Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-16
The Scarab Murder Case
BY S. S. Van Dine
oopyrlsh.. issO. }, 8. ). yan Dln..

sS
in view Of the excavations of the Har-
vard-Boston expedition at the Gizeh
| pyramids. It was in connection with
these excavations that had to 60 to
the Metropolitan yesterday morning for
| Dr.. Bliss F.. DOES that answer your
question satisfactorily"
quite. And these reproduc-
tlc..1 c. the tcyio furliture Of Hetep-
hires: Couldn't you arrange for them
more easily II you saw DR.. Reisner per-
| sonally?"
Certainly. The fact is, I'll have tc
| so North anyway in order to close up
the business. was merely on the trail
of preliminary information yesterday
Would the fact that tomorrow is
Sunday handicap you in any way?"
ITO the contrary. I could probably
see DR.. Reisner away from his ONCE
and 60 into the matter at leisure with
him"
THAT being the case, suppose you
hop a train tonight after dinner. Come
back, let us say, tomorrow night. Any
objection?"
Salveter's puzzlement gave way to as
constituent.
"Why-no." he stammered. mo par
ticular objection. But" ).
l
/, you Jumped out on such sudden notice?'
81 couldn't say. Probably not. The
museum isn't particularly pleasant
place just now. :"
well, want you to go, Mr.. salveter. +"
Vance abandoned his lounging de-
meanor and sat up. And want you
to go without question or argument.
There's no possibility of Dr. Bliss
forbidding you to go, is there?"
"Oh, nothing like that" Salveter as
sured him. He may think it's queer.
he never NEEDLES in the way I choose
to do my work."
Vance rose.
That's all. There's a train to Bos-
ton from the Grand Central at half
past o'clock tonight See that you
take it. And" he added, you
might phone me from the station, by
way of verification. III be here between
9 and $50 I. You may return to
New York any time you desire after
tomorrow noon"
Salveter gave Vance an abashed grin
II suppose those are orders"
Serious and important orders, Mr.,
Salveter," Vance returned with quiet
impressiveness And you needn't worry
about Mrs. Bliss. HAM, I'm sure, viii
take care of her"
Salveter started to make reply,
changed his mind and, turning abruptly,
stroke rapidly away.
Vance yawned and rose dangerously.
And now think I'll take two more
hours Sleep"
After lunch at Marguery's, Vance
went to the Gauguin exhibition, and la
ter walked to Carnegie Hall to hear the
Beethoven septet. It was too late when
the concert was over to see the
Egyptian wall paintings at the Metro
politan Museum of Art Instead, he
called for Markham in his car, and the
three of us drove to the Claremont for
dinner.
Vance explained briefly what steps he
had taken In regard to Salveter. Mark
ham made scant comment. He looked
tired and discouraged, but there was a
distracted tensity about his manner
that made me realize how greatly he
was counting on Vance's prediction that
something tangible would soon happen
| in connection with the Kyle case.
After dinner We returned to Vance's
roof-garden. The enervating mid
summer heat still held, and there was
!, scarcely breath of air stirring.
| II told Heath I'd phone him
Markham began, sinking into a large
peacock wicker chair.
II was about to suggest getting in
touch with the sergeant" Vance
chimed. I'D rather like to have him
on hand. don't y know. He's so COM
He rang for Currie and ordered the
telephone. Then he called Heath and
asked him to join us.
II have psychic feelin'," he said 70
Markham, with an air of forced levity,
that we are going to be summoned
anon to witness the irrefutable proof
Of some ones guilt. And If that proof
Is what think 1t is :"
Markham suddenly leaned forward in
his chair.
1T has just come to me what you've
been limiting about so mysteriously, he
exclaimed. 1T has to do with that
hieroglyphic letter you found in the
| Vance hesitated but momentarily.
Yes, Markham" he nodded. THAT
| torn letter hasn't been explained vet.
And have q theory about it that ]
can't shake Oft fits too perfectly
with the whole f1endish scheme"
/ But you have the letter." Markham
argued, in an effort to draw Vance out.
"Oh, yes. And I'm prizin' it."
You believe it's the letter Salveter
said he wrote?"
Undoubtedly.
And you believe he is ignorant Of
its having been torn up and put in the
doctors waste basket"
"Oh, quite. He's still wonderin' what
became Of it-and worryin', too"
Markham studied Vance with bafiied
curiosity.
You spoke of some purpose to which
the letter might have been put before
1t was thrown away"
That's what I'm waiting to verify.
The fact is, Markham, expected that
the letter would enter INTO the mystery
OF the dagger throwing last night. And
III admit / was frightfully downcast
when we'd got the whole family snugly
back to bed without having run upon
q single heiroglyph'' He reached for
q cigarette. There was q reason for
It. and think know the explanation.
That's why I'm pinnin' my childlike
faith on what may happen at any mo-
| ment now :"
The telephone rang and Vance him
self answered 1t at once. It was Sal
veter calling from the Grand Central
Station; and after brief verbal inter-
change, Vance replaced the instrument
\ on the table with an air of satisfaction.
The doctor" he said. was evidently
quite w1llin' to endure tonight and to-
morrow without his assistant curator
So that bit Of strategy was achieved
| without difficulty. !"
Half an hour later Heath was ushered
into the roof-garden. He was glum and
depressed, and his greeting was little
more than q cultural rumble.