The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-01-24

,. 49, &
the case even more insane.
Markham shot him a quick glance.
Il can't see that" he said. "It at
least clarifies one point we have been
discussing. We now know what stop
ped him in the middle of changing his
clothes"
81 wonder. +" Vance crushed out
his cigarette in an ash-tray on the
Negotiable, and picked up the dress
ing-gown which Coe had been wear
ing when we found him. He held it
up to the light and inspected it min
utely. There was no cut or hole Of
any kind in it. We all looked on in
stupefied silence.
''No, Markham" Vance said, plac-
ing the gown over the foot of the bed.
"Coe didn't have on his dressing
gown when he was stabbed. That
change was made later"
.Still and ALL" Heath argued, "the
guy mighta had his hand under the
), robe when he did the stabbing."
Vance shook his head ruefully.
aYou forget, Sergeant, that the
gown was buttoned tightly and that
the belt was neatly tied around Goes
middle. -. But let US see if we can
verify the matter"
He walked quickly to the clothes
closet in the west wall, whose door
was slightly ajar. Opening the door
wide, he stepped inside. A moment
laer he emerged with clothes hang
err from which depended a coat and
waistcoat of the same somber gray
material as that of the trousers Coe
had been wering.
Vance ran his fingers over the coat
in the vincinity of the right shoulder,
and there revealed a slit in the ma
terial the exact size of the wound in
Goes back. There was a similar slit
in the back of the waistcoat, coincid
ing with the one in the coat.
Vance held the two articles of
clothing close to the light and touch
ed the Sits with is fingers.
"These holes" he said, "are slight
ly stiffened at the edges, as if some
substance had dried on them. l think
that substance will be found to be
blood. There's no doubt that Coe
was fully dressed when he was stab
bed, and that the blood on the dag
ger, or knife, soled the edges of these
two cuts when it was withdrawn"
After moment Markham express
ed the thought uppermost in all our
minds.
"That being the case, Vance, the
murderer must have taken Goes coat
and vest off, hung them. in the closet,
and then put the dressing gown on
the stabbed man."
"Why the murderer ?" Vance par
ried. 1The indications are that some
one else came here after Coe was
dead and sent a bullet through his
head. Couldn't this other hypothetical
person have made the change in the
corpse's habiliments ?"
Does that theory help us any ?"
Markham asked gruff1y.
Not a Bit" Vance cheerfully adj
mitted, "even if it were true which,
of course, we don't know. And I'll adj
nit it sounds incredible. 7 merely
made the suggestion by way of indi-
eating that, at this stage Of the game,
we should not jump at conclusions.
And the more obvious the conclusion,
the more cautious we should be. This
is not, my dear Markham, an obious
case.
Doremus was becoming bored. He
gave cavernous yawn, stretched
himself, and reached for his hat
which he had placed on te floor be-
side the bed.
Well, that lets me out" He squint-
ed at Heath. 1T suppose you want a
quick autopsy"
I'll say we do" The sergeant's
head was enveloped in cloud of
cigar smoke. "When can we get it 2"
Tonight If you must have it"
Doremus drew a sheet over the prone
figure on the bed, and made out an
order for the removal of the body. He
shook hands cordially with every one
and walked briskly toward the door.
"Just moment, Doctor" Mark
hams voice halted him. "Any remote
possibility of suicide here 2"
.Whatp Doremus wheeled in sur
prise. mot a chance. That bid was
stabbed in the back couldn't possibly