The Coolidge examiner., 1935-04-12
CHAPTER *
The Six Judges.

v myself vas around AZ nine
/ O'Clock and was surprised 10 fnd
him In street clothes and on the
point OF leaving the house
'I1i be back In half an hour.
VAN" he said. as be went out. but
gave no further explanation.
Fifteen minutes later Markham
arrived. and be had waited but ten
minutes when Vance came In. lie
was carrying the Scotch terrier
bitch IN his arms There vas a
dressing on her head held In place
by adhesive tape. but otherwise she
seemed alert and well
Morning. Markham" Vance greet
ed the district attorney Really,
= know. dldui expect you 50
early. I've just toddled over 10
Doctor Blamey's % see how the lls
tie Scotch lassle was getting along
and here she ls-
Markham looked ~ him skep-
Ideally
You sill think you can trace
the person we want through that
dog7"
ITS our only hope" Vance told
him seriously The case is far
too complicated as /, s,ands--there
are too many contradictions am
sure that you. as a prosecuting at
torney. could pin the various
crimes on any one % three or four
persons But until | have traced
the ownership and pcregrinations of
this Scoitie. khan'i be satisfied ="
Markham frowned. ''Jus, how DO
you intend 10 go about ltf'
As told you. Markham. this ~
tie bitch il In perfect show con.
dlilon shes been trimmed and
conditioned by al expert and u
seems pretty certain that she's been
entered ia some show recently. Ny
guess is. from her condition. that
she's hcen shown within the last
month. And It's simple enough
10 ind what shows have been held
within n reasonable radius ~ Sew
York during that period
lie went into the library aud re-
turned with his Ole ~ Popular Dogs
suing down In his easy chair he
began running his finger down the
calendar of official dog shows.
Now. let's see" he murmured.
During the past month there has
been held around New York The
show al Syracuse-make a note %
these, viii you. Yanl Then came
the Cornwall show: and after that
Tuxedo. And a week later was the
Camden show. which was followed
by westbury. and also the Eagle
wood show. That brings Us
pretty well np 10 date. and they are
all possibilities. This dog is too
young 10 have won any important
blue ribbons. and therefore my
guess would be that her entries
would have been In the puppy and
novice classes. It's not an I'm
portant matter. although Il limits
and facilitates my investigation
somewhat"
1t sounds like shooting into the
dark" Markham was far from con
vinced-
You're right 20 certain extent"
Vance agreed. but there's a sim
pier way OF determining the dogs
ownershIp-and shall try that
first"
Vance stood looking down at the
bandaged Scottie.
"The more / see OF her, Mark
ham. the more I'm convinced that
there are only about FIVE men In
this part OF the country who could
have done such a perfect Job OF
trimming. William Prentice could
have done II: and George Wimberly.
and Jimmy McNab. and Eilery
Burke. and Steve Parton"
Vance walked round the dog sew
eral times. studying her.
"Wimberly is In Boston, so we
may eliminate him on the grounds
OF distance. McNab Is working ia
a private capacity for a kennel on
Long Island, and | hardly think he
would qualify. Both Burke and
Parton are fairly distant from New
York. although they are certainly
possibilities"
He knelt down and ran his hand
over the contour OF the dogs neck
and lifted the hair along the spine
Then he stood up.
William Prenticel That's the
chap. That outline OF the neck and
the back has been achieved by
master hand. and there's no greater
master at that In this country than
Prentice. Furthermore. he's only a
short distance from %ew York.
think I'll try him first. II ne did
trim this dog he may be able TO
give US some information as TO her
ownership"
AS soon as Markham had left US
that morning. we drove TO Mr.. Prem
tees famous Barlae kennels at Ha-
worth, n. ]. Mr.. Prentice took one
look at the dog in yance's arms.
"How d ye do. Mr.. Vance" was
his greeting. (Vance had known him
for years) "a good one, yon bitch"