Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-25

20 feet square. It had two large win
dows at the rear and Q smaller win
dow on the east side giving on q mar
row court. There were several mas
sive embayed bookcases about the walls,
and stacked In the corners were piles
of paper pamphlets and cardboard fold
ers. Along the wall which contained
the door leading into the hall stretched
! long divan. Between the two rear
windows stood a large, fiat-topped ma
hogany desk, before which was cush-
toned swivel chair. Several other chairs
were drawn up about the desk-evi-
dences of the conference that had been
held the previous night.
| It was an orderly room, and there
was striking neatness about all OF its
appointments. Even the papers and
books ON the desk we're carefully ar
ranged, attesting to Bliss meticulous
nature The only untidineSs in the
study was where Heath had upset the
wicker waste basket in his search for
the tennis shoe. The curtains of the
rear windows we're up, and the after
noon sunlight flooded in.
Vance stood for a while just inside
the door, glancing slowly about him.
| His eyes tarried for a moment on the
disposition of the chairs, but more eSpe-
cially, I thought, on the doctors swivel
seat, which stood several feet away from
the desk. He looked at the heavily
padded hall door and let his gaze rest
on the drawn curtain Of the side win
dow. After q pause he went to the
window and raised the shade. The
window was shut.
Rather strange" he commented. "A
torrid day like thiS-and the window
closed Bear that in mind, Markham.
You observe, of course, that there's q
window opposite in the next house."
what POSSIBLE significance could that
have?" asked Markham, irritably.
81 haven't the foggiest notion, don't
sically, something went on in here
that the occupant or occupants of the
room didn't wish the neighborS to know
about. The trees in the yard COM
pletely preclude any spying through the
rear windows"
Huh! That looks like point in
our favor" Heath rejoined. The doc
shuts the side window and pulls the
shade down SOS nobody1l hear him
going in and out of the museum, orll
see him hiding the shoe"
Vance nodded.
'Your reasoning, sergeant, is good as
far as it goes. But you might carry
the equation to one more decimal point.
Why, for instance, didn't your guilty
doctor open the window and throw UP
the shade after the dire deed was done?
Why should he leave another obvious
clue indicating his guilt?"
"Guys who commit murder, Mr..
Vance," argued the sergeant pugna-
ciously, don't think of everything"
1.-The trouble with this crime" Vance
returned quietly, 'is that the murderer
thought Of too many things. He erred
on the side of prodigality, so to speak. y
He stepped to the desk. On one end
lay a low starched turnover collar
with a dark-blue four-in-hand pulled
through it.
Behold" he said, "the doctors collar
and cravat, which he removed last night
during the conference. The scarab pin
was In the cravat. Any one might have
taken it-eh, what?"
$50 you remarked before" Mark
hams tone held q note Of bored sar-
casm. did you bring us here to show
us the necktie? Scarlet told US 1t was
here. Forgive me, Vance. II confess
that am not stunned by your dis
covery."
mo, didn't lead you here to ex-