Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-29
NsTALLNfENT XVII.


THE sergeant extended his arms
and let them fall In broad
gesture of resignation. Then
u he went from the museum. In
q few moments he returned
with Scarlet in tow
Vance drew up several chairs. BY his
serious, deliberate manner / realized
that he regarded the conference with
Scarlet as highly important. At the
time was not aware OF what was in
his mind, nor did I understand why he
had. chosen Scarlet as his chief source
Of information. But before the day was
over It was only too clear to me. With
subtle accuracy and precision he had
chosen the one man who could supply
the data that we're needed to solve the
murder of Kyle. And the things Vance
learned from Scarlet that afternoon
proved to be the determining factors in
his solution of the case.
without preliminaries Vance informed
Scarlet Of the altered status of DR..
Bliss
"Mr. Markham has decided to post
podne the doctors arrest. The evidence
ct present Is most conflicting. We've
discovered several things, which, from
the legal point of view, threw serious
doubt on his guilt. The fact is, Scar
lett, we've come to the conclusion that
further investigation is Necessary before
we can make any definite move"
ScArett appeared greatly relieved.
by Jove, Vance, I'm frightfully glad
Ct that" he exclaimed with complete
conviction. "Dr. Bliss guilt is unthink-
able. What could possibly have been
Have you any ideas on the subject?"
Vance interrupted.
Scarlet shook his head emphatically.
mot the ghost of an idea. The thing
has stunned me. I can't imagine how
1t could have happened
eyes -. most mysterious" Vance
matter by tryin' to discover the motive.
E. That's why we're appealin' to
you. We want to know just what the
workings are In the Bliss menage. You.
bein' more or less of an outsider, can
possibly lead us to the truth. . For
instance, you mentioned an intimate re-
lattonship between Kyle and Mrs. Bliss
father. Let us have the whole story"
'It's bit romantic, but quite simple"
pipe. When he had got it going he
continued: You know the story of old
Abercrornbie, Meryt's father. He went
TO Egypt in 1885 and became Grebaut's
assistant the following year when Sir
Castor Maspere returned to France to
resume his chair at the College de
France Maspere returned to Egypt in
1899 and retained his position as head
OF the Egyptian Service des Antiques at
Cairo until his resignation in 1914, at
which time he was elected permanent
secretary of the Academic des Inscrip-
tions ct Bellies Lettres in Paris. Aber-
crpmbie then succeeded Maspere as di-
rector Of antiques at the Cairo Museum.
In 1898, however, Abercrombie had
(MlIaS1 fva lava vz,ifI1 q Hnv1f alx, a,.A H..
married her. Meryt was born two years
leter-in 1900"
Scarlet seemed to be having difficulty
with his pipe and used two matches to
Kyle entered the picture four years
before Meryts' birth" he went on He
came to Egypt In 1895 as o representa-
VINO had become financially interested
IN the proposed Nile irrigation system.
he irrigation to which Scarlet refer
red was the. system that resulted In
the Aswan Dam, the Asyut Weir and
the Esneh Barrago) He met Amber
erpmbie-then Grebaut's assistant-and
eher acquaitnance developed into q
close friendship. Kyle returned to
Egypt nearly every year during the
process Of the dams construction-tha
8, until 1902. He naturally met the
Copttc lady when Abercrombie sIbee-
qtently married, and, have every rea-
eon TO believe, was much smitten with
her. But being Abercrombie's friend
and Q gentleman, he refrained from any
GesPassing: However, when the lady
e1ed. ct Meryt's birth, he quite openly
transferred his affections from the
mother to the daughter. He became
MefytS godfather and, In q big-hearted
way, looked out for her as though she
had been his own child. !. Kyle
wasn't bad scout"
And Bliss?"
Ger Of 1918. He met Abercronbie at
that time, and they became friendly.
He also met Meryt, who was then only
- years old. Seven years later-ifl
1ez0-young Salveter introduced Bliss
20 Kyle; and the first expedition to
Egypt was made in the Winter of
1s2l-22. Abercrombie died in Egypt in
the Summer of 1922, and Meryt was
fathered, after o fashion, by HAM, who
had been an old family retainer The
second Bliss expedition was In 1929,
az Bliss again met Meryt. She was
now %; and the following Spring Bliss
Vance. on the third Bliss expedition, i in
1924. Bliss brought Meryt back
b America with him after the second
expedition; and last year he added
aani to his personal staff. HAM had
then been made an underinspector by
the Egyptian government. That sums
no the relationship between Bliss and
Kyle and Abrcrombie and Meryt Is 1t
what you wanted?"
Exactly" Vance looked at the tip
Of hiA cigarette thoughtfully. Briefly.
then, Kyle was interested in Mrs. Bliss
because Of his love for her mother and
his friendship for her father; and no
doubt he had an added interest in
financing Bliss later expeditions be-
cause of the fact that Bliss married the
daughter of his lost love"
Yes, the assumption is perfectly rea-
sonaDle"
That bein' the case Kyle prob