The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-02-21
THE KEN NE L
NJ URDER c ASE
BY s. s. VAN DINE
The Missing Man and the
Ting Yao Vase

ence. Vance'S SCaCemenCy Will UaS
possibilities it suggested, threw pail
of vague horror over all OF US. I'm
steadily Gamble rose, and bracing
himself with one hand on the back OF
his chair, glarsd at Vance like man
: who had saen q malignnt specter.
"You-are sure you saw the stick,
sir?" he stammered, with hideous
contortion of the face. 81 didn't see
it. And Mr.. Brisbane never hangs his
stick over the hall chair. He always
puts it in the umbrella stand. Maybe
some one else"
"Who but Mr.. Brisbane himself
would bring that stick. back to the
house and hang it over chair in the
hall?"
"But, Mr.. Vance, sir" the man per-
sisted in an awed tone, "he once re-
primanded me for hanging it over a
charlie said it might fall and get
broken. Why, sir, should he hang it
over the chair?"
"Less noisy, perhaps, than chuck
ing it into brass umbrella holder"
Markham was leaning over the
desk scowling at Vance.
"What do you mean by that" he
demanded.
Vance lifted his eyes slowly and let
them rest on the district attorney.
81 opine, my dear Markham" he
said slowly, "that brother Brisbane
didn't want anyone to hear him when
he returned here last night. He start
ed for Chicago on a night when he
knew no one but Archer would be
home. And then h emissed his train
to speak euphemistically. He returned
to the housewife his stick. And
here's his stick :. but no Bris-
bane. And Archer-the sole occupant
of this cluttered domicile last night
has gone to his Maker in most out
landish fashion"
GOOD Cd, Vancew Markham
sank back in his chair. "You don't
mean that Brisbane-?"
"Tut, tut! There you go jumping
at conclusions again. :" Vance be-
gan walking up and down, his hands
sunk deep in his coat pockets. ~ can
understand Brisbane's presence here
last night" he>-murmured as if to
: himself, "but Ican't understand the
presence Of his stick here this morn
ing. It's very curious-it doesn't fit
into the picture. Even if he had not
taken the Lake Shore Limited to Chi
cago, there were other trains later
on"
Heath took his cigar from his
mouth.
"How do you know the bird didn't
take another train-that is, suppos-
ing he'd missed the Lake Shore Linn
ited?"
"By the stick in the lower hall,
Sergeant"
Couldn't guy forget his stick?"
"Not Brisbane Coe-and certainly
not in the circumstances. -
"What circumstances ?" cut in
Markham.
"That's what don't know exactly"
Vance made wry face. "But begin
to see method in all this seeming
madness; and that stick downstairs
stands out like some terrible and &C.
cusing error. :"
He stopped abruptly, and suddenly
swinging about, went toward the
door.
"I'll be back in aminute. There's
possibility. =" He passed swiftly
into the hall.
Heath looked disgustedly at Mark
ham.
eff you ask me-" he submitted
surlily, 81 think Mr.. Vance is leaning
" too heavily on that stick. We've only
got this guys word"-he jerked his
thumb toward Gamble-"th he took
it with him in the first place."
Markham made no comment.
Presently Vance returned to the
room, smoking abstractedly. His face
was crestfallen.
"He's not there" he announced. IT
thought Brisbane might be in his
room. But the shades are up; and the
bed hasn't been slept in; and the
lights are out" He sat down YEARLY.
His rooms empty"
The sergeant planted himself in
front of Vance.
Look here, Mr.. Vance, even if he
did miss the Lake Shore Limited, he's
probably on his way to Chicago. Any