XANAkY" mUlKDE[N CASE
by :. SWAN DINE AUTHOR .ec seMsoN MURDER CASE
DINE AUTHOR 81 THE BENSON MURDER CASE

separate clothcs-clOscts. or some
thing Of the kind" Markham
made no attempt to temper his
sarcasm. "a sapient idea-so
much more intelligent than
Heath's!"
II know it's weird. But it hap
pens not TO be any weirder than
your theory OF a lone yeggman."
"And for what reason. pray"
persisted Markham, with consid.
cradle warmth. do you consider
the ycggman theory VERDI"
For the simple reason that It
was not the crime Of q profess
sional thief at all. but the wilfully
deceptive act OF u particularly
clever man who doubtless spent
weeks in its preparation"
Markham sank back in his chair
and laughed heartily.
"Vance. you have contributed
the one ray OF sunshine to an
otherwise gloomy and depressing
case"
Vance bowed with mock hui
mility.
1T gives me great pleasure"
was his dulcct rejoinder, ito Do
able to bring even a wisp OF light
into so clouded a mental atmos-
pherc."
A brief silence followed. Then
Markham asked:
lis this fascinating and pic.
turesque conclusion Of yours re.
garding the highly intellectual
character Of the Odell woman's
murderer based ON your new and
original psychological methods OF
deduction?" There was no mis-
taing the ridicule tn his voice.
Il arrived at it." explained
Vance sweetly, "by the same proc.
esses OF logic I used in dctermin.
ing the guilt OF Alvin Benson's
murderer"
Markham smiled.
"ToAchc! +. Don't think I'm
SO ungrateful as to bclittle the
work you did in that case. But
this time, I fear. you've permitted
your theories to lead you hope
lessly astray. The present case
is what the police call an OPEN
and-shut affair.""
Particularly shut" amended
Vance dryly. "And both you and
the police are In the distressin'
situation OF waiting inactively for
your suspected victim to give the
game away"
I'LL admit the situation is not
all one could DESIRE" Markham
spoke morosely. But even SO,
can't see that there's any oppor-
tunity in this affair for your
reconcile psychological methods.
The things too obvious-that's
the trouble. What we need now
is evidence. not theories. II It
wasn't for the spacious and 70.
mantle imaginings Of the news
paper men. public interest in the
case would already have died
out"
Markham" said Vance quiet.
ly. but with unwonted serious
ness, "if that's what you really
believe, then you may as we'll
drop the case now: for you're
foredoomed to failure. You think
it's an obvious crime. But let me-
tell you. it's subtle crime. if ever
there was one. And It's as clever
as It is subtle. No common Grim.
inal committed it-believe me.
It was done BY . man Of very SUI
perior intellect and astoundiu' IN.
genuity."
vance's assured, lnatter-oi.fact
tone had . curiously convincing
quality: and Markham. restrain-
ing his impulse to scoil. assumed
an air Of indulgent irony.
"Tell me-" he said. ''by what
cryptic mental process you u.
rived ut 90 fantastic . conclu.
sion."
i with pleasure" vance took =
few pufs on his cigarette. ana
lazily watched the smoke curl ~.
ward.s y,
j (TO m CoxIIxUED)
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