The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-02-28


"I can't follow any of it. Why did
Brisbane Coe return here last night?
And who knew he was going to re-
turn"
eff only could answer those ques-
tons"
Burke and Gamble were sitting on
hall bench near the drawing room
door. The butler had not seen the
dead man in the closet, for our bodies
had shielded him. But it was obvious
that he suspected the truth.
Vance went to him.
"What kind of topcoat and hat did
Mr.. Brisbane wear when he went to
the station last night?"
The man made a desperate effort
to pull himself together.
ga tweed coat, sir" he replied
huskily, "-black-and-white tweed.
And a light gray fedora hat"
Vance returned to the closet, and
presently emerged with hat and.
coat.
"Are these the ones?"
Gamble swallowed hard and nodded
his head.
eyes, SIR"
Vance replaced the coat and hat in
the closet, and commented to Mark
ham:
"They were hanging up so neatly"
els it not possible" asked Mark
ham, "that just as he hung them up
after returning to the house, he was
killed."
"Possible-yes." Vance nodded
slowly. "But that would not explain
the other things that went on here
last night. It's more reasonable, 1
think, to assume that Brisbane was
killed as he was preparing to leave
the house. But then again, there's the
time element. :"
Heath had already gone to the hall
telephone and was dialing a number.
"Tll soon get the time element for
you," he growled.
A moment later he was speaking
to Doctor Doremus.
"The docs coming right away" he
said, hanging up the receiver.
"1n the meantime, Markham" sug-
gested Vance, 81 think we might have
parlance with the Chinese cook. :.
Fetch him, with you, Gamble"
The butler fastened through the
dining room door at the rear, and
Vance strolled into the library, the
rest of us following.
We had scarcely seated ourselves
when tall, slender, scholarly looking
Chinaman of about forty stepped
softly into the room through the door
between the library and the dining
room. He stood beside the door with
relaxed immodibility, and, after one
swift glance at us, lifted his eyes un-
eagerly above our heads. Though he
looked at nothing in particular, I
felt that he saw everything.
Vance asked:
"What is your name?"
"Liang," came the soft and almost
inaudible response.
"Your whole name, please"
There was slight pause, and the
man gave Vance fleeting glnce.
"Liang Tsung Wei"
"Ah! /. And I understand you
are the Coe cook"
The other nodded quickly.
"Me cook"
Vance sighed, and a faint smile
overspread his face.
"Be so good as to forgo the pidgin-
English, Mr.. LANG. 1t will handicap
our conversation terribly. And please
take chair"
The Chinaman, with a faint flicker
in his eyes, moved his gaze till it
rested on Vance's face. Then he bow
ed and sat down in an arm chair be-
tween the door and the book shelves.
THANK you," he said in finely
modulated voice. 81 suppose you de-
sire to question me regarding the
tragedy last night. I deeply regret
/ can throw no light upon it."
"How do you know there has been
tragedy" Vance inspected the end
of his cigarette.
II was preparing the breakfast"
Liang returned, "and heard the but
Ter impart the information over the
telephone"
"Ah, yes-of course. Have you
been long in this country, Mr..
Liang?"