The Spokane woman. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1921-1935, 1931-03-05
lNsTALLMENT NINETEEN

heart and she dled instantly oho
never felt it at all!
what type of knife would you say?'
every sharp and slender "a thin
knife, Valcour.'
That's an unusual shape for ordi-
nary usage. 1t sounds like stiletto,
or one of those sharp-pointed paper
file steels that are weighted at the
bottom"
DR.. Harlan was wiping perspiratlon
from his face with a handkerchief.
THAT was probably it," he said,
There wasn't anything near her;
nothing in the nature of weapon. ot
course, | really haven't had time TO
look carefully. We can figure out
pretty well what happened"
"You CAM
''Why, yes. it should be simple, doc
tor Some one came in here while Mrs.
Sturm and | were down in the Kitchen
getting coffee We were there for quite
a while, you know. You've noticed the
drawers and things, haven't you?"
"Drawers?"
Eyes, That bureau there-take a
look at it. Mrs. Sturm was undoubt-
edly sloppy woman, but | don't think
even she would have made such
mess This dresser, here, was Just
gone through and nothing was put
back at all. Whoever was in here was
looking for something that he wanted
very badly"
"You said yourself Vera was sloppy"
"This is beyond sloppiness, doctor.
II couldn't have been done, either,
while Mrs Sturm and | were down
stairs. If it had been, Mrs. Sturm
would have noticed it when she came
back. He was probably looking through
things during that time, but doing so
carefully and not disarranging any
thing. | think he was probably at II
when he heard Mrs. Sturm and me
coming upstairs We talked a little
on the way up. remember saying e.,
Dlanket for me in the guestroom.
tblhk the man in here heard us AM
knew we couldn't get out without bein,
seen. Nalcour stared around tn
room. Ills eyes came to rest on thu
cupboard. He nodded toward it, ="
imagine that's where he hid himself
She must have gone to il to get some
thing-that wrapper she has on. per
haps-and he killed her. 1t is extra
ordinarily confusing"
What is?"
Just why he killed her. I mean
the question as to whether it was an
ihpulslNe HluTuer, OF perfneulate0. lie
fact that he was looking for something
would tend to make it impulsive, the
possible reaction of a person who has
been trapped and kills in order to
escape; to escape. in this case, either
from denunciation or betrayal
Il also doubt whether any one who
had deliberately set out to kill her
would select either this room or this
time. On the other hand the weapon
argues premedtation." y
How"
People rarely carry lethal knives
about with them, doctor, unless they
expect to use them. They're offensive
weapons nowadays, rather than defen-
sive. Then there's another important
consideration, and that's the temper.
AZURE of the crime?"
Yes; | don't know how else to ex.
press ii. The emotional heat of the
criminal, perhaps. makes 1t clearer. 1t
persons mentally blind with emotion
.--the- emotion of fear, or rage, or hate,
CT even love-he ceased temporarily to
be reasoning person and reverts to
basic elements. He becomes an ami
NAL. That happens, at its extreme
point, when man kills another man
in the presence of known witnesses.
Then there is perverted exhibition.
ism-but there's no use in drifting too
far into the abstract | think this mess