The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-05-02
THE KENNEL
MURDER CASE
By s. S. VAN DINE

1T should be here, v know" he
murmured, as if to himself, "unless
it's been taken away. -"
He got up and began to check the
volume numbers of the various sets
of books. When he came to red-and-
gold set of the "Aussenseiter der
Gesellschaft" he gave nod and step
ped down to the floor.
"a volume missing" he announced
He scan.ad the upper book shelves
CAREFULLY tI wonder. ;" Then he
dropped Oh Ms knees and began go
ing more thoroughly over the section
of fiction.
When he had come to the lowest
shelf he reached forward and took out
a thin red-and-gold volume. He glanc-
ed at it and leaned forward again to
inspect the books on either side of the
space from which he had extracted
the missing volume of the "Aussen-
setter der Gesellschaft" series.
"Oh, l sayv' he exclaimed. "That's
deuced interestin'. Markham, it's sig
nificant that the missing volume Of
the 'Aussenseiter der Gesellschaft'
p should be found cheek by jowl with a
u book dealing with a pin"
Markham took his cigar frim his
mouth, stood up, and faced Vance
with a serious face.
81 see what you mean," he said.
"You think that Brisbane, by the help
of these books on criminology, work.
ed out some way of boiling Archer's
door from the outside, by the use of
those pins and string"
Vance gave an affirmative nod.
EITHER Brisbane or some one else.
1t was quite a technical operation"
He picked up the "Aussenseiter der
Gesellschaft" volume. I think I'll do
a bit of pryin'-if you could bear to
wait for me short while"
Markham made a gesture of acqui-
escence.
1.-THE sergeant and 1 will wait
downstairs-I've some telephoning to
do"
The three of us left Vance alone in
Brisbane's room, and as / closed the
door, saw Vance stretch himself out
on the davenport with the two books.
An hour later he came to the head
of the stairs and called down to us.
We joined him in Archer's bedroom.
49, 81 think I've found solution to
\ one phase of our problem" he an
y nounced seriously, when we were
seated. "But it may take a bit of
working out. He opened the book.
''The tale, as l gather at a hasty
reading, relates of dead man found
locked in vault with a key in the
door on the table before him. The
vault door was locked from the out
side, of course. Here's the expla-
nat'ry passage: No other word he
OPOhC, OuO GOOh OOIACG1IlIIS 1IOII1 HIS
pocket; it was reel of stout cotton
Then from his waistcoat he produced
a new pin, and with great care and
solemnity tied the thread to the end
of the pin, Tab watching him intent
ly. And all the time he was working
Rex Lander was humming a little
tune, as though he were engaged in
the most innocent occupation. Pres
emily he stuck the point of the
pin in the center of the table, and
pulled at it by the thread he had fast
ened. Apparently he was satisfied. He
unwound further length of cotton,
and when he had sufficient he thread
ed the key upon it, carrying it well
outside the door. The end he brought
back into the vault, and then pushed
it out again from the inside through
one of the airholes. Then he closed
, 5the door carefully. He had left plenty
Of slack for his purpose and Tab
heard the click of the lock as it was
fastened, and his heart sank. He
watched the door fascinated, and saw
that Lander was pulling the slack of
the cotton through the airhole. Pres
emily the key came in sight under
the door. Higher and higher came the
sagging line of cotton and the key
rose until it was at the tables level,
slid down the taut cotton, and came
to rest on the table. Tighter drew the
strain of the thread, and presently
the pin came out, passed through the
hole in the key, leaving it in the exact
center of the table. Tab watched the
bright pin as it was pulled across the
floor and through the ventilator.'