Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-27

(Contnueo lIUIn 1tS1SAos49 . SSaA :.
"You shant!" she broke in, her
voice rising in an Infatuated crescendo
you sha'n't put your foot in that room
Net for II wears has anyone passed
the threshold. and no policeman now
shall 6esecrate the place where my hus-
band spent the last years of his lie.
Il appreciate the sentiment that &C
.uafes your refusal" replied Markham;
sb0t eraver considerations have inter
vened. The room will have to De
Not If you kill mel" she cried. How
dare you force your way into my
house."
Markham held up his hand author
itatively. ..or
7 came "a YOU merely TO ask for the
kew OF course. if you prefer to nave
,-ear low, the door. IS He
drew sheaf of papers from his pocket,
~ have secured a search warrant lot
4hat room: and it would cause me oeep
.rrret 10 have to serve It on you.
II was amazed at his aggressive daring
for I knew he had no warranty
Mrs Greene broke forth with I'M
.,,.rsttons Her anger became almost
:,eSensarc. and she was changed INTO
9 creature at once repulSlVe ana piti-
ful Markham waited calmly Tor neF
r,a~oxysm Of fury to pass, and wnen,
her vYtuperation spent, she behesd ms
ouiet memorable bearing, she knew that
She had lost She sank back. white ana
TAKE the key" she capitulated bit
+erYv land save me the final lnfanly
Of having nv house torn down by ru1-
fans It's In the ivory jewel case
in the top drawer Of that cabinet
She pointed weakly to the lacquereo
high-boy. .,,roa
the key-a long. old-fashloneo u lssau
nnent with double bit ana niisreeo
Have you always kept the key in this
sewej case. Mrs. Greene?" he asked, as
he closed the drawer. .s
"Fnr IL wears" she whined. ana
now. after all that time. 1t Is TO De TAKEN
from me by force-and by the police,
the very people who should De protect-
ing an old. helpless paralytic like me;
ITS infany. But what can expect.
Every one takes delight In torturlng me.
Nfsrkhsr1. his object gained. became
ronfrite and endeavored to pacify her
r. explaining the seriousness OF the
sit,,atior1. But in this he failed; ana a
few moments later he Joined US In the,
4 don't like this sort of thing Vance"
he said III ,.,.,,.~
If hadn't been with you since tunet,
I'd have believed you really had searcn
warrant" 49,.
"Get on with your business, now tnat
xou have the key" ordered Markham
irritably And we descended 10 the
Vance looked about him cautiously to
make sure We were not observed, ana
LED the way to the library.
The lock works rather easly, con-
sidering its IL years OF desuetuoe, ne
marked, as he turned the key ana genty
rushed open the massive oak door.
And the hinges don't even creak. AS
tonishin'"
Blackness confronted us, and Vance
struck a match
Please don't touch anything he ad-
monished. and, holding the match high
before him, he crossed TO the neaVy
velour draperies Of the east window. AS
he drew them apart a cloud OF oust
filled the air.
These curtains, at least, have not
been touched for years" he said.
THE gray light of midafternoon SUI
fused the room, revealing an astonishing
retreat The walls were lined with open
fookshelyes which reached from the
foor, nearly to the ceiling. leaving only
space enough for row OF marnae puSLs
and sollat bronze vases. AT the SOUTH
eYT1 end of the room was massive nat
formed desk, and in the center stood
long carved table laden With curious
end oIrtlandish ornaments. Beneath the
,rirdows and In the corners were piles
Of uarphlets and portfolios: and along
the moulding of the bookcases hung
gargoyles and old prints yellow WITH age.
Two enormous Persian lamps OF perio-
rated brass depended from the cellng'
end beside the center table stood Chi
nege sconce eight feet high. The moor
was covered with overlapping Oriental
rugs laid at all angles; and at each emo
of the fireplace was hideous, painted
totem mile reaching to the beams. "A
thick coating Of dust overlay everything
Vance returned to the door and, strik-
ing another match, closely examined the
inner knob.
Some one" he announced. has been
here recently. There's no sign OF dust
On this knob
We might get the fingerprints." sug-
geSted Heath.
Vance shook his head.
Not even worth trying. The person
we're dealing with knows better than 70
leave sign manuals"
He closed the door softly and threw
the bolt. Then he looked about him.
Presently he pointed beneath a huge
geographical globe beside the desk. ;
There are your galoshes, sergeant. !
thought they'd be here"
Heath almost threw himself upon
them. and carried them TO the window.
They're the ones, all right, ne de-
clared.
Markham gave Vance one Of his an
royed calculating stares.
You've got some theory" he asserted,
IN an accusing tone.
Nothing more than I've already told
YOU. The finding Of the galoshes was
wholly incidental. I'm interested 10
other things-just what, don't know. .
He stood near the center table and
let his eyes roam over the objects OF the
room. Presently his gaze came TO rest
on a low wicker reading chair the right
arm Of which was shaped into BOOK
rest 1t stood within few feet OF the
wall opposite to the fireplace, facing a
EarroN section Of bookshelveg that was
surmounted by a replica Of the Capt.
toline Museum bust Of Vespasian.
Nest untidy." he murmured. I'm
sure that chair wasn't left in that posi-
tion IL years ago
He moved forward. and stood looking
down al it nusingly. Instinctively Marx
Ram and Heath followed hlri; ana tnen
they saw the thing that ne hao Deen
contemplating On the table arm OF the
chair was a deep saucer in which stood
the thick stub Of a candle The saucer
vas almost filed with smoky wax drip
pings
1T took many candles 70 fill that
o.Ef" commented Vance; 'and ] doubt
Il the departed Tobias did his reading
by candle light" He touched the seat
and the back Of the chair, and then
CANNED his hand There's dust, but
nowhere near a decades accumulation.
f5oneone has been browsing In this
library rather recently: and he was
dashed secretive about IT, He didn't
80 nra q. 4nn rhnHae or turn On the