Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-23
INSTALLMENT XXI.
(FRIDAY, JULY Is; 1880 P.M.)

II am at your service, gen.
Il Il tlemen," he announced, looking
from one to the other Of US
superciliously.
Vance had already drawn up sec
ond chair beside the one on which he
had stood during his inspection OF the
top Of the cabinet, and he now made Q
reckoning gesture to the Egyptian.
1--WE appreciate your passionate spirit
Of cooperation, Ham," he replied light
ly. Would you be SO amiable as to
stand on this chair and point out to me
exactly where you set the statue OF
Sakhmet yesterday"
I was watching HAM closely, and I
could have sworn that his eyebrows
contracted slightly. But there was al
most no hesitation in his compliance
with Vance's request. Making slow,
deep bow, he approached the cabinet.
don't put your hands on the wood
work" Vance admonished. And don't
touch the curtain"
Awkwardly, because Of his long fow-
ing kaftan, HAM mounted one OF the
chairs and Vance stepped upon the
seat of the other.
The Egyptian squinted for q moment
ct the top Of the cabinet, ot and nd then men
edge, exactly halfway across the 2H2-
foot opening.
"Just here, effendi," he said. eff you
look closely you can see where the base
Of Sakhmet disturbed the dust )"
"Oh, quite" Vance, though in an at
titude of concentration, was nevertne-
less studying Hani's face. But II one
looks even more closely one can see
other disturbances in the dust"
The wind. perhaps, from yonder win
Vance chuckled.
"Blason ist NIGHT fioten, ihr MUST die
Finger bewegen-to quote Goethe fgur-
Atively. Your explanation, HAM,
Is bit too poetic" He indicated point
near the molding at the edge of the
cabinet. Il doubt If even your sim
moon-or, rs you may prefer to call 1t,
samum II am not quite sure why Vance
added this parenthetical phrase, unless
1t was because the word simeon comes
from the Arabic Stamina, meaning 70
be poisoned, and he thought that HAM
would better recognize the word in its
correct genealogical form)-could have
made that scratch ct the edge Of the
statues base, what2 Or, it may
be, you set down the statue with undue
violence"
"It is possible, Of course-though not
likely"
mo, not nkely-considerin your SUI
perstitiouS reverence for the leonine
lady" Vance descended from his perch.
However, Sakhmet seems to have been
standing on the very edge of the cabi-
net, directly in the center. when Mr..
Kyle arrived this morning to inspect
the new treasures"
curiosity. Heath and Markham were
especially interested, and Scarlet
frowning and immobile-had not taken
his eyes from Vance. Even Bliss, who
had seemed utterly broken by the
tragedy and in q state of complete hope
lesSness, had followed the episode with
tntentness. That Vance had discovered
something of Importance was evident. I
knew him too well to underestimate his
persistence, and waited, with a sense
of inner excitation, for the time when
he would share his new knowledge
with US.
Markham, however, voiced his impa-
tience.
What have you In mind, Vance?" he
asked irritably. This Is hardly the time
to be eecretive and dramatic"
I'm merely delving into the subtler
possibilities Of this inveiglin' case" he
replied, in an offhand manner. I'm q
complex soul, Markham, old dear.
don't alasl possess q simple, forth
right nature. I'm sworn enemy of
the obvious and the trite. You
remember what the heart of the young
man said to the Psalmist ?-'Things are
not what they SEEM"
Markham had long since come to
understand this kind Of evasive gar
rulousness on Vance'S part, and no
further question was asked. Moreover,
there was an interruption at this mo-
ment: which was to place an even more
complicated and more sinister aspect
on the entire case.
The front door was opened by Hem
Messy, and Capt. Dubois and Detective
Bellamy, the finEerprint experts, clat-
tered down the stairs
Sorry to keep you waiting, sergeant"
Dubois said, shaking hands with Heath,
but was tied up with q safe-break-
ing job on Fulton street." He looked
about him. "How dye do, Mr.. Mark
ham,? He extended bis hand to the
Is it?" Dubois spoke civilly, but with
out enthusiasm. believe his TIL with
Vance during the Canary" murder case
ettn ranked in him.
There amt much Of q job for you
here, captain" Heath interrupted i'm
patiently. The only thing / want you
TO check up on is that black statute
laying there"
Dubois at once become seriously pro-
3essional.
"That won't take long" he muttered,
pending over the diorite figure Of
@akhmet. What might II be, sergeant?
zone Of this futuristic works Of art
ehAt don't mean anythlng7"
It don't mean anything to me-. the
sergeant growled, unless you can find
some nice identifable prints on It,"
Dubois grunted and snapped his nm
GERS toward his assistant. Bellamy, who
had stood imperturably in the back
ground during the exchange Of greet
ings, came ponderously forward and
opened q black handbag which he had
brought with him. Dubois, using large
Aandkedchief and the palms of his
hands, carefully lifed the statue and
placed 1t upright on the seat of chair.
Then he reached in the handbag and
took out an insufflator, or tiny hand
bellows, and pulled q fine pale-saffron
powder over the entire figure. Following
this operation, he gently blew away all
the surplus powder, and fixing a jew
eler's glass on his eye, knelt down and
made close inspection Of every part Of
the statue.
HAM had watched the performance
with the keenest interest He had slowly
moved forward toward the fingerprint
men until now he stood within few
feet Of them. His eyes were concen-
uated on their laborS, and MS hands,
which hung at his sides, were tightly
dexed.
You'll find no fingerprints Of mine
on Sakhmet, gentlemen" ne proclaimed
in q low, tense voice. II polished them
OF. Nor win there be any finger
prints to guide you. The Goddess of
Vengeance strikes Of her own volition
and power, and no human hands are
needed to assist her in her acts of JUS
tice''
Heath threw the Egyptian a glance
of scathing contempt. but Vance turned
In his direction with a considerable
show OF 1 terest