The Coolidge examiner., 1935-03-15

70 ne. tx vas necessary Tor me 20
remain 70 arrange FOR packing and
shipment"
And shat did Miss Lake say?"
The Italian seemed loaih 20 an.
swcr bot 81 length be said.
Miss Lake broke or her enga ~.
meut with N'r. wrcde. And then
she asked him 20 leave the house
and remain away."
~ say. Nr. Crassl''-Vance spoke
slddenlY--''ia you think that Miss
Lake killed her uncleT"
The Italian stared at Vance.
~l--I-really. sir. -
Thanks awfully for tho effort. "
Vance remarked. u can quite IN
dersiaud your feelings Bot should
Ike % know why you didn't ten ns
before % ar Goes agreement to
dispose % some % his collection "a
! ynu Was the agreement written
or verhaIf~
Written" The man reached In
hts pocket snd handed Vance q fold.
cd paper AT NV request Mr. Coz
wrote that letter 20 me yesterday. ="
he explained 4 wished to cable
the news 70 Mllan."
Vance unfolted the letter and
read tt. with Markham. Heath and
me looking over his shoulder:
"slgnor Eduardo Crnssl.
Dear Sir.
In confirmation % our recent
conversation. hereby agree 20
sell 10 you. as a representative
% the Museum 81 Antiquities al
MILAN. the following pieces In
my private collection:
Then came a detailed list os forty
or afiy items. including many Of
Archer Goes most famous and val.
liable specimens of Chinese art The
date ~ the head OF the docnmen,
sas October 10.
Vance put the letter tn his pocket.
eve shall keep this for the pres.
eni. be told Grnssi 1T vii be
perfectly safe. and II will be re-
turned TO you anon. The authori.
ties may Wish 20 refer to H."
Grassi bowed In polite acqules.
cence.
And now" Vance concluded. Il
shall agaln ask you 20 walt IN your
own quarters until are send for you =
Grassi went out. with obvious re.
lief.
Sergeant" Vance said. could
you get me a sheet OF that note pa.
per on Archer Goes dcski And bis
fountain penT"
The sergeant went upstairs and
returned shortly with the paper and
the pen.
After an Inspection Vance said:
II, Is certainly Goes note paper
and Archers pen wrote the letter.
Most significant"
lie returned GraSsi's letter 10 his
pocket and went toward the front
door.
Cheer up. old dear" he exhorted
Markham. Its not nearly so black
as II seems. The clouds are begin.
ming 10 dlsperse. We have all the
data now and it's simply n matter
OF arranging them and interpreting
them correctly"
Il wish ] could feel SO optImIs-
tic" grumbled Markham. following
Vance into the vestibule.
Vance halted and. turning, re-
garded the perplexed Heath.
"Oh, by the way. Sergeant" he
said: one or two little favors-
there's q good fellow. WIN you
check up at once on the-shall say
allblsi-of Miss Lake and Slgnor
Grassi? And you might give this
house another search. I'm dashed
interested In q blunt instrument
that might have been used for strik-
Ing Archer and the wee Scottie. I
noticed that In the IRE set in the Ilv-
ing room everything was intact In
the rack but the poker"
Heath nodded Il get you, sir. II
there's poker In this house. I'll
lay hands on IT,"
Stout fells !" Vance continued
toward the rront door.
And speaking OF dogs. sir" Heath
added. "tnat guy Wrede told me he
was very fond OF the animals.
Owned one before he moved"
"Ahi" Vance paused. Did he
mention the breedl"
1T was Doberman Pinscher. "
Markham informed him.
Now, that's deuced Interestin'
y know" Vance murmured. BE so
good, Sergeant. as TO have the bolt
on Arcner's door fxed while we're
lunching. I'll want II In perfect
working order when / return"
The sergeant grinned broadly.
$50 that's on your mind. Is IL?
Sure, I'll have 1t fixed"
We walked through the invigorat-
Ing autumn air TO a small French
restaurant In West Seventy second
street near the Drive. Vance talked
\