The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-17
VANA(EY. N1URDGE CASE

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humidcr.
Markham's eyes narrowed: he
was in no mood for levity.
"The Canary has been MUIR
dered," / blurted out.
Vance held his wax vesta poised,
and gave me look Of indolent in
quisitivencss. "Whose canary?"
Margaret Odell was found
strangled this morning" amended
Markham brusqucly. even you,
wrapped in your scented cotton
vol, have heard Of her. And you
can realize the significance Of the
crime. I'm personally going to look
for those footprints in the snow;
and Il you want to come along, as
you intimated the other night, you'll
have to get move on"
Vance crushed out his cigarette.
Margaret Odell, Ell? Most
distressin'!" Despite his offhand
manner, / could see he was deeply
interested. 1.-THE base enemies Of
law and order are determined to
chivvy you most horribly, aren't
they, old dear? Deuced inconsider-
ate Of 'em! Excuse me while
l seek habiliments suitable to the
occasion"
He disappeared into his bedroom,
while Markham took out a large
cigar and rcsolutely prepared it for
smoking, and returned to the
library to put away the papers on
which l had been working.
In Sess than ten minutes Vance
reapreared, dressed for the street.
! We rode up-to along Madison
avenue, turned into Central Park,
and came out by the West I'D street
entrance. Margaret Odell's apart
ment was at 1s4 West list street.,
near Broadway; and as We drew up
to the curb, it was necessary for
the patrolman on duty to make a
passage for us throu III the crowd
that had already gathered as 2 re-
suit Of the arrival Of the police.
Feathergill, an assistant district
attorney. was waiting in the main
hall for his chiefs arrival.
cts too bad, sor," he lamented.
"a rotten show all round. And
just at this time! - He
shrugged his shoulders discourage
ingly ,
Markham, shaking the others
hand. 'How arc things going? Ser
geant Heath phoned me right after
you called, and said that, at first
glance, the case looked a bit stub
born"
"Stubborn?" repeated Feather
gill lugubriously. cts downright
impervious. Heath is spinning
round like turbine. He was called
off the Boyle case, by the way, to
devote his talents to this new
shocker. Inspector Moran arrived
ten minutes ago"
well, Heath's good man." de-
clared Markham. well work it
out. Which is the apartment ?"
Feathcrgill led the way to door
at thu rear of the main hall.
"Herc you are, sir" h an
nounced. "I'll be running along
now. | need sleep. Good luck."
And he was gone.
1t will be necessary to give a
brief description Of the house and
its interior arrangement for the
somewhat peculiar structure Of the
building played vital part in the
seemingly insoluble problem posed
by the murder
The house, which was four
story stone structure originally
built as residence, had been re-
modelled, both inside and outside,
to meet the requirements Of an ex-
elusive individual apartment dwell
ing. There were, believe, three or
four separate suites on each floor;
but the quarters upstairs need not
concern us. The main floor vas the
scene Of the crime, and here there
were three apartments and den
lists office.
The main entrance to the build
ing was directly on the street, and
extending straight back from the
front door was a wide Hallway.
Directly at the rear Of this hallway,
and facing tie entrance, was the
door to the Odcll apartment which
bore the mineral g" g.. !" About half
way down the front AL, on the
right hand side, was the stairway
leading to the floors above: and di-
rectly beyond the stairway, also on
the right, was a small reception
room with . wide archway instead
of a door. Directly oppo;ite to the
stairway. in a small recess stood
the telephone switchboard. There
was no elevator in the house.
Another important feature of
This ground floor. nlan y0A a small
passageway at the rea. Of the main
hall and at right angles to it which
led past the front walls of the
Odell apartment to a doc opening
on court at the west side. Of the
building. Til. court vas con-
nected with the 4 eet by a. alley
four feet wide.
| tn Re Cnntinued)